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Celia Pitcher

Collaborative Lawyer in Sydney, NSW

Area of Law: Family Law

Phone: 1300 425 769

Celia is an Accredited Specialist and is a Family Law Principal with Thornton+King Lawyers. She has practised exclusively in Family Law for 20 years with both larger suburban firms and city boutique and family law practices.

Celia has extensive experience in all aspects of Family Law, including parenting, financial and child support matters. She has particular expertise in dealing with more complex financial issues involving business interests, trusts and self-managed superannuation funds in the context of family law property settlements, as well as matters with international components such as offshore property and forum disputes, international child abduction, as well as more straightforward financial matters. For clients with parenting concerns or issues, Celia has significant experience in this area – including more difficult circumstances where there is a high degree of conflict.

Celia completed studies in Law and Sociology/English Literature at the University of New South Wales in 2000, and was later awarded a Masters in Applied Law (Family Law) in 2013. After graduating Celia worked for a major international law firm in its Amsterdam office in the Commercial/Finance Groups. After returning to Australia she was employed for two years as the last Research Associate to Justice Ellis of the Appeal Division of the Family Court of Australia, being one of the original Justices appointed to the Family Court upon its establishment in 1976. Prior to and in the early years of practice as a solicitor, Celia worked as a volunteer solicitor and student volunteer with several Community Legal Services, including Redfern Legal Centre, the Inner City Legal Centre, Macquarie Legal Centre and the Aboriginal Legal Service, and also for over 10 years in Disability Services.

In addition to providing comprehensive legal solutions and advice to her clients, Celia is also a registered Family Dispute Resolution (“FDR”) Practitioner, and holds NMAS Accreditation, which adds to her training as a Collaborative Lawyer. In recommending Collaborative Practice as an alternative to litigation or traditional dispute resolution, Celia aims to help her clients reach negotiated settlements, without further damaging what can be fragile family relationships. Celia’s communication style, and approach to assisting her clients through one of the most challenging periods in their lives, is one of warmth, understanding, and calm measured focus. In response to changing work practices arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Celia offers flexible appointments, either in person, via telephone or Zoom where appropriate for Collaborative dispute resolution.

Celia is a member of the NSW Law Society, the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, the Australian Institute of Family law Arbitrators and Mediators, Collaborative Professionals NSW and is a Graduate Fellow of the College of Law. She is also a current serving member of the NSW Law Society Family Issues Committee.

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