Budget 2021: Are family lawyers happy?
By Jerome Doraisamy|13 May 2021
Following the almost half a billion dollars in funding to strengthen the family law system, Lawyers Weekly spoke with practitioners in this space to get their reactions and thoughts on what more needs to be done.
On the evening of Tuesday, 11 May, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced the provision of $416.2 million over the next four years to support women and families experiencing family and domestic violence through a number of measures to increase information sharing and support in the family law system.
New initiatives announced in the budget include:
$85 million over three years from 2022-23 in additional funding for enhanced social supports under the Family Advocacy and Support Services and for 26 new locations, including in regional areas.
Listed firm’s acquisition of Aus practice formalised
Listed firm’s acquisition of Aus practice formalised Share
An award-nominated national practice has confirmed to the ASX the formalisation of its acquisition of a longstanding firm with offices across NSW and in the ACT.
Earlier on Thursday, 29 April, the board of AF Legal Group (ASX: AFL), the holding company of Australian Family Lawyers, announced that it had signed the documentation pertaining to its sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Watts McCray Pty Ltd.
Under the agreement, AFL – which was nominated for Law Firm of the Year at the 2020 Australian Law Awards – is acquiring 100 per cent of Watts McCray’s shares.
AF Legal acquires Watts McCray
By Jerome Doraisamy|11 March 2021
Australian Family Lawyers has acquired NSW-based family law firm Watts McCray, which it says makes it the largest family practice in Australia.
Australian Family Lawyers (ASX: AFL), also known as AF Legal Group or AFL, is merging with Watts McCray, which it says heralds a new era in modern, innovative legal service delivery for family law in the country.
The announcement was made earlier on Thursday, 11 March, with AFL merging and acquiring 100 per cent of the shares of Watts McCray Pty Ltd. The deal is set to be finalised next month.
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A leading law firm has been told to repay nearly $700,000 in legal fees charged to a Sydney socialite during a fraught and expensive divorce settlement involving tens of millions in assets.
The woman successfully challenged the costs of $3.8 million collected by Watts McCray lawyers, including $2.2 million in professional costs and $1.6 million in disbursements, mostly barristers’ fees.
The woman and her ex-husband, a prominent businessman, cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Watts McCray strongly disputes the panel’s findings and is appealing.
Credit:Greg Newington
A Supreme Court costs review panel found that at times the law firm put too many staff on the case and conducted unjustified meetings during the long divorce proceeding, and failed to keep its client adequately informed about mounting costs.