Elisa Rothschild

People come to me on what is often one of the worst weeks of their life. Marriages ending, kids in the middle, money tied up in a home, fear about what comes next. I do this work because that moment matters, and how it's handled matters — for the children especially. My job isn't to win a war; it's to help you unwind your situation calmly, fairly, and with your dignity intact.

I graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, then completed my articles at Hallett West Barristers and Solicitors. From there, I practised as a solicitor at Fogarty Bayard and Oliver, where I developed a strong foundation in family law and property matters.

In 2012, I founded my own practice — bringing that experience together under a firm built around one guiding principle: every client deserves personal, attentive and honest legal representation. I have been the sole principal of the firm ever since.

My practice covers the full range of family and property law matters — parenting arrangements, property settlements, intervention orders, wills and estates, conveyancing — and a dedicated specialty in Jewish family law, where I advise on the intersection of Australian civil law and halacha (Jewish religious law). The Melbourne Beth Din, the major Jewish day schools, and the practical infrastructure of Jewish life in Melbourne are part of the context I work in every day.

Based at 84 Chapel St, St Kilda, I work with clients across Melbourne and Victoria. Initial consultations are free, fees are disclosed in writing before any work begins, and Victorian Legal Aid is available for eligible clients. If you want a sense of the numbers first, I've written honest guides to what a divorce actually costs, family lawyer fees in Melbourne, and conveyancing fees.