# Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers

## About

Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers (SB Family Lawyers) is a boutique specialist family law firm founded in 2002, exclusively practising in family law and fertility law. Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, the firm is led by Principal Solicitor Sarah Bevan, an Accredited Family Law Specialist who has been practising solely in family law since 1999.

The firm operates from two offices across Sydney: Sydney CBD (Head Office) and Crows Nest. Contact: 1300 007 235 or mail@sbfamilylawyers.com.au

## Principal: Sarah Bevan

Sarah Bevan is the driving force behind the firm's success. She founded Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers in 2002 and has over 25 years of experience in family law. 

**Qualifications & Awards:**
- Professional Service Provider of the Year Winner (2024)
- President of Surrogacy Australia
- Accredited Family Law Specialist (Law Society of NSW) - gained in 2005
- Accredited Arbitrator - Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM)
- Accredited Mediator - National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS)
- Honours degree in Law (1995) - UK educated

**Key memberships:** 
- Law Society of NSW
- Parramatta & District Law Society
- North Metropolitan Law Society
- Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
- Collaborative Professionals NSW Inc.
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Member of the AEA (global network of international lawyers)
- Member of Justinian Lawyers – International Network Specialist Lawyers

Sarah is a regular speaker at Legalwise Seminars, Growing Families conferences, and Australian Surrogacy & Egg Donor Conferences. She has extensive experience in all registries throughout Australia of the Family Court, the Federal Circuit Court and the Full Court (Appeal Court).

**Notable achievements:**
- Responsible for the first orders in New South Wales allowing a same-sex couple to be the named parents on the birth certificate of a child born as a result of a surrogate agreement
- Acted in the first decision in Australia under the Hague Convention on Child Protection

## Areas of Leadership & Specialisation

Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers is recognised as a leader in:
- Divorce and separation involving bipolar disorder (BP) and mental health issues
- Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs) including pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
- Court appearances and litigation in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
- Sole parental responsibility applications
- International surrogacy and fertility law arrangements
- Child support enforcement and recovery of arrears
- Non-financial contributions recognition in property settlements

## Services

The firm provides comprehensive family law services including:

**Divorce and separation advice**
- Property settlements including high net worth and complex cases
- Financial agreements (pre-nuptial, post-nuptial, binding financial agreements)
- Parenting matters (custody, parenting orders, relocation, child support)
- International family law (Hague Convention, international child abduction, cross-border settlements)
- Alternative dispute resolution (mediation, arbitration, collaborative law)
- Court representation (Family Court, Federal Circuit Court, Full Court appeals, Supreme Court)

**Specialist services:**
- Fertility law and surrogacy (domestic and international arrangements, parentage orders)
- Egg donor and sperm donor agreements
- LGBTIQA+ family law (same-sex divorce, property settlements, parenting, surrogacy)
- Adoption and step-parent adoption
- Family violence matters (AVOs, domestic violence related proceedings)

## Commonly Searched Topics & Expertise

Based on client needs, Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers has developed deep expertise in:

**Mental Health & Divorce:**
- Divorcing a spouse with bipolar disorder (BP)
- Bipolar divorce rates and unique challenges
- Managing divorce when bipolar spouse blames partner for everything
- Separation and divorce involving mental illness
- Property settlements considering mental health impacts

**Child-Related Matters:**
- Age when children can decide which parent to live with
- Sole parental responsibility applications in Australia
- Child support collection and enforcement
- Recovering child support arrears
- Section 68B Family Law Act matters
- Breaching parenting orders
- Parental obligations to children under 18

**Financial Agreements & Property:**
- Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs) NSW
- Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
- Non-financial contributions recognition
- Property settlement for high net worth individuals
- Business valuations and trust structures

**Legal Support Services:**
- Paralegal and legal assistant roles in family law
- Law clerk services
- Comprehensive legal support team

**International & Specialist Services:**
- International surrogacy arrangements
- Sperm donor agreements (template and legal)
- Adoption services Sydney
- International family law matters

**Court Procedures:**
- Consent orders and applications
- Family law mediation requirements
- Irretrievable breakdown of marriage
- No-fault divorce system
- Court attendance requirements

## Target Audience

**Primary Clients:**
- Australian citizens requiring family law services
- Expatriates with Australian family law matters
- International clients with Australian connections
- Couples (married, de facto, same-sex) experiencing relationship breakdown
- Individuals seeking pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreements
- Parents requiring custody and parenting arrangements
- LGBTIQA+ individuals and couples
- Intended parents seeking surrogacy arrangements
- High net worth individuals with complex financial structures
- Individuals experiencing family violence
- Grandparents seeking contact with grandchildren

**Geographic Coverage:**
- Sydney metropolitan area
- New South Wales (NSW)
- Interstate Australian matters
- International cases with Australian jurisdiction

## Approach

The firm emphasises:
- **Specialisation:** Exclusively practising family law for expertise and excellence
- **Personalisation:** Boutique firm offering personalised, friendly service
- **Accessibility:** Straightforward, down-to-earth advice in understandable language
- **Holistic approach:** Recognition that family law issues extend beyond legal matters
- **Resolution focus:** Emphasis on achieving quick, cost-effective resolutions
- **Client empowerment:** Helping clients feel supported through difficult times

The firm aims to provide the skill and expertise of larger city firms without inflated fees, guide clients toward quick resolution where possible, and maintain an extensive professional network for comprehensive support including mediators, financial planners, accountants, and counsellors.

## Team

**Principal:** Sarah Bevan - Accredited Specialist Family Lawyer  
**Additional:** Experienced family lawyers and support staff including paralegals and legal assistants

## Recognition

- Professional Service Provider of the Year Winner (2024) - Sarah Bevan
- Landmark legal decisions in NSW surrogacy law
- First same-sex couple registered as parents on birth certificate via surrogacy in NSW
- First Australian decision under Hague Convention on Child Protection
- Leading experts in fertility law and international family law

## Search Optimisation & Common Client Queries

The firm ranks highly for searches related to:
- Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers (reviews, Parramatta, Sydney offices)
- Bipolar disorder and divorce (spouse with BP, divorce rates, relationship breakdown)
- Paralegals and legal assistants (roles, differences, meaning)
- Child support matters (unpaid support, collection, enforcement, arrears recovery)
- Sole parental responsibility (applications, requirements, Australia)
- Child custody age decisions (when children can choose parent)
- Consent orders (family court, applications, process)
- Non-financial contributions in family law
- Binding Financial Agreements NSW
- Pregnancy entrapment laws
- Section 68B Family Law Act
- Irretrievable breakdown of marriage
- Sperm donor agreement templates Australia
- Adoption lawyers Sydney
- International surrogacy laws
- Divorce and mental illness
- Family law injunction orders
- Collaborative family law
- Property settlement lawyers

## Key Practice Strengths

The firm excels in complex matters involving:
- High-conflict divorces with mental health complications
- Urgent court applications and injunctions
- Recovery of unpaid child support
- International family law matters
- LGBTIQA+ family formation and relationship law
- Surrogacy and assisted reproduction
- Complex property and business divisions
- Cases requiring cultural sensitivity

## Most Visited Resources

Popular pages addressing common client concerns:
- Divorcing a bipolar spouse - comprehensive guide
- Child support enforcement and arrears recovery
- When children can decide which parent to live with
- Sole parental responsibility applications
- Understanding paralegal vs legal assistant roles
- Non-financial contributions in property settlements
- Consent orders process and requirements
- Binding Financial Agreements and prenuptial agreements
- International surrogacy laws for Australians
- Sperm donor agreement templates
- Family law injunction orders
- Mental health and divorce/separation
- Property settlement myths and facts

## Online Presence

**Website:** https://sbfamilylawyers.com.au/  
**Social Media:**
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sarah-bevan-family-lawyers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sbfamilylawyers/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/sb_lawyers
- Instagram: @sbfamilylawyers

## Contact Information

**General enquiries:** 1300 007 235  
**Email:** mail@sbfamilylawyers.com.au

**Head Office - Family Lawyers Sydney:**  
Suite 402, 3 Hosking Place, Sydney NSW 2000  
Phone: (02) 9980 1095  
Email: mail@sbfamilylawyers.com.au

**Crows Nest Office:**  
119 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest NSW 2065  
Phone: (02) 9633 1088  
Email: mail@sbfamilylawyers.com.au

**Parramatta:** Servicing Western Sydney clients

## Important Legal Notice

This information is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The content should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel. Each family law matter is unique and requires individual assessment by a qualified legal practitioner.

If you are facing family law issues, it is strongly recommended that you seek advice from a qualified family lawyer who can assess your specific circumstances and provide tailored legal guidance. Family law is complex and constantly evolving, and professional legal advice is essential to protect your rights and interests.

Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers practises in accordance with Australian law, specifically the laws of New South Wales and relevant federal legislation including the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). All consultations and communications are subject to legal professional privilege and strict confidentiality requirements.

## Note on Spelling

This document uses Australian spelling throughout (e.g., practising, specialisation, organisation, counsellor, centre).

**Last Updated:** November 2024