Fogarty Oliver RothschildFamily law & Jewish family law

Family Lawyer · 3204

Family Lawyer in Bentleigh

An established Jewish community pocket — and a regular catchment for family and estate work.

7 km from the office at 84 Chapel St, St Kilda.

Free consultation

Family law in Bentleigh — speak to Elisa

Tell Elisa what's going on and she'll personally call you back — usually the same day. The first consultation is free, with no obligation.

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Confidential, no obligation. Elisa will personally call you back — usually the same day.

No call centre. No junior. Your enquiry goes straight to Elisa.

  • Your matter is handled personally by Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB — the principal, not a junior or paralegal.
  • Kids-first and settlement-focused — we work to keep you out of court wherever we can.
  • A free, confidential first consultation — no obligation, just an honest read of where you stand.
  • Legal Aid available for eligible clients. 4.2 on Google, Law Institute of Victoria member, in practice since 2012.
4.2 on Google · 33 reviews·Member, Law Institute of Victoria·In practice since 2012

Elisa is professional, efficient, friendly and a pleasure to work with. I will definitely be enlisting her services again in the near future.

Amanda Straw'n · Google review

If you're separating and live around Bentleigh, you're probably feeling the ground shift under the whole family at once — and worrying most about the kids. That's normal, and it doesn't have to become a war. Elisa has helped many families in Bentleigh's growing Jewish community through separation and divorce, the property settlement, and the get where it matters — gently, and with genuine care for how everyone comes out the other side. The aim is a calm, fair way forward that keeps your children steady.

Bentleigh's Jewish community

Bentleigh East in particular has emerged as a destination for younger Orthodox families looking for affordable housing within reach of the major Caulfield/St Kilda East Jewish institutions. Bentleigh's own community infrastructure has grown alongside that demographic shift — and the family law needs that come with it (separations, prenups, wills, intervention orders) have followed the same arc.

I act regularly for Bentleigh and Bentleigh East clients across the full range of family and Jewish family law matters, with the same direct-to-principal service that defines the firm.

Local matters I commonly see

Common matter types from this catchment: civil divorce with get coordination, parenting arrangements where one parent is more observant than the other, halachic prenups for first marriages, wills and estate planning for older Bentleigh families, and intervention orders in close-community contexts.

Practical access to the office

Bentleigh to St Kilda is around 15-20 minutes by car. The 67 tram and the Frankston train line both run through the area. Many Bentleigh clients prefer evening or early-morning consultations, both of which I accommodate.

Jewish family law

Specialist Jewish family law service for Bentleigh

Elisa Rothschild runs a dedicated Jewish family law practice covering civil divorce coordinated with the get, halachic prenuptial agreements, and Jewish wills and estates. The Melbourne Beth Din, the local Orthodox community and the major Jewish day schools are all part of the practical context she works in every day.

Read more about Jewish family law →

Family law help for Bentleigh, whatever you're facing

Whatever stage you're at, you don't have to work it out on your own. Here's how I help Bentleigh families — calmly, honestly, and always on your side.

Divorce lawyer in Bentleigh

From the divorce application itself through to dividing property and sorting arrangements for the children — handled one calm step at a time, in plain English. See how I help with divorce →

Child custody & parenting lawyer in Bentleigh

Where the children live, time with each parent, and how the big decisions get made — always guided by what's genuinely best for them, never point-scoring. Parenting & children's issues →

Property settlement lawyer in Bentleigh

Dividing the home, superannuation, savings and debts fairly, with as little conflict as possible. How property settlement works → · What a family lawyer costs →

Reviewed by Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB — Principal Lawyer, Fogarty Oliver Rothschild. Last reviewed 2026-05-28.

Frequently asked

What other clients commonly ask

Do I need a get if I'm getting an Australian divorce?

If you're Jewish and intend to remain part of the Jewish community — particularly if you may remarry within the faith — yes, you need a get in addition to your civil divorce. A civil divorce alone doesn't end a Jewish marriage under halacha.

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What happens if a husband refuses to give the get?

This is the classic agunah problem. Australian civil courts can't directly compel a get (it must be voluntary under halacha), but courts have, in some cases, treated get refusal as relevant conduct in property settlement. Beth Din processes and parallel civil pressure can break deadlocks.

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Can a halachic prenup be enforced in Australia?

A standalone halachic prenup is a religious agreement, not directly enforceable in an Australian civil court. But the substance can be reflected in a Binding Financial Agreement under the Family Law Act, which IS enforceable. One document, both systems.

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Can I leave more to my sons than my daughters in a Jewish will?

You can, but daughters have standing under Part IV of the Administration and Probate Act 1958 (Vic) to claim further provision. The shtar chatzi zachar approach — substantially equalising daughters' provision while remaining halachically compliant — is the standard Australian solution.

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Do you work with families across the Jewish spectrum, not just Orthodox?

Yes. Elisa acts for Orthodox, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform/Progressive and culturally Jewish clients. The relevant religious framework varies and the drafting is calibrated to your family's actual practice — never assumed.

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Still got a question we haven’t answered? The first conversation with Elisa is free — usually same-day callback.

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