Our Team

Kathleen Dare, Special Counsel, brings a wealth of experience to lead Merthyr Law’s Family Law Team.

Admitted to practice in 1990, Kathleen is dedicated to providing each client with the benefit of her extensive experience in all areas of Family Law, having represented clients in complex parenting, property and spousal maintenance litigation and domestic violence. Kathleen has a close association with other professionals including financial planners and accountants to achieve a time and costs effective result for clients to resolve property settlement disputes.

With qualification as a Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Provider, Kathleen strives to resolve disputes by way of negotiation and mediation where possible to save clients the costs, stress and uncertainty of litigation but is willing to apply her extensive court experience by litigating with fervour to ensure a fair outcome when negotiations stagnate or fail to bring about a resolution.

Kathleen has experience across many jurisdictions, including having served as a Legal Member of the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal and Mental Health Review Tribunal, her practise being informed by an understanding of mental illness, disability and issues of capacity which often intersect with Family Law. Additionally, she has also worked and served on numerous community legal centres management committees.

Kathleen has lectured in Justice Studies at QUT (School of Justice Studies) and taught at the College of Law and contributed to publications including the Caxton Law Handbook and the Lawyers Practice Manual.

Apart from keeping up with the latest Family Law developments, in her spare time Kathleen loves reading, playing piano, spending time in her garden,or with her family and keeping fit.