The Family Law Co. is a boutique practice where our collective goal is to provide reliable and accessible family law advice to anyone, anywhere, anytime – regardless of how simple or complicated their circumstances are.
We are experts in Family Law in Newcastle and Maitland. Although many firms offer family law services, very few make it their sole focus. This is our significant point of difference, and it has allowed us to provide the best possible services.
Carla Giles
Carla was born and raised in regional New South Wales and has experienced firsthand the barriers faced by regional Australians in accessing quality family law advice and support. With this in mind, Carla established The Family Law Co. as a firm that specialises exclusively in Family Law and leverages technology to deliver quality family law services Australia-wide, providing services not only to clients living in Newcastle, Maitland, and the Hunter Valley but also to those in regional and remote areas.
Carla has extensive experience as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) and Collaborative Practitioner. Her legal career has focused on litigious disputes, including property disputes with complex corporate structures or trusts, and requiring carefully managed discovery of unaccounted assets/due diligence.
Carla’s expertise also extends to delicate and intricate parenting matters, including those with complicating factors such as parental alienation, international/interstate relocation, significant neglect of children, and parentage disputes. Carla’s unwavering commitment to resolving disputes through mediation and collaborative practices, before resorting to the legal route, ensures that her clients reach amicable and practical solutions.
Carla also has a strong commitment to supporting, mentoring and training junior lawyers, helping to shape the next generation of legal professionals.
Carla’s dedication and expertise have been recognised by the legal community through various awards:
2023 Australian Law Awards:
-Mentor of the Year: Winner
-Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year: Finalist
2023 Women in Law Awards:
-Mentor of the Year: Winner
2024 Recognised as a Doyles Guide ‘Recommended Lawyer’
2024 Australian Law Awards:
-Mentor of the Year: Finalist
-Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year: Finalist
When she’s not hard at work, Carla enjoys spending time at home with her family, and two jackadoodles, Hank and Ginger.
Sacha Mastras
Sacha Mastras is a dedicated Senior Solicitor at The Family Law Co., bringing over 15 years of experience in family law. As an Accredited Specialist in Family Law, Sacha has demonstrated expertise in providing legal advice, dispute resolution, and court representation. This accreditation is a mark of excellence, indicating Sacha’s commitment to the highest standards of legal practice and specialist knowledge.
Sacha completed her Master of Laws (Applied Law) with a major in Family Law, further enhancing her ability to navigate complex family law matters. She is passionate about helping clients through challenging times, offering a compassionate and results-driven approach.
Sacha has a keen interest in fertility law, including surrogacy, adoption, and donor agreements. Her expertise in these niche areas ensures that clients receive comprehensive advice and clear guidance through these sensitive and often complex legal processes.
Sacha’s role involves managing cases, drafting legal correspondence, and advocating for clients both in and out of court. Her extensive experience and specialist accreditation ensure clients receive top-tier legal support tailored to their unique circumstances.
In her spare time, Sacha enjoys exploring new parks and beaches with her young family and catching up with friends over a (often competitive) board game.
Jasmyn Garay
*Currently on maternity leave*
Jasmyn grew up in the Newcastle area and completed her law degree at Newcastle University in 2020. She was admitted to practice in 2021, bringing with her three years of dedicated experience in family law. From the outset of her career, Jasmyn was drawn to family law due to its personal and people-oriented nature, finding it more fulfilling than her initial focus on property law.
Jasmyn is particularly passionate about supporting victims of domestic violence. She understands the profound impact that family violence can have within the legal system and is committed to helping those affected navigate these challenging circumstances. Jasmyn is especially concerned with how perpetrators can misuse the family law system to continue their abusive behaviour, and she works diligently to recognise and address these issues in her practice.
Known for her ability to think on her feet, Jasmyn also values thorough preparation in her work. She believes in providing honest and straightforward advice to her clients, removing any confusion and ensuring a clear understanding of their situation and the next steps involved in the process. Jasmyn’s kind and caring nature shines through in her interactions with clients, making them feel supported and understood during what is often a very difficult time.
Jasmyn’s future goals include continuing to work on uniquely complex family law cases and pursuing a Master of Applied Law. She is dedicated to continuing her professional development and expanding her expertise, particularly in matters involving domestic violence.
Outside of work, Jasmyn recently got married and enjoys spending quality time with her husband. She loves going to the beach and taking walks with her beloved Staffy, Frank. Jasmyn also takes pride in staying connected with friends and values her personal relationships just as much as her professional ones.
Jasmyn’s commitment to providing accessible, quality family law services, regardless of a client’s socio-economic status or location, makes her a valuable member of The Family Law Co. Her continual efforts to support her clients through their separation and to make a positive impact in the family law system.
Amy Forwood
Following her admission to the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia, Amy chose to practice exclusively in family law. She has worked on a variety of matters, including parenting and property disputes, divorce applications, surrogacy agreements, and adoption proceedings. Amy is particularly passionate about parenting disputes involving allegations of domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, mental ill-health, and parental alienation. Amy also excels in settling disputes, having a high settlement rate when representing clients in negotiations, mediation, family dispute resolution, and conciliation conferences. She is confident and meticulously prepared to ensure the best outcome for her clients.
Currently, Amy is pursuing a Master of Applied Law (Family Law), with one year completed and an expected graduation in mid-2025.
Since working at The Family Law Co., Amy has proven capable of taking carriage of matters of varying complexity – from straightforward consent orders to more complex parenting and property matters. The last year, in particular, has seen Amy achieve incredible outcomes for her clients, including successfully representing the Applicant in a Division 1 parenting dispute involving four parties and multiple risk factors. Amy’s involvement in the case was so impactful that Counsel remarked her “preparation in this case was excellent, without which, it is my view, our client’s position at the conclusion of the case could have been very different.”
To read more about Amy’s achievements, click below:
Sharon Wilkinson
Sharon was born in a little place called Texas, in QLD and raised in regional city Tamworth (Kamilaroi/Gomeroi Aboriginal and).
To date, the focus of Sharon’s legal career has spanned throughout many non-lawyer platforms, such as a Child Protection Investigator with the Joint Investigation Response Team for 13 years. However, following her admission to the Supreme Court of NSW as a lawyer in 2024, Sharon has chosen to practice in family law. Assisting clients navigate the complexities of the legal system is very important to Sharon as is achieving the best possible outcome.
Sharon has also worked as a nationally accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Mediator and Conflict Practitioner for over 20 years and has assisted clients with complex parenting and property matters. Sharon believes in fostering respectful and peaceful relationships between conflicting parties, to achieve amicable and healthy resolutions, particularly important for people who share children and will have to continue to co-parent. Sharon is passionate about providing a resolution less adversarial and more amicable preserving a healthy relationship to foster best interest of children is forefront.
Sharon’s has extensive frontline experience working in spaces of disadvantage and vulnerability, such as domestic family violence and abuse, mental health and sexual assault. Sharon is a strong advocate in these spaces for policy and legislative reform and awareness. Sharon has dedicated her career to assisting individuals and families navigate challenging circumstances, including separation and making this journey as positive as possible.
In 2023 / 2024, Sharon organised and presented many community based Coercive Control Forums, providing bespoke and specialist training to educate public & private sector workers with the knowledge to deepen their understanding of coercive control and abusive behaviours.
When she’s not hard at work, Sharon enjoys spending time with her two daughters, her first granddaughter and her two pooches, Frankie the poodle and Archie the cavoodle. Sharon also enjoys walking/hiking to assist re-centre and continue to appreciate the amazing world we live in.
Caity Walker
Caity grew up in Newcastle and was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court in 2022. Since then, she has practiced exclusively in family law, taking carriage of both litigious and non-litigious property, parenting and divorce matters from inception to settlement. Her strengths include her court advocacy work, frank and timely communication with clients and knack for legal research on discrete issues.
Outside of work, Caity is a keen equestrian and competes in show jumping competitions with her horse around NSW. She will otherwise be found café hopping with friends or spending time outside with her dog, Harvey.
Claire Braniff
Claire has been dedicated to the pursuit of family law since witnessing its effects firsthand as a child. Her early experiences turned her frustrations into a passion for helping others, propelling her into a career where she could make a real difference. At university, she dedicated her free time to assisting family law clients at the University of Newcastle Legal Centre and was nominated by her peers as ‘Best Mediator’ in 2021.
Upon admission to the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Claire began working exclusively in family law. She employs her highly empathetic and logical traits to create positive outcomes in complex parenting matters, for victims of domestic violence, in spousal maintenance cases, and tricky financial disputes involving assets up to $15 million. Claire believes there is ‘nothing she can’t handle,’ a testament to her endless dedication to advancing her expertise and ensuring her clients feel heard, listened to, and supported at all times.
Claire’s confidence in adapting to the unknown was showcased when she successfully negotiated a settlement in favour of her client in a matter that had been through the Family Court system for over three years, just a month after being admitted to practise law. This success reinforced her passion for helping people and confirmed her enjoyment in advocating in court and negotiating positive outcomes through alternative dispute resolution, mediation, or conciliation conferences.
A big advocate of self-care, Claire understands that the family law process can be incredibly difficult for people. She is committed to checking in with clients throughout the process, ensuring they are reassured and well-informed at each stage. Her ‘big picture’ thinking style and innate ability to remain calm and logical even in the most complex and emotional matters make her a formidable force in family law. Claire treats every matter with equal importance, driven by her motto: “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done.”
Outside of the office, Claire leads an active and fulfilling life. She enjoys playing with her golden retriever, caring for her three stepchildren, and indulging in her passions for writing, reading, training for marathons, and riding motorbikes. On weekends, she can often be found watching sports or enduring the footy season as a long-time Parramatta Eels supporter.
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