Last Friday, the team at Evans & Company Family Lawyers hosted the second seminar in the Gold Coast Family Lawyers’ Charity CPD Series.

The Seminar saw some 40 local lawyers who practice in the area of family law attend at the Southport Golf Club for the Seminar and a buffet breakfast.

Family law specialists, Dean Evans and Luke Brandon, partners at Evans & Company Family Lawyers initiated the breakfast series in order to see local lawyers attain their Continuing Professional Development requirements as well as fostering collegiate ties and forging friendships within the family law legal community. Attending lawyers are entitled to include their Seminar enrolment towards meeting their ongoing Continuing Professional Development obligations set for family lawyers by the Queensland Law Society.

At each breakfast, local lawyers, barristers and, at this seminar, a local Judicial Officer presented on issues relevant to family law and practice on the Gold Coast.

At the last breakfast, His Honour Magistrate Colin Strofield who presides in the Specialist Domestic Violence Court at Southport accepted an invitation to speak.

He provided a valuable insight into the practical functioning and the implementation of the Court at Southport. Whilst the Court is operating on a 6 month trial basis, it is suspected that the scheme will be extended here at the Gold Coast and perhaps commenced in other districts.

Local Gold Coast Barrister, Ben Strangman rounded out the Domestic Violence topic with a presentation focused on how the Domestic and Family Violence Legislation and Rules work in practice and a discussion of recent case law in that area.

A paper was also presented by Jones Mitchell Lawyers’ Kate Graham and Natasha Orr, discussing a recent “financial agreement” case where a financial agreement the Husband hoped was binding was set aside. The local couple had met on an internet dating website and the Wife spoke limited English. In that case the agreement was set aside on the grounds of duress, linked to the Wife’s immigration status, her belief that the marriage would not proceed if the agreement was not signed and her having gone forward and entered the agreement out of her love and devotion to her Husband.

Along with discussing legal issues, attendees enjoyed breakfast and the chance to support two a local charities, namely Paradise Kids and the Robina Community Legal Centre.

At each breakfast, different legal firms have offered up a raffle prize and the proceeds have been donated to local charities. The next breakfast is scheduled to take place in February, 2016.

Enquiries regarding attendance at the event or sponsorship can be made to info@evansandcompany.com.au.