Forte Family Lawyers

What Forte Family Lawyers does

Forte Family Lawyers is a Melbourne-based specialist family law firm established in 2006, operating as a private proprietary limited company (Forte Family Lawyers Pty Ltd) from a single office at Level 15, 600 Bourke Street in the Melbourne CBD. The firm is led by five partners — Jacky Campbell (Founding Partner), Wendy Kayler-Thomson, Jason Walker, Jemma Mackenzie, and Kristy Haranas — all of whom are Accredited Specialists in Family Law, alongside three Special Counsel, four Senior Associates, additional associates and lawyers, and a five-person management team, totalling 34 employees. The firm is owned by its partners with no external investment or parent company.

The firm offers a comprehensive suite of family law services organised across four core practice areas: Children & Parenting (custody, support, surrogacy), Property & Financial Settlements (including complex structures, superannuation splitting, asset protection, and bankruptcy), Divorce & Separation (including de facto matters, prenuptial agreements, and same-sex relationships), and Family Violence, with additional specialisations in International Family Law and Dispute Resolution. The firm does not build proprietary technology; it relies on standard legal practice management systems and uses its website, publications, and podcasts as client-facing content infrastructure. It maintains affiliations with AIFLAM, IAFL, Wolters Kluwer, the Law Institute of Victoria, and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

The firm operates a professional services revenue model, charging fees on a time basis for legal advice and representation, with pricing quoted per matter based on complexity. Customer acquisition is sales-led, driven by direct phone and email enquiries, website appointment booking, and referrals from existing clients, professional bodies, and other legal professionals. Customers are predominantly individuals and families in Victoria, with a small enterprise segment via expert witness engagements (e.g., engagement by Legal Minds for a NSW Supreme Court matter). The firm also pursues brand-led demand generation through an extensive content library, ABC Radio National media appearances, and Doyles Guide recognition as a leading Melbourne family law firm.

Name

Forte Family Lawyers

Legal name

Forte Family Lawyers Pty Ltd

Website

https://fortefamilylawyers.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forte Family Lawyers is a Melbourne-based, partner-owned specialist family law firm with 34 staff, led by five Accredited Specialists in Family Law. It serves Victorian individuals and families across divorce, parenting, property settlements, and international family law, with additional expert witness engagements for other law firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Law Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Family law services
• Divorce representation
• Property settlements
• Child custody law
• Prenuptial agreements

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: The firm charges for legal services primarily on a time basis for family law matters including divorce, separation, child custody, property settlements, prenuptial agreements, and other family law matters. Fees are quoted based on the complexity of the matter and time required.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forte Family Lawyers is a specialist family law firm providing legal advice and representation in divorce, separation, child custody, property and financial settlements, prenuptial and financial agreements, family violence matters, international family law, and dispute resolution. Services are delivered by Accredited Family Law Specialists on a time-based, quote-driven fee model from a single Melbourne CBD office.

Product overview

Forte Family Lawyers is a Melbourne-based family law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services for family and relationship matters. The firm provides core services organized across four main practice areas: Children & Parenting (including custody, support, and surrogacy), Property & Financial Settlements (including asset protection, superannuation splitting, and complex financial structures), Divorce & Separation (including de facto matters and prenuptial agreements), and Family Violence. Additional specialized services include International Family Law, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Dispute Resolution, and Spousal Maintenance. The firm also publishes articles and podcasts as thought leadership content. The offering is a single-firm service model with Accredited Family Law Specialists, not a software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Divorce & Separation Legal services for finalising marriage dissolution, separate from parenting arrangements and property division matters, for separating spouses in Victoria.
• De Facto Separation Legal services for separation of de facto relationships, addressing the more ambiguous legal process compared to divorce, for unmarried partners in Victoria.
• Dispute Resolution Resolution of family law disputes through negotiation, mediation, family dispute resolution, arbitration, and litigation, for separating couples needing structured resolution pathways.
• International Family Law Legal advice on rights and entitlements under both Australian and overseas laws for couples with international elements, including overseas assets and Hague Convention child abduction matters.
• Prenuptial & Other Financial Agreements Drafting and advice on Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs) that specify how assets will be divided upon relationship breakdown, for engaged or cohabiting couples.
• Same Sex Relationships Legal services for LGBTQIA+ couples addressing parenting and financial issues under family law.
• Children & Parenting Legal services for reaching agreements on child care arrangements after separation, including parenting plans and orders.
• Child Custody Matters Legal representation and advice on child custody and parenting arrangements for separating parents.
• Child Support & Maintenance Advice and options on child maintenance as part of financial settlements, including child support assessments and agreements.
• Surrogacy Matters Legal services for surrogacy arrangements including advice on parentage and applicable regulations.
• Third Parties Legal representation when third parties become involved in family law disputes over property or child care.
• Asset Protection Legal strategies to protect assets during relationship breakdowns and financial settlements.
• Bankruptcy & Insolvency Legal services when separation coincides with or leads to bankruptcy, acting for trustees and spouses of bankrupts.
• Complex Financial Structures Legal advice on complex asset structures including family trusts, unit trusts, companies, partnerships, joint ventures, and self-managed superannuation funds.
• Property & Financial Settlements Legal services for dividing property and financial assets following relationship breakdown.
• Spousal Maintenance Legal advice on spousal maintenance rights and obligations to secure financial future.
• Superannuation and Superannuation Splitting Legal services for treating superannuation as property and splitting superannuation interests in family law settlements.
• Family Violence Legal services addressing family violence impacts on parenting disputes and financial settlements, including intervention orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Firm has achieved positive outcomes in complex litigation matters including NSW Supreme Court cases

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AIFLAM (Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJacky Campbell is a member of AIFLAM and is listed as an arbitrator on their website. AIFLAM is an independent body that promotes and offers training in both family law arbitration and mediation.
• AustLIIminorOthersForte Family Lawyers is a proud sponsor of AustLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute), which provides access to cases, legislation and rules.
• Wolters KluwercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJacky Campbell is a consultant author for Wolters Kluwer and has contributed articles to their Expert Insights platform covering family law topics. The firm has a logo presence on their Expert Insights platform.
• Law Institute of VictoriacoreOthersThe Law Institute of Victoria is the peak body for the Victorian legal profession. The firm maintains membership and connection with LIV.
• Family Law Section of the Law Council of AustraliacoreOthersProfessional association for family law practitioners. Partners maintain involvement and accreditation through this professional body.
• International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAFL is a worldwide association of lawyers recognised as the most experienced and skilled family law specialists. The firm is connected to this international network of family law experts.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forte-family-lawyers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forte Family Lawyers