Katalin Lello

Katalin is a Special Counsel and Accredited Specialist in the Family and Relationship Law team at Lander & Rogers.

Having joined Lander & Rogers in 2014, Katalin is known for her technical expertise, practical approach, and compassionate advocacy. She has a highly respected reputation in the legal community as a commercially savvy and deeply client-focused family lawyer.

Katalin represents clients both within Australia and internationally and advises on a wide range of matters in family law. Katalin assists individuals and families from all walks of life, including those with high-value property pools, complex corporate and trust structures, complex parenting issues and third-party interests, always tailoring her advice to meet each client’s unique needs and circumstances.

Katalin specialises in the preparation of binding financial agreements, particularly those prepared for the purposes of asset protection and intergenerational wealth transfer. She works closely with her clients' family offices and financial advisors in this component of her practice. She also has extensive experience in parenting disputes, including those involving family violence, relocation and cross-jurisdictional issues.

Through delivering clear, practical advice, Katalin is committed to empowering clients to navigate the legal process with confidence. She balances strong and strategic advocacy with a considered sensitivity to the emotional complexities of family law matters to achieve the best outcome in every case.

In addition to her litigation work, Katalin is a strong advocate for achieving collaborative and negotiated solutions for her clients. She has an extensive mediation practice and has a particular focus on helping clients resolve disputes outside of court through both private mediations and lawyer-assisted conferences.

Katalin’s achievements have been widely recognised within the legal profession. She was named Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year at the 2023 Australasian Law Awards, recognised as a finalist for Senior Associate of the Year at the 2022 Lawyers Weekly Awards, and featured in the Australasian Lawyer Rising Stars 2023 list.

Katalin was recognised in the nationally peer-reviewed Doyle’s Guide as a Family Law Rising Star (2025) and Recommended Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer – Melbourne (2026). She was also included in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in Australia for her expertise in family law, as voted by her peers.

Experience

Katalin’s areas of expertise include:

• complex financial and property settlements, particularly those involving trusts and company structures, disputed property and business valuations, and the taxation implications of financial settlements
• asset protection and family estate planning, including working with family offices and high-net-worth individuals to preserve intergenerational wealth
• children’s issues and litigated parenting matters, including care and residence disputes, family violence, child support, medical and schooling disputes, and relocation applications
• international and jurisdictional disputes, including cross-jurisdictional proceedings and anti-suit injunctions in matters involving two or more jurisdictions and overseas property interests
• family violence and intervention orders

Career highlights

Katalin's career highlights include:

• leading successful parenting and financial appeals, including overturning an international relocation order and defending the outcome at the rehearing and further appeal of the case
• managing complex defended litigation involving intricate family trust and business valuation issues, including the engagement and coordination of various expert witnesses in accounting, forensic valuation and taxation fields for the purposes of valuation
• a multifaceted property dispute involving multiple stakeholders, third-party creditors, and the Commissioner of Taxation and assisting the client in navigating an insolvency event, including the strategic facilitation of a personal insolvency agreement under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 and ongoing negotiations with creditors and financial advisors
• advising a high-net-worth family office in respect to asset protection and relationship breakdown in the context of a significant group restructure, working collaboratively with multiple family members and their advisors to develop and implement tailored financial agreements
• delivering pro bono and community legal support by establishing advice lines for community legal centres, assisting survivors of family violence, and advocating for marginalised and disadvantaged individuals within the legal system

Client feedback

What Katalin's clients say:

"Katalin took over my case, at a point where there didn’t seem like there was a lot of prospect of having a favourable outcome. Kat worked tirelessly in ensuring that our strategy, and overall approach to our parenting case was all about focusing on the best interests of my daughter. Her intimate knowledge of the legal landscape, her patience, preparation, relentless work ethic, and her ability to take into consideration the emotional and psychological toll on my daughter, my family and me, was critical. Working around the clock to meet deadlines, and questions and queries I had along the way, cemented the fact that I was in very capable and professional hands. Kat’s advice on a regular basis, proved to always be accurate, child centric, and holistic. Not only is she an incredible legal representative, she has the element of care and understanding which is so vital in the arena of family law. Thank you, Kat."

"I'm so incredibly grateful for all your help and support throughout the entire matter. I'm so very grateful for your guidance, your support, your clarity, wisdom and intelligence. I felt incredibly confident under your leadership and I'd really like you to know how much I valued that…Thank you again Katalin - for everything."

"Thank you for all your support, guidance, words of wisdom, 'pep' talks, and kindness. Thanks for your patience and understanding in listening to me and all the emails sent explaining the process. You have made this heartbreaking and humiliating situation a much easier process."

"I sincerely cannot thank you enough for your support, understanding and professionalism. The way you speak and how you put my mind at some ease... with how much I am struggling at the moment, short of saying, you are my life saver. And for that, I am truly grateful."

"I really don't know how to properly thank you for everything you have done. What you have achieved for me in the last 5 months, I didn't think was possible. From our first court session (about a week after our initial consultation) I felt so comfortable with you and your representation. I appreciate how realistic you have been in managing my expectations in a pragmatic yet empathetic way… you lead with fairness and resolution."

FAQs

I want to protect my assets from a future relationship breakdown. How can I do that?

Under Australian law, the only means of protecting your assets from a potential legal claim in future if you separate from your de facto partner or spouse is by entering into a financial agreement, commonly referred to as a "prenup" or "BFA". A BFA determines from the outset how your respective assets will be divided in the unfortunate event of a relationship breakdown, instead of a court determining the division of assets. Each party to a BFA needs to get independent legal advice. It is important to start this process as early as possible, so each party can properly consider their position and their lawyer's advice regarding the agreement.

How is child custody determined?

The fundamental principle concerning care arrangements for children is that the arrangements are in the children's best interests. Note: in some countries, parenting arrangements are known as “child custody”.

In determining the child's best interests, the court must consider a number of matters outlined in the family law legislation. These include considerations around what arrangements best promote the safety of a child and parents, the needs and views of the child, the capacity of each parent and the benefit to the children of being able to have a relationship with each of the child's parents. Every family is different and the relevant factors for one family and their children may be different to another. Please contact Katalin to obtain advice that is relevant to your family's circumstances.

What is the difference between a divorce and a property settlement?

A property settlement formalises the division of a separated couple's assets and liabilities. This can be set out in court orders or a financial agreement (or both if also resolving matters in respect of de facto and spousal maintenance). A divorce order is a separate document that marks the official dissolution of a couple's marriage. It is usually recommended to apply for a divorce after you have settled your financial matter, however each case will depend on its specific facts. Please contact Katalin if you would like to discuss your property division and/or a divorce application.