Joanne was admitted to practice as a lawyer in the year 2000. Having initially worked in busy general practice firms in both Parramatta and Sydney, she moved to a specialisation in Family Law and in 2005, achieved Specialist Accreditation in Family Law from the Law Society of NSW.  In the same year, she was appointed a Judicial Registrar of the Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia, Sydney Registry.  As a Judicial Registrar, Joanne exercised judicial powers in Court hearings where she was required to clarify, resolve, and determine points of law on a daily basis in complex parenting and high-net-worth financial matters.

Joanne has qualifications as a Mediator, Arbitrator, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Parenting Coordinator, and Collaborative Coach.  Given her 17-year experience as a Judicial Registrar in the country’s most litigious registry, Joanne is a professional and experienced lawyer who can communicate the legal principles applying to a broad range of cases.

Joanne has superior skills in dispute resolution events with a consistently high settlement rate due to her strong focus on assisting parties to achieve an equitable settlement. As an experienced negotiator, Joanne is able to guide and suggest options to parties to balance their competing needs and interests within the parameters of the law. Joanne has a calm, understanding, and empathetic way in which she conducts matters which influences parties to achieve a resolution with a minimum of dispute.