Niki is a Senior Associate in the Brisbane office of Lander & Rogers' Family & Relationship Law team.
Niki has experience in a broad range of family law matters and a particular interest in complex property settlements. She has acted for individuals with net assets of between $10M and $160M. Niki brings financial acumen to family law, having started her career in tax accounting and holding a dual degree in economics and law. Niki draws on her commercial experience when working with her clients by providing strategic and holistic advice.
Niki is recognised by her peers as a Family Law Rising Star for Queensland in the 2020, 2023 and 2024 editions of Doyle's Guide and was named a Rising Star by Australasian Lawyer in 2024. She has co-authored two articles published by the Law Society Journal of New South Wales in relation to the complexities of corporate structures in family law settlements and the interplay between estate claims and binding financial agreements.
Experience
Niki's experience includes:
- wealth protection through the drafting of pre and post nuptial binding financial agreements, including where parties own assets overseas, seek to quarantine significant family enterprises or inheritances, or want to deal exclusively with a certain class of asset
- advising high-net worth individuals who have significant business interests, complex corporate structures, generational family wealth, assets in Australia and overseas, and minority corporate interests involving third parties
- international family law including child support disputes involving non-residents of Australia, forum disputes between Australia and jurisdictions overseas, and international child relocation
- complex parenting matters involving criminal charges, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health issues, a history of domestic violence, adverse family report recommendations and parental alienation
- urgent recovery applications where children have been withheld from their primary parent, and cases involving the unilateral relocation of children by one parent
- court appearances in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia including appearing on behalf of clients in contested interim applications, directions hearings and mentions
- dispute resolution including negotiating favourable settlements and instructing at mediations on behalf of clients.
Career highlights
Niki's career highlights include:
- representing a business owner with net assets of $160M in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
- successful dismissal of the other party’s application to stay proceedings on the ground Australia was a clearly inappropriate forum, with a costs order made in favour of Niki's client
- enforcing a judgment debt by obtaining an enforcement warrant for an officer to seize real property and orders for the appointment of a trustee for sale
- intervening in a family law proceeding on behalf of a third party, with a net asset pool of approximately $50M
- a successful application for the urgent return of a child to Niki's client, where the other parent had unilaterally relocated interstate.
FAQs
How long will it take for my matter to be finalised?
This depends upon the complexity of your matter and the work involved. If you come to us with a final agreement and instruct us only to prepare the necessary settlement documents and provide you with the requisite advice, it could take only a few weeks to finalise your matter. If, however, you require assistance in negotiating an agreement, require advice in relation to multiple issues, or court proceedings have been commenced, it may take longer to resolve your matter. Timeframes will also depend upon the attitude and approach taken by your spouse or former partner. We can give you an indication of realistic time frames when we meet with you.
How much will it cost?
Each client's matter is different and costs will vary depending upon the complexity and amount of work involved. Prior to you engaging our firm, we will provide you with our costs agreement setting out the basis of how we charge and our estimated costs. We also offer a fixed fee solution for several of our services, which we can discuss with you.
View more commonly-asked questions about the legal aspects of family and relationship law in Australia here.