PAUL DOOLAN
Partner
Family Lawyer
Accredited Specialist
Overview
Paul has been a Partner of the firm for over 20 years and is the Immediate Past Chair of the Family Law Section Executive of the Law Council of Australia.
“Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Market” has ranked Paul Doolan as the Market Leader of all family lawyers practicing in Sydney from 2015 to 2023, and as Pre-Eminent or Market Leader nationally in each of those years.
Paul was selected in 2020 and 2022 as Lawyer of the Year for Family Law in Sydney by “Best Lawyers in Australia“.
His practice is focused on financial cases involving substantial asset pools, including matters with complex company, trust, partnership and valuation issues. Many of these cases have an international element to them.
Awards
MARKET LEADER
MARKET LEADER
Paul Doolan
Publications
“Breaking down the best in the bust-up business: Australia’s top divorce lawyers“, The Australian, April 21, 2023.
CHH, “Australian Family Law and Practice”, previous chapter author on “Costs in Family Law”.
“De facto Financial Cases come to the Federal Courts”, Doolan P and Nolan A, (2008), CCH Family Law & Practice and online
Author of the curriculum for the NSW College of Laws’ Masters Degree subject on “Advanced Financial Issues in Family Law” first offered to students in Semester 2, 2008.
“Property by any other name – the treatment of paid and unpaid legal fees in family law”, Doolan P, (2006) Australian Journal of Family Law
“Confusion Reigns Supreme – The Family Court Grapples with Big Money Cases”, Doolan P, (2006), Current Family Law Journal
“Confusion Reigns Supreme – The Family Court Grapples with Superannuation”, Doolan P, (2005), Current Family Law Journal
“Taxation Issues in Family Law – Part I”, (2004) Current Family Law Journal
“Taxation Issues in Family Law – Part 2”, (2004), Current Family Law Journal
“Business Asset Protection – The PreNup Way”, My Business Magazine, November 2002, pp34-39.
“Cilento v Cilento Revisited – In the Best Interests of the Child?”, Vol 10 No 1 (1996) Australian Journal of Family Law, p86.
“When Family Law and Bankruptcy Collide”, Lindenmayer T.E and Doolan P, Vol 8 No. 2 (1994) Australian Journal of Family Law, p111.
“The Role, Powers and Status of the Separate Representative”, Lindenmayer T.E and Doolan P, Vol 8 No 1 (1994) Australian Journal of Family Law, p89.
“The Unacceptable Risk of What – Access Orders in the wake of M v M”, Vol 8 No 2 (1994) Australian Journal of Family Law, p178.
“Procedural Aspects of Applications for Paternity Testing”, FLPA Magazine, Vol 2, No 2 (1994).
Research Assistant on “Australian Commercial Law”, 19th edtn, Yorston, Fortescue and Turner, Law Book Co, 1992.
Presentations
“Trouble at the Big End of Town : The family law courts and big money cases” presented in 2022 at the TEN Gold Coast Family Law Conference
“Ethics in Family Law”; panel presentation at the 19th National Family Law Conference, Adelaide, 2022.
“Latest and Greatest case law” presented online by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, 2021.
“Latest and Greatest case law” presented online by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, 2020.
“The ALRC review into the family law system”, presentation at the National Family Law Conference, Brisbane, 2018.
“International Cases in Family Law” by the Hon. M Kent SC and P Doolan, updated by S Williams QC, presented by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, 2018 in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
“Trusts and family law” panel presentation at the National Family Law Conference, Melbourne, 2016.
“Binding Financial Agreements – salvage and survival” by P Doolan and S Emerson, presented by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, 2016.
“Partnership Income, Everett Assignments and anti-avoidance guidelines” by Joe Box, Peter Parsons and Paul Doolan, Australian Family Lawyer, 2015.
“Financial agreements – the good, the bad and the (very) ugly” presented for the Parramatta Family Law Practitioners Association at the Family Court, May 2015
Co-Chair with Michael Kearney SC of the 16th National Family Law Conference presented by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and held in Sydney, NSW from 7-10 October 2014
“Latest and Greatest” presented with David Berman SC at the Family Law Intensive arranged by the Family Law Section of the Law Council, Adelaide, SA in 2013
“Stanford and the High Court” presented by Paul Doolan and Melinda Winning, Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association, 2013
“Property Settlement after Stanford” by Hon Stephen O’Ryan QC and Paul Doolan, Family Law Intensives, presented in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, 2013
“Family Violence Reforms – what lawyers need to know”, Webinar presented by Family Law Section of Law Council, 2012
“Developments in Australian Family Law” presented at the IAML Annual General Conference, Harrogate, England, 2012
“Family Law and the Personal Property Securities Act” , Australian Family Lawyer, 2012
“Binding Financial Agreements”, North Queensland Lawyers Association, Townsville, May 2011
“De Facto Financial Proceedings”, Judge Dr Tom Altobelli and Paul Doolan, Family Law Intensives and Tasmanian Family Lawyers conference, presented in Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania in 2011.
“Everything you always wanted to know about binding financial agreements – but were too afraid to ask” presented at the Family law Intensives arranged by the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia in Sydney and Melbourne, 2010.
“International Elements in Financial Cases in Family Law”, Michael Kent SC and Paul Doolan, National Family Law Conference, Canberra, ACT.
“Financial Agreements”, TEN conference, Gold Coast, QLD, 2010
“Treatment of Special Contributions – The Family Court and Big Money cases”, LAAMS, 2009
“Big Money Cases”, audio interview for Television Education Network, September 2008
“Are the Rewards worth the Risks – drafting Cohabitation Agreements and Financial Agreements”, co-presented with John Barkus, Calabro Qld Family Law Practitioners conference, Gold Coast, August 2008
“Now you see it, now you don’t – Notional property and add backs in family law”, National Family Law Conference, Adelaide, April 2008
“Property Case Law Developments in Family Law in 2007-2008” by Paul Doolan and Amy Nolan, March 2008, Sydney, CLE Centre
“Property – Family Law Case Update 2007” by Paul Doolan and Amy Nolan, 30/11/07, Sydney, LegalWise Family Law Seminar on Property, Super and Tax in Family Law
Chairperson, ALB Family Law Masterclass on Family Law, Sydney, 15 March 2007
“Notional Property- Add Backs of property in Family Law”, QLD Family Law Practitioner Association Conference, Twin Waters, QLD, August 2006
Family Law Property Series “Treatment of Trusts; and Part VIIIAA of the Family Law Act”, Chairperson, 26 July 2006, for Television Education Network
“Big Money Cases in Family Law”, Seminar for Gold Coast, QLD practitioners, December 2005
“Negotiating and Drafting Prenuptial Agreements” presented in Adelaide on 15 September 2005 for LexisNexis
“Confusion Reigns Supreme“ The Family Court grapples with Superannuation, Big Money Cases and The Add Back of Legal Fees”, College of Law, Sydney, August 2005
“Drafting, Enforcing and Setting Aside Financial Agreements”, presented 11 May 2005 at 14th Annual Family Law Masterclass, Sydney for LexisNexis
“New Developments in Family Law”, Chairperson, 8 February 2005 for The College of Law Seminar series, Sydney
“Taxation Pitfalls for Family Lawyers”, Committee presenter, National Family Law Conference, Gold Coast, QLD 2004
“Drafting Prenuptial Agreements” presented in Sydney on 12 May 2004 for LexisNexis
“Asset Protection on Relationship Breakdown”, Estate Planning Series, Seminars presented in each of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in 2004 for LexisNexis
“Guarding Assets against Marriage and Relationship Breakdown” presented 28 October 2003, Sydney, LexisNexis
“Taxation Issues in Family Law”, Sydney, 30 May 2003, CLE Centre
“Family Law” presented at the First National “Women, Wealth and Success Conference” at Sydney, 20 February 2002
“Family Law for Financial Planners” lectures presented in Sydney to Estate Planning students in 2001 and 2002, for Integretec Group
“Big Money Property Cases”, presented 26 September 2001, Sydney for LAAMS Group
“Family Law & The Family Business” presented 21 March 2001, Sydney, LAAMS Group
“Drafting of Orders in family law”, Committee presenter, National Family Law Conference, Sydney, NSW 2000
“Superannuation and Family Law”, Brisbane, QLD 1997, LAAMS
“Priorities in Bankruptcy in Family Law” QLD Family Law Practitioners Association Conference, 1993
Memberships & Appointments
The Law Council of Australia – Immediate Past Chair of the Family Law Section Executive of the Law Council of Australia; Chair from 2019-2021; NSW solicitor representative from 2010-2021.
Former Editor of the Australian Family Lawyer journal published by the Law Council of Australia
The NSW Law Society Family Law Issues Committee – from 2010 to 2021
The Law Society of New South Wales
Family Law Practitioners Association of QLD
Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Board of Editors of the Australian Journal of Family Law
Previously on the Board of Directors of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators
Co-Chair of the 16th National Family Law Conference held in Sydney, 2014
Previously the Legal Associate to the Hon Justice Lindenmayer, Appeal Division, Family Court
Qualifications
Master of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Arts
Accredited Specialist – Family Law (NSW and previously QLD)
Admitted to practice in the NSW Supreme Court (and QLD)
Admitted to practice in the High Court of Australia