Richard Hamilton

Education & Qualifications: Juris Doctor (University of Melbourne), Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Australian National University), Bachelor of Science (Physics) (University of Melbourne), BA (Linguistics) (University of Melbourne), Advanced Mediation Skills & Theory (Monash University).

Professional Memberships: Law Institute of Victoria

Richard leads the Family Law Practice Group and is a Director of Nevett Ford Lawyers.

Richard appears in trials, mediations and procedural hearings regularly in the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia to represent clients in respect of their family law matters on financial issues, urgent applications, contentious parenting matters and family violence allegations.

Richard has completed accreditation as a mediator and has a reputation of being able to resolve very complex or challenging matters before trial, while determining which matters ‘need’ to go to trial. Richard has significant experience in complex high value matters; involving disputes to business valuations, identifying hidden assets, tracing and forensic exercises, taxation consequences for financial settlements and engaging a wide variety of experts to dispute opposing parties’ arguments.

Richard’s child and parenting law practice has seen him advise on issues such as special or high needs children, instances of past and protection against future child abuse, psychological assessments of parents and other potential child carers, international relocations, and issues of alleged alienation and coercive control. Part of his role is preparing clients for their family reports and connecting them with the right specialists and thought-processes for ensuring their views are well-received by the Court.

He has a very large practice in preparing pre-nuptial binding financial agreement, advising on those documents drafted by other lawyers, and knowing exactly where and how challenges might arise to those documents.

Richard is known for being highly responsive to clients, being quick to address legal issues and having a significant level of one-on-one time with clients.

He has two young children and is fluent in French. He keeps a close eye on legal process innovation, AI, and where clients can benefit from advances in technology.