Keegan Family Lawyers

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I inform you all I have been forced to close KFL. I am suspended as a lawyer.

This suspension and closure of KFL is for reasons of business management. Poor business management of which I take full responsibility.

I am heart broken. I am sorry to each and everyone of my former clients who looked to me for help, guidance, support, kindness, compassion and also legal services.

If I could change this I would. If I could right my past wrongs, I would.

My heart is broken, my world is broken. I am sorry to my family and to my beautiful and amazing clients.

I will always love the law. I will forever wish I was still fighting to stop children being exposed to what I was as a child.

My future is so uncertain, both personally and professionally.

I miss what I do, I am trying to come to terms with this. It is harder than words can even express.

My biggest regret is that I have let each and everyone of you down. One day, I just ask for forgiveness.

I am so sorry.

Leah

Feeling so proud of the judicial system in New Zealand.

Saying you have considerations for the first people of any nation is one thing, applying them is another.

This is a Court that truely understand the rights and needs of First Nation people.

Māori s***m donor appointed guardian of child which mum described as 'half-caste', court rules She said she wanted a "half-caste Māori baby", but the relationship with the donor soured after the birth. Now a judge has made him a guardian.

💔

We are incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Alice McShera.

We share our condolences to her family, friends and colleagues, including our family lawyers’ community.

As noted by her Head of Chambers, Penelope Giles SC, "Alice was an amazing woman; a role model and mentor as well as a very fine lawyer.”

It is heartening to hear of all the ways that women lawyers are reaching out to support each other today.

Be kind to each other and yourselves.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline 13 11 14
LawCare's counsellor program is available to LSWA members on 1300 687 327
1800RESPECT phone support is available to support people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence

Alice - you were a strong woman, a powerful woman, an amazing barrister and lawyer! You fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. You were a friend, a colleague and someone to aspire to. I cannot believe you have been taken from us. FDV is real! And it can touch anyone! FDV has taken one of the good ones. I am so sorry your life has been cut short by such heinous acts of violence. Our community will mourn your loss! You will be so missed. I am so sad. RIP Alice McShera.

Often clients tell me that they cannot co-parent after separation because their ex partner won’t.

Co-parenting is more than communications with your ex partner. Co-parenting is a complete mindset; a dedication to speak, act and parent in a way that is focused solely on the needs of children.

Parents can only control themselves, their words, their actions and their interactions with their children. During the time the children are in your care, ensure the children actually see your efforts to exclude them from conflict.

Keep the other parent informed of sick days, doctors appointment, trips away or the little bumps and bruises our kids get. This doesn’t have to be in detail. Just a email/text/our family wizard “Jack isn’t at school today, he has a fever” “Taking the kids out of Perth for the weekend”. Even if you get absolutely no reply. Even if you get an unhelpful reply back.

Ultimately if you conduct yourself in this way, one of two things will happen;

1. Either the other parent will appreciate this and will co-parent in return (don’t worry I do not live in fantasy land) OR

2. The other parent may ignore communications or even potentially become abusive/aggressive.

If only one parent is making the commitment to co-parenting after separation, then at least the children see that one parent is really trying to get them through this awful process of separating parents.

If your matter is before the Court, then at least the Court will ultimately see who is making the effort to put children before conflict!

So please remember you can only control yourself! One parent making their best effort to co-parent is better for our children than no efforts being made at all.

www.childrenbeforeconflict.com.au

Leah Keegan
Director

Children Before Conflict - Keegan Family Law Guide To Co-Parenting “Children before Conflict: Strive to Thrive at Co-Parenting after Separation” A Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation By Leah Keegan from Keegan Family Law & Dr Phil Watt from Mindstate Psychology Where Law & Psychology Interact and sometimes Overlap Parenting matters that...

Santhusha and I are excited to announce that our long search for our next valued team member has come to an end!

We look forward to welcoming Natalie Warner to our KFL Family.

Natalie comes to KFL with a magnitude of life experience on top of her professional achievements which are too many to list.

Natalie was admitted as a lawyer in 2021 and has practiced in Family Law matters, both parenting and property since her admission. Natalie will be ready to hit the ground running from Monday 5 June 2023!

Welcome to the KFL Family Natalie.

20 years ago I started studying at the Australian Institute of Legal Secretaries. This started my 10 year journey to become a lawyer! From 2003 to 2013, I worked as a receptionist, relief legal secretary, junior legal secretary, senior legal secretary, outside clerk, settlement clerk, personal assistant, paralegal and then a law graduate!

On 2 May 2013, I walked into the Supreme Court of WA as a Law Graduate and walked out as a Lawyer & Officer of the Court.

In the last 10 years I have worked tirelessly to be the best Family Lawyer I could be. Again working from the most junior legal position. I stopped at nothing to become an Associate, a Senior Associate before taking the ultimate leap of faith and opening Keegan & Co Family Lawyers!

I don’t know what will ever be enough! The day we stop learning, we stop growing.

I feel this next 10 years will be for writing. Using “Children Before Conflict” to create a free online platform to help parents in all aspects family law.

My drive and passion has always been aimed at one objective, trying to protect our children from conflict; trying to break the cycle of Family & Domestic Violence, trying to have all parents embrace and embody the notion that, above all else, children should always come before conflict!

What an amazing start to our long weekend!!! Please join me in celebrating our beautiful Santhusha and her husband Daniel on their amazing wedding last night. It was a day full of laughter, love, culture and family. Just Magical!

Never have I seen a more accurate post!!!

About 7 years ago, I started volunteering at the Gosnells CLC providing free legal advice to clients in their evening legal service. at this time, I met a shy, funny, humble and inquisitive young law student who shared my love of chocolate and shared my annoyance at the lack of weight loss! 🤷🏻‍♀️ I remember talking to this gorgeous young lawyer to be for hours, sharing with her the advice I had just given and why. I remember saying to this young lawyer, if I ever open my own firm, I will hire you. I opened Keegan & Co in December 2019. By May 2020, I needed help. Without looking at a CV, without an interview, I called Santhusha Karavita and asked her if she would work for Keegan & Co. I was so excited that she said yes. Almost 3 years later, this amazing, talented and skilled woman has become my right hand woman, my teacher, my friend, my family, my everything! Keegan & Co would not be KFL without her. Today, with tears and joy, Santhusha Karavita accepted my offer to be my partner in law, my partner in family law! I am the privileged one. Our clients are the privileged ones. This firm has two hearts, mine and Santhusha’s. It is my absolute honour to welcome Ms Karavita as a Partner of Keegan & Co Family Lawyers. This is our firm, our life and our future. I respect you, I admire you, I appreciate you and I absolutely love you. I could not do this crazy thing of private legal practice without you. Ms Karavita, Partner of Keegan & Co Family Lawyers. ❤️🙌🏻

Sometimes all it takes is one message to remind us exactly what I am fighting for! Protect our children, protect their relationships. Love them more than you hate your ex! Picking your lawyer can make all the difference on whether you pick Children before Conflict or Conflict before your Children!!

We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas filled with friends, family, food and a few drinks 🎄 🥘 🍸

KFL will be in the office right up until next Friday, the 23rd to help with all your Family Law needs and then returning from a much needed break, January 3rd 2023.

Just like hydrating before a night out, prevention is always better than the cure!

Seeking legal advice is much the same. If you are contemplating separation, it is far better to know where you stand and what the likely impact of that decision is before you make it!

On that note.... we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year (and remember to hydrate 🧊🧊)

Just another tip from your friendly family lawyer team. 👩🏻‍💼

Happy EOFY to our beautiful work family! We decided to do our very first function where we compete against each other. We have a no competition against each other at work, as we are all a team and each of us work together not against each other.

Wow!!! Did we unleash some healthy competition!!! Well done Jaymee for taking out first position! Sorry Bella 😂

It is always a good day when we play a role in helping a client reach a just and equitable, but more importantly, a final agreement which brings to an end the litigation and brings about the freedom to look to the future without lawyers, courts and conflict!

It was also so humbling to hear our client’s feedback on how much support our very own Mr Jaymee Poh provided to her, and how grateful she was for his efforts and deducation to getting a final settlement.

At KFL we are passionate about families. Not just those of our clients, our own families, but as a work family.

Jaymee, you are one exceptional lawyer and your future is so bright and your successes limitless!

We are a stronger and more skilled team with you as an integral part of that. It is our absolute pleasure to announce, effective immediately, Jaymee Poh’s promotion to an Associate of KFL!

You absolutely deserve this promotion and embody all the values we cherish as a team, Family, Respect, Loyalty and Trust.

The KFL Team could not be any more proud of our very new lawyer, Isabella. Isabella was admitted as a lawyer only 27 days ago. Today, after years of study and hard work, it was Isabella's first time appearing in Court as a lawyer. Most lawyers can remember their first time appearing in Court and I hope you remember this day forever Bella.

Bella, you are the perfect combination of friendly and fierce with the right balance of drive and warmth. I am not surprised at all I received this feedback from our client's sister. Nevertheless, I am beaming with pride, and was a little teary when I read this. KFL are so so lucky you have joined our little family. Congratulations on your first Court appearance, and absolutely smashing it!

Unfortunately the Keegan & Co family has been severely affected by Covid-19 positive tests, leaving us working at a severely reduced capacity for at least the next 7 days. We are hoping to be back on track by Friday 3rd of June.

Our staff are working from home within their limits and we are doing our best to attend to emails and telephone calls as they come through, however, priority will be given to urgency. Please be assured we are receiving your emails, and they will be attended to in due course.

We sincerely apologise for any inconveniences or stresses this may cause, but please be assured we will be back on our feet in no time.

What an absolutely amazing week for Keegan & Co Family Lawyers!!!! Last week, our absolutely gorgeous, fun loving was able to share her so deserved promotion to Senior Associate with her family (especially her Dad), and today our drop dead fierce law graduate became one of our Learned Friends as she joined the legal profession as a Lawyer and Officer of the Court. I am pinching myself every day for this amazingly diverse and talented team and love each and every part of the family we have formed. So many emotions, so much pride, and so much excitement about what we can all achieve together. I love you both so very much San and Bella. I am so proud of you both. 💕😘

Our Ms Keegan is about to go live on air to talk about separation, how best to navigate it and talk about the article “Children before Conflict”.

Tune in to listen by clicking the link below;

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/perth/live/

ABC Radio Perth Live Audio ABC Radio Perth - For the latest features, programs, news, audio, podcasts, sport, the latest weather for Beverley, Bickley, Gingin, Gosnells City, Jandakot, Jurien, Karnet, Lancelin, Mandurah, Medina, Moora, Northam, Pearce, Perth, Perth Ap, Rottnest Is, Swanbourne, Wongan, York and the home of ABC...

Live now…. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/perth/live/

ABC Radio Perth Live Audio ABC Radio Perth - For the latest features, programs, news, audio, podcasts, sport, the latest weather for Beverley, Bickley, Gingin, Gosnells City, Jandakot, Jurien, Karnet, Lancelin, Mandurah, Medina, Moora, Northam, Pearce, Perth, Perth Ap, Rottnest Is, Swanbourne, Wongan, York and the home of ABC...

Getting feedback like this from the Director of one of Perth’s largest and leading Child Contact Services about Children Before Conflict is humbling and reminds me that the message I was so passionate about conveying is being recognised as helpful to families and children.

www.childrenbeforeconflict.com.au

We had such a great time with the team at Heritage FM last night talking all things “Children Before Conflict”. We will be back again next Thursday from 5-7pm to finish the second part of our interview on the Guide to Co-Parenting After Separation!! Please tune in, call us on air or post your question on the Heritage FM page. We will be taking calls and answering your questions.

https://heritagefm.net/

Q&A Session on "Children Before Conflict: Co-Parenting After Separation"

Tune into Heritage FM Perth (107.3) from 5pm to 7pm tonight (AWST) or head to the website to listen live. https://heritagefm.net/

If you have burning questions about separation, the Family Court and all matters relating to children being exposed to parental conflict, then this segment will be helpful and informative.

I will be discussing my paper "Children Before Conflict: A Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation" co-authored with Dr Phil Watts. I will be taking calls from listeners who are looking for more information on this important topic.

www.childrenbeforeconflict.com.au

Children Before Conflict - Keegan Family Law Guide To Co-Parenting “Children before Conflict: Strive to Thrive at Co-Parenting after Separation” A Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation By Leah Keegan from Keegan Family Law & Dr Phil Watt from Mindstate Psychology Where Law & Psychology Interact and sometimes Overlap Parenting matters that...

I could not be more proud of the KFL team! It took every single one of us to come together to do the impossible! 130 pages of affidavit evidence, 500+ documents to read, catalogue, add to the disclosure list all to be filed by 4pm today on a deadline that just couldn’t be missed. Our families and loved ones may have forgotten what we look like!!!!

There is no way that we could have achieved this for our client if even one of the team was missing.

It is finally coming WA! De Facto superannuation splitting orders are one massive step closer to becoming law.

https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2022/04/Change-to-allow-superannuation-splitting-between-de-facto-couples-.aspx

Media Statements - Change to allow superannuation splitting between de facto couples Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Media Statements

To all mums, dads, blended families and everyone raising beautiful children this one is for you !

My incredible Principal Leah, has teamed up with Dr Watts to create this beautiful piece on how to best co parent children, and putting children before conflict, always.

A must read, as my firm and I try best to assist as many people as we can everyday ♥️♥️

Children before Conflict - Keegan Family Law

“Children before Conflict: Strive to Thrive at Co-Parenting after Separation”
A Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation
By Leah Keegan from Keegan Family Law & Dr Phil Watt from Mindstate Psychology

www.childrenbeforeconflict.com.au

Children before Conflict - Keegan Family Law

So incredibly proud of you Leah Doherty 💞💞💞

Adobe Acrobat - Guide to Co Parenting - Children Before Conflict by L Keegan & Dr P Watts.pdf View this file, and add comments too.

"Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation: Children Before Conflict"

Director, Leah Keegan has joined forces with Clinical & Forensic Psychologist, highly respected and experiences Expert Witness and published author, Dr Phil Watts of Mindstate Psychology to prepare a resource for parents who separate as a Guide to Co-Parenting after Separation.

The end of one relationship is the start of a new relationship, a business relationship. The business is raising amazing children.

Parents who focus on the business of raising amazing children are co-parenting. Parents who successfully co-parent truly pick Children before Conflict.

We want to extend our sincerest appreciation to Dr Watts for generously dedicated his time and sharing his 30+ years of experience in Family Law parenting disputes to help bring law and psychology together to improve families, relationships and most importantly, protect children from conflict.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:4250db87-1d5c-4360-af37-b15ef62247d4

Adobe Acrobat - Guide to Co Parenting - Children Before Conflict by L Keegan & Dr P Watts.pdf View this file, and add comments too.

Family Law is hard and challenging for our clients, and even our team. Our entire team not only practice in Family Law but we are passionate about what we do. So getting this feedback is so special.

“I made this for you guys as I appreciate your help and accepting me on a budget which doesn’t always happen. The art is about you (San) and Leah helping set me free from domestic violence and providing the opportunity for a better life free to explore the world”.

We watched this beautiful client grow from being shy, withdrawn with no confidence into an amazing strong woman who has completely taken control of her life and is excited for her future. Her beautiful art piece is proudly hanging in our office.

🏡 💖 📖