Welcome to
Doumit
Family Lawyers
Located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD,
1 Castlereagh Street
Specialising in all
Family Law matters
Our Principal lawyer, Layla Doumit, has practiced exclusively in Family Law for over 17 years, after being admitted as a legal practitioner in 2006.
Layla has extensive experience in dealing with parenting matters and disputes post separation. Whether you have an agreement with the other parent or have serious concerns of risk matters regarding your children, Layla can guide and navigate with you an arrangement that is in your child’s best interest and crystalise that arrangement by way of an application for consent orders.
Layla’s experience is also extensive in property and financial matters. Whether you were married or in a de facto relationship, Layla will use her experience to assist you by attempting to resolve your matter amicably and if that is not achievable, she will provide you with the legal advice and representation that results in an outcome, at the minimum, that is best in your circumstances.
Areas of Specialty
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To file an Application for Divorce, you are required to have been separated for at least 12 months. This does not necessarily mean living in separate households. You may have lived, or continue to live, separately and apart under the same roof. If you are contemplating divorce, obtaining early advice is also sensible. We can assist you with your application or with giving you preliminary advice.
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You and your former partner can achieve orders of the Court without ever being required to appear before a Judge. If you have reached an agreement, that agreement is best crystalised by way of Consent Orders which can be achieved by making an Application for Consent Orders filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. This can be in relation to both parenting and property matters. If you would like advice regarding such an application, we can assist you with your enquiries.
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When in dispute with your former partner, whether in relation to parenting or property matters, you are almost always required to resolve your matter by negotiation. Mediation is necessary. Irrespective of whether you wish to have a legally assisted mediation or be self-represented, it is imperative that you obtain the necessary advice prior to considering any offer made. An agreement to accept an offer should be based on an informed decision stemming from prior legal advice. Mediation is a platform and opportunity to navigate through issues of dispute with the other party that may lead to a resolution. If you are being asked to attend mediation or would like to initiate the process, we can assist you with preparing for same.
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The breakdown of a relationship between parents can often be extremely challenging particularly when trying to ascertain how to coordinate an arrangement between two households. Conflicting issues can arise making it difficult to co-parent. If you are having difficulties reaching a parenting arrangement, we can assist you with gaining insight as to a regime and pathway that may best suit your family and most importantly operate in the best interests of your children.
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The breakdown of a relationship between parents can also often result in the breakdown of a relationship with grandparents and other family members. If you are not a parent of a child but wish to have an arrangement in place whereby the child continues to have a relationship with you, there may be grounds to seek such orders or preferably negotiate an arrangement by consent with the parent/s. If this is a matter of relevance to you, we can provide you with the necessary advice in order to explore your options.
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The breakdown of a relationship between parents can often hinder plans such as travelling abroad with your children. If the other parent is refusing to sign your child’s Passport Application and/or is refusing your request to travel with the child outside of Australia for a holiday, the Court (if an agreement cannot be reached) will consider the circumstances in your case and the destination you seek to travel to, and determine whether it would be in the child’s interest to travel. We have represented several applicants in seeking such orders and can assist you with your enquiry if you are faced with an impediment on travel.
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There are circumstances whereby some parents unilaterally cause a child/ren to relocate to another state or country without the prior consent of the other parent. If this occurs, time is of the essence. You should seek urgent advice to make the necessary application for the immediate return of your child/ren.
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Child Support is initially assessed administratively by Services Australia, Child Support, formerly known as the Child Support Agency. The administrative assessment provides an assessment of the periodic child support payable by a parent.
At times however, you and the other parent may negotiate a private arrangement as to periodic payments and non-periodic payments. If a private agreement is reached, then such an agreement should be crystlised either by way of a Binding Child Support Agreement or a Limited Child Support Agreement. For more information on how this can be achieved, please contact us for the necessary advice.
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At times, following the breakdown of your relationship, your income is inadequate to meet your day to day living expenses. This is separate to child support. Provided that your former partner has the capacity to do so, he or she might be liable to meet your periodic maintenance, for a period of time, until you are in a position to support yourself. In some circumstances however, there is inadequate information before the Court (or whereby the information is unclear) to make a determination which can therefore lead to an order for urgent spouse maintenance. We have represented many clients in such applications. If you think you have a need for spouse maintenance, we can assist you with your enquiry.
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It can be extremely challenging when turning your mind to how to divide your assets following the breakdown of your relationship. There are several factors to consider and have regard to and at times, crucial that such advice is obtained prior to your separation. Property in family law can mean a wide range of assets and it is therefore important that you have the necessary advice when considering how to resolve your matter, resulting in an outcome that is just and equitable. The process can be extremely complex and at other times very simple. If you would like to discuss your property and financial matters in the context of a breakdown of your relationship, we can assist you with those enquiries and provide you with necessary advice.
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If you would like to be proactive and enter into a Financial Agreement (more commonly known as a pre-nup), particularising how your assets are to be dealt with in the event of a breakdown of your relationship, we can assist you with that advice and draft the relevant Agreement, whether you are in a de facto relationship, in contemplation of marriage or even during your marriage. A financial agreement can also be entered into as form of settlement following the breakdown of your relationship. We have ample experience with drafting these agreement and can assist you with the advice you need.
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All matters of property and parenting disputes also apply to parties who were in a de facto relationship. Following the breakdown of your relationship, you have 2 years to make an application to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to seek orders regarding your property matters. Prior to the expiry of those 2 years, you should attend mediation and attempt to amicably resolve the dispute between you and your former partner.
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Often third parties are impacted by the breakdown of a relationship between married couples or partners of a de facto relationship. For example, you might own an interest in real estate with one of the parties and are concerned that your interest may be affected. Alternatively, one of the parties might owe you money which you advanced during the relationship. You should obtain the necessary advice in relation to your rights and standing to be joined to the proceedings as a third party. We have represented individuals and companies as third parties in family law proceedings and can assist you should you require such representation or at the minimum, the advice to ascertain and understand your rights.
Providing you with a pathway forward
Layla has extensive experience in dealing with parenting matters and disputes post separation. Layla can guide and navigate together with you, an arrangement that is in your child’s best interest and crystalise that arrangement by way of an application for consent orders.
In circumstances that an agreement cannot be reached,Layla has represented parents in high conflict parenting disputes whereby children have experienced and/or are at the risk of experiencing physical, psychological and emotional harm.
It is Layla’s practice to ensure that her clients understand the considerations that the Court must have regard to when determining an outcome that is in a child’s best interest and ensuring that the client has a realistic expectation of the outcome that the court is likely to determine in the event an agreement cannot be reached. She has experience negotiating parenting arrangements by consent.
Layla’s expertise and experience in property and financial matters after the breakdown of a marriage or de facto relationship has assisted clients in ensuring that they are advised in a manner that provides a pathway to have a realistic expectation. The breakdown of your relationship can be the most vulnerable time and it is therefore imperative that clients are well informed of the likely outcome in their cases. Layla’s priority is to attempt to achieve a resolution that can be finalised amicably if protracted litigation can be avoided. Layla has assisted many clients in finalising their property matters by way of consent without a need for any Court appearance.
There are times, however, that an agreement cannot be reached, and in such circumstance, Layla’s frequent appearances in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia can give you confidence that your matter is in the hands of a practitioner that specialises only in family law. Layla has extensive experience in complex matters including parties with several companies and entities of which other third parties hold an interest. Irrespective of the simplicity or complexity in your matter, Layla ensures that her clients are given the advice that only reflects a realistic outcome.
We work hard to achieve the best outcome for you
Our priority is to assist our clients to resolve matters amicably and at the same time, navigate a resolution in the most effective manner. If a resolution cannot be achieved by consent, Layla’s experience in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia will provide you with an expectation that is realistic and one that is the likely outcome in your matter.
Adopting a style that has been the foundation of Layla’s reputation of providing realistic advice to her clients based on the relevant fact in each matter has instilled confidence in her clients that their legal representation is most likely to result in an outcome that was foreseen and at the same time, that there is no certainty in the outcome of litigation.
Place your enquiry
Getting legal advice early is likely to help to alleviate some of the stress associated with parenting and property disputes following separation. We can help you to understand all your options, and advise you on the best pathway forward. Please contact our legal secretary, Shay Richardson, to make an enquiry.