This Week in Family Law

Bonus: Inside LEAP AI - Use cases, benefits and security

In this bonus episode of This Week in Family Law, we dive into the AI technology in LEAP Legal Software, including use cases for tools such as LawY, Matter AI and Ruffle. We also discuss the security and privacy guardrails set up around the artificial intelligence in LEAP to ensure it meets the strict regulations of the legal industry. LEAP's AI is purpose-built for law firms ensuring it is more accurate and more secure than open or off-the-shelf AI software. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 2:17 - Security and Privacy 6:20 - Benefits of AI for Family Lawyers 12:51 - LawY - AI Legal Research 15:01 - Matter AI 18:13 - AI Prompts 21:49 - AI in Balance Sheet+ 24:32 - AI in Parenting Calendar+ 26:20 - Ruffle - Reviewing Financial Disclosure with AI 29:49 - The Future of Legal AI Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general information and discussion purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on as such. The views expressed are general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. You should seek independent legal advice before acting on any information discussed. About the podcast: This Week in Family Law is the go-to podcast for busy Australian family lawyers looking to stay updated without the overwhelm. Whether you’re a family lawyer in Australia, a practitioner working towards CPD, or simply interested in family law, this podcast delivers clear, practical insights in a bite-sized format. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments in Australian family law. New episodes drop every Monday. Topics discussed: - LEAP AI - Security and Privacy - Benefits of AI for Family Lawyers - Conducting Legal Research using AI - Case Law Research with AI - Matter Insights with AI - Searching your Matter in seconds with AI - Drafting documents with AI Prompts - Automatically filling out your Balance Sheet - Asking AI about Parenting Orders in your matter - Reviewing Financial Disclosure with AI - The Future of AI in the legal industry - How AI impacts training junior lawyers Links: To learn more about LEAP AI, visit: https://www.leaplegalsoftware.com/au/features/legal-ai/ Submit a question or provide feedback: Email: familylawpodcast@leap.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LEAPAu TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leap.family.law1  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfamilylaw/

Bonus: FCFCOA practice direction on the use of AI

In this episode of This Week in Family Law, we discuss the release of a new practice direction from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on the use of Artificial Intelligence, which provides guidance on the responsible use of AI by all court users, including parties, lawyers and private experts. The practice direction aims to maintain public confidence in court process, ensure that the use of AI is consistent with the proper administration of justice, and ensure any use of AI is based on principles of integrity, accuracy, accountability, compliance with professional obligations, confidentiality and safety. Chapters: 0:00 - Discussion on the FCFCOA Practice Direction on the use of AI 10:20 - The Honourable Garry Watts' Reaction to the Practice Direction Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general information and discussion purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on as such. The views expressed are general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. You should seek independent legal advice before acting on any information discussed. About the podcast: This Week in Family Law is the go-to podcast for busy Australian family lawyers looking to stay updated without the overwhelm. Whether you’re a family lawyer in Australia, a practitioner working towards CPD, or simply interested in family law, this podcast delivers clear, practical insights in a bite-sized format. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments in Australian family law. New episodes drop every Monday. Topics covered in this episode: - The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia's Practice Direction on the use of Artificial Intelligence - The Honourable Garry Watts' reaction to the practice direction - What lawyers need to be aware of in the practice direction - What LEAP users can expect as a result of the practice direction and if it impacts them Links: FCFCOA's Practice Direction https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/news-and-media-centre/updates-profession/pd-ai Submit a question or provide feedback: Email: familylawpodcast@leap.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LEAPAu TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leap.family.law1  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfamilylaw/

Ep 17: Lies, retainers and when to walk

In this episode of This Week in Family Law, we cover the latest updates in Australian family law, including a farewell to the Honourable Justice Aldridge, a new AI practice note from the Supreme Court of Victoria, a landmark Canadian decision recognising a new tort of intimate partner violence, and the Court's new robing policy.  For Ethics with Elena, we dive into what to do when your client isn't telling the truth, including real examples from practice, the ethical obligations around terminating a retainer, and the rules you need to know before you walk away. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 1:20 - What's Up? - Updates in Family Law for this week 6:15 - Ethics with Elena - When Your Client is Lying to You Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general information and discussion purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on as such. The views expressed are general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. You should seek independent legal advice before acting on any information discussed. About the podcast: This Week in Family Law is the go-to podcast for busy Australian family lawyers looking to stay updated without the overwhelm. Whether you’re a family lawyer in Australia, a practitioner working towards CPD, or simply interested in family law, this podcast delivers clear, practical insights in a bite-sized format. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments in Australian family law. New episodes drop every Monday. Topics covered in this episode: - Reflecting on the success and growth of the podcast as Season One wraps up - Farewell to Justice Aldridge after more than a decade on the Family Court bench - Victoria’s new AI practice note and what it means for legal practitioners - Whether other Australian courts will follow Victoria’s lead on AI guidance - Canada’s landmark recognition of a new tort for intimate partner violence - The new robing policy for barristers and solicitor advocates in court appearances - Why clients sometimes lie or withhold information from their lawyers - Real practitioner stories involving fabricated evidence, hidden assets, and deceptive conduct - When lawyers are ethically required to stop acting for dishonest clients - Key professional obligations under the Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules Links: Ceremonial sitting to farewell The Honourable Justice Aldridge https://www.familylawsection.org.au/events/14-other-family-law-events-aiflam/2179-ceremonial-sitting-justice-aldridge.html New Practice Note and Judicial Guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence | The Supreme Court of Victoria https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/news/new-practice-note-and-judicial-guidelines-on-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence Landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision creates new tort of intimate partner violence | Canadian Lawyer https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/landmark-supreme-court-of-canada-decision-creates-new-tort-of-intimate-partner-violence/394112 Barber & Chalke [2024] FedCFamC1F 356 (22 May 2024) https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/FedCFamC1F/2024/356.html?context=1;query=Barber%2520&%2520Chalke;mask_path= Robing policy | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/policies-and-procedures/robing-policySonnet 4.6 Submit a question or provide feedback: Email: familylawpodcast@leap.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LEAPAu TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leap.family.law1  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfamilylaw/

Bonus: Federal budget & cuts to Legal Aid NSW

In this bonus episode of This Week in Family Law, we discuss the 2026 federal budget and the cuts to Legal Aid NSW, including what they mean for vulnerable Australians navigating the family law system. From 1 July 2026, Legal Aid NSW will significantly tighten eligibility for family law representation, leaving many people with disabilities, older Australians, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds without legal help. We also explore the impact of Independent Children’s Lawyers no longer appearing in final hearings in some instances, and whether technology and AI could play a role in helping lawyers support more people and bridge the access to justice gap. About the podcast: This Week in Family Law is the go-to podcast for busy Australian family lawyers looking to stay updated without the overwhelm. Whether you’re a family lawyer in Australia, a practitioner working towards CPD, or simply interested in family law, this podcast delivers clear, practical insights in a bite-sized format. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments in Australian family law. New episodes drop every Monday. Submit a question or provide feedback: Email: familylawpodcast@leap.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LEAPAu TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leap.family.law1  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfamilylaw/

Ep 16: The surrogacy surge: Local laws, global babies

In this episode, we cover the Federal Circuit and Family Court's new pilot of electronic divorce hearings by video, the Court's AI Transparency Statement, the Law Council of Australia's warning that children's voices are at risk as the family law safety net frays, and a Treasury consultation on preventing perpetrators from accessing victims' superannuation death benefits. In Law in Motion, we explore the rise of celebrity surrogacy, the clash between Australian and international surrogacy laws, and the leading cases shaping the legal landscape. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction  1:06  What's Up? - Updates in Family Law for this week  6:05 - Law in Motion - The Rise of Surrogacy Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general information and discussion purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on as such. The views expressed are general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. You should seek independent legal advice before acting on any information discussed. About the podcast: This Week in Family Law is the go-to podcast for busy Australian family lawyers looking to stay updated without the overwhelm. Whether you’re a family lawyer in Australia, a practitioner working towards CPD, or simply interested in family law, this podcast delivers clear, practical insights in a bite-sized format. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments in Australian family law. New episodes drop every Monday. Topics covered in this episode: - Electronic divorce hearings moving to video in select registries - Court releases AI Transparency Statement - ICL funding crisis and Legal Aid NSW cuts from 1 July 2026 - The rise of celebrity surrogacy and key drivers of growth - Global surrogacy laws compared: US, UK, Canada, India and Thailand - Baby Gammy case and its impact on Thai surrogacy law - Australia's fragmented state-by-state surrogacy framework - Parentage orders and the challenges of overseas surrogacy in Australia - Australian Law Reform Commission's proposed surrogacy reforms Links: Practice and procedure update: Pilot of electronic divorce hearings by video https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/news-and-media-centre/updates-profession/divorce-pilot AI Transparency Statement                                                     https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/ai-transparency-statement Children's voices at risk as family law safety net frays https://lawcouncil.au/media/media-releases/children-s-voices-at-risk-as-family-law-safety-net-frays Preventing perpetrators from accessing victims' super death benefits https://consult.treasury.gov.au/c2026-747658 A Budget for fairness that left justice behind  https://lawcouncil.au/media/media-releases/a-budget-for-fairness-that-left-justice-behind Submit a question or provide feedback: Email: familylawpodcast@leap.com.au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LEAPAu TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leap.family.law1  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfamilylaw/