A specialist boutique family law firm practising exclusively in family law.
At Mahler Family Law we care about our clients. We are committed to achieving the best outcome while keeping costs to a minimum.
We have an e-firm policy. We use cutting-edge technology to provide the most effective and efficient service possible.
At Mahler Family Law we proactively use our specialised knowledge and skills to lift the burden of relationship changes from our clients, to empower them to move forward.
We act in all areas of family law, including separation and divorce, de facto law, parenting matters, financial matters, domestic violence, and protecting our clients' interests in a new relationship.
We work closely with accountants, financial planners, counsellors and other professionals in providing a network of support for our clients.
At Mahler Family Law we provide a wide range of Family Law resources.
We draw a distinction between legal information and legal advice. We believe it is important to utilise all available resources, rather than simply reinventing the wheel, to save clients from unnecessary cost, time and energy. An example of this is our link to the Australian Government's 'Do-it-yourself' online divorce kit.
Mahler Family Law
Canberra Place
123 Margaret Street
(Corner of Margaret and Hume Streets)
Toowoomba QLD 4350
* On-street metered parking available on both Margaret and Hume Streets
PO Box 1362
Tel: (07) 4638 0811
Fax: (07) 4639 5237
Email: admin_mahlerfamilylaw.com
Click for Location Map
The history of our building
The team at Mahler Family Law have a strong commitment to teamwork, excellence in service and the highest quality of care for our clients.
Richard is an Accredited Family Law Specialist. Richard has worked as a lawyer in private practice since 2002. He began his career at a top-tier commercial law firm. Since 2004 he has worked as a specialist family lawyer, practising exclusively in family law. His commercial background solidly equips him to deal with complex property settlements and financial matters. Richard is also very passionate about children's matters.
As a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Richard can mediate family law matters and issue Section 60(I) Certificates.
Richard is also a Law Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland, based at the Toowoomba Campus. Richard's teaching and research expertise are in the areas of family law, international family law and comparative family law. Richard is also completing a PhD on the Hague Child Abduction Convention.
Richard's passion for family law is clearly evidenced by a career that involves practising, mediating, teaching, researching and publishing in family law.
Richard's email: richard.mahler_mahlerfamilylaw.com
Accredited Family Law Specialist
BCom Deakin University
LLB (Hons 1) Griffith University
LLM Queensland University of Technology
Grad Dip Leg Prac Sydney College of Law
Fam Disp Res Prac Federal A/G's Dept
Kate has worked as a Personal Assistant in a large law firm in Melbourne. She liaises with clients and various third parties, whilst managing the organisation of files. She has a Bachelor of Communication (in Public Relations) and is also responsible for media and marketing.
Kate's email: kate.mahler_mahlerfamilylaw.com
Helga has worked as a Company Director managing accounts and administration for over 25 years. Her vast experience allows her to manage the administration and accounts of Mahler Family Law with precision.
Helga's email: helga.telleman_mahlerfamilylaw.com
Christine has been a Receptionist and Office Manager for over 30 years. She takes great pride in her team's professionalism and efficiency. Christine, Cath and Kahler provide our clients with a friendly and caring reception. They organise appointments and deal with other general enquiries.
Mahler Family Law has an e-firm policy. We embrace cutting-edge technology and electronic mediums to enhance our service delivery.
We streamline document management processes by converting most legal material into a secure electronic format. This allows us to exchange documents with our clients, the courts and other parties quickly and cost effectively, reducing excessive paperwork. We offer clients a compact electronic file that is catalogued in organised sections. This allows us to save time and resources, and ultimately reduce costs. We do, of course, provide a hard copy of any document to clients upon request.
We offer clients the convenience and flexibility of conducting meetings using Skype videoconferencing technology, reducing travel, and again, reducing cost.
We are on Twitter , offering regular insights into the latest developments in family law. We also embrace You Tube technology in disseminating relevant legal information.
Firm Principal Richard Mahler is a member of the following organisations:
At Mahler Family Law we are constantly implementing ways to improve our family law services. We understand that sometimes best practice today will not meet the needs of tomorrow.
We maintain our competitive edge through:
At Mahler Family Law we believe it is essential to be upfront and clear about fees.
We are transparent in how we charge clients. We simply charge for the time taken to work on the file, and do not include hidden costs such as 'care and consideration' or 'postage and petties'.
Disbursements are charged to the client at cost.
Our fee guarantee means that we will never render an invoice higher than the agreed cost our client has previously agreed to in writing.
Our professional fees as at 1 July 2011 are as follows:
Our rates for a specialist family lawyer are significantly lower than our competitors due to our efficiency of service delivery, as evidenced by our e-firm policy.
At Mahler Family Law we recognise the great trust placed in us when acting on a client's behalf. We feel a solemn responsibility in this regard, and believe it is essential to do much more than simply run a successful business.
As such we embrace the following values:
Here are some useful Factsheets published by the Family Court of Australia:
Divorce is commonly associated with issues separate to the actual divorce. In fact, getting a divorce has nothing to do with a property settlement or even children's matters.
Simply put, a divorce is a court order stating a marriage has come to an end.
There are two options for getting a divorce:
Australia has a 'no fault' divorce system, which means a spouse does not have to prove the other has done wrong in order to get a divorce. Before applying for divorce, a couple must have been separated for at least 12 months.
If there are no children of the relationship under 18 the court will process the application without a court hearing. Otherwise, at least one of the couple must attend a court hearing.
At Mahler Family Law we use our specialist family law expertise to give our clients accurate advice as to their property settlement entitlements at the outset. We then ensure our clients achieve that outcome as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.
The court generally adopts the following four-step approach in determining property settlement entitlements:
A person's right to apply to a court for a property settlement ends after 12 months from the date of their divorce, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Some of the most emotionally difficult issues arising from separation are children's matters.
This relates to deciding the extent to which a parent/carer will be responsible for the care of and decision-making relating to a child.
Often parents will have conflicting and deep-rooted opinions on the care and raising of their children. This can lead to lengthy court battles that drain the parties financially and emotionally. An even greater cost is the damage done to the ongoing parental relationship, and the impact that has on the child.
This is the main reason Mahler Family Law has a focus on dealing with matters out of court.
We do, however, have the skills and expertise necessary to passionately fight on our client's behalf should litigation be necessary.
The financial impact of separation can be crippling. These matters deal with basic day-to-day living such as income, standard of living, residence, ability to provide for dependants, financial obligations and financial resources for future planning.
Often couples have worked hard towards financial goals throughout their entire relationship. This investment can be unnecessarily wasted without the proper financial and legal advice.
We assist clients with all financial matters relating to separation, including the following:
Defacto law relates to couples who are not married and fall under at least one of the following categories:
Defacto law includes children's matters, property settlement, and defacto spousal maintenance.
A person's right to apply to a court for a defacto property settlement ends after 24 months from the date of separation, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Many people choose to protect their assets when beginning a new relationship (or at any time during a relationship) by entering into a Binding Financial Agreement (BFA).
A BFA is commonly known as a Pre-Nuptial Agreement or 'Pre-Nup'.
In order for a BFA to adequately protect a person's assets, the following must be adhered to:
Court proceedings can be a great strain on peoples lives, both emotionally and financially. Mediation encourages an efficient and cost effective resolution.
Basically, mediation provides separated couples an opportunity to overcome litigation through communication.
Mahler Family Law Principal, Richard Mahler, is a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner with the Federal Attorney-General's Department. This means he is recognised nationally as a mediator, and can issue Section 60I Certificates as required under the Family Law Act before parties institute court proceedings in respect of children's matters.
At the commencement of the Mediation, Richard meets separately with each party and their solicitor for up to one hour, charged at the normal hourly rate. This allows each party to set agenda items without external influence.
In certain circumstances, Richard will conduct a shuttle Mediation, where the parties stay in separate rooms throughout the entire process.
Mahler Family Law is proud to be part of Toowoomba's rich history by being positioned at Canberra Place.
Canbera Place was formerly The Canberra Hotel, a focal point of social energy for Toowoomba. It now offers commercial tenancies with unrivalled commanding views over stately Queens Park.
Above is a picture of The Canberra Hotel taken in 1942. This landmark piece of history remains a centrepiece in Toowoomba's architecture of today, being one of the first main buildings visitors pass when entering the City along picturescue, tree-lined Margaret Street. The building has also retained its striking square-shaped canopy over the main entrance.
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Domestic violence law applies to:
An act of domestic violence includes:
When a court makes a domestic violence order, it will usually be for two years and impose certain conditions to protect the victim. Breaching a protection order is a criminal offence.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence should seek help urgently from a professional such as a counsellor, lawyer, police or support organisation such as dvconnect.
