Profile

Rachel obtained her LL.B (Hons) in the UK in 1995. She worked in a number of management and consultancy roles in the UK until 2003, when she immigrated to Australia.

Having obtained her Australian legal qualification through UWA, she worked for a number of prominent family law firms in Perth between 2006 and 2014.

Rachel appears frequently as counsel for interim, final and appellate hearings before the Western Australian Family and Supreme Court.

Family Law is her primary area of practice.

Rachel is known nationally and internationally for her expertise in Surrogacy and Fertility Law.

Rachel is a registered reg.67 Arbitrator (Cth), and nationally qualified mediator (AIFLAM).

Rachel also appears the Children's Court of WA in relation to Care and Protection Matters and in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia for Violence Restraining Order matters.

Membership of Professional Organisations

• Director & Secretary of Pacifica Congress (Charity) 2024 - present
• Member of Expert Advisory Committee to Australian Law Reform Committee (ALRC) Inquiry into Surrogacy Law.
• Ministerial Expert Panel (WA) on Reproductive Technology 2023
• Reproductive Technology Council (Deputy Member, representing Women's Interests 2012 - 2022)
• Family Law Practitioners’ Association of Western Australia (Executive Councillor 2009 - 2015, Councillor 2016 - 2017 Member 2017 - present)
• Western Australian Bar Association (member 2015 - present; elected Council Member 2016 - 2018)
• Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators & Mediators
• Law Council of Australia (Family Law Section)
• Piddington Society
• Women Lawyers of Western Australia

Areas of Practice

• Adoption
• Appeals
• Arbitration
• Family and De Facto
• Guardianship and Administration
• Mediation

Admitted to Practice

• 2007

Qualifications

• LL.B (Hons) - UK, 1995
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice - UWA, 2005
• Nationally accredited AIFLAM Mediator, 2012
• LLM Masters in Applied Law, College of Law, Sydney, 2014
• Arbitrator - reg 67B of the Family Law Regulations 1984 (Cth)
• Australian Advocacy Institute Trainer/ETAC Coach

Elected to WA Bar Association

2014