Fogarty Oliver RothschildFamily law & Jewish family law

Family Lawyer · 3162

Family Lawyer in Caulfield

The heart of Melbourne's Jewish community — and a regular catchment for the practice.

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

Free consultation

Family law in Caulfield — 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 your marriage is ending and you're part of the Caulfield community — the heart of Australia's largest Jewish community — you're probably worrying about your family, your faith and the kids as much as the legal side of it. That's completely understandable, and you don't have to face it alone. Elisa has walked many Caulfield families through separation and divorce, the property settlement, and the get and Beth Din where it matters — calmly, and with genuine care for how your family comes through it. It was never meant to be a war; it can be a fair, dignified way forward.

Caulfield clients I act for

Caulfield clients span the religious spectrum — Charedi families with multiple children, Modern Orthodox couples in the early years of marriage, observant traditional families, and culturally Jewish clients with limited active observance. The legal needs are different across these groups but the cultural context is shared.

For Charedi clients in particular, a family lawyer who understands the community's preferences — minimum exposure of personal matters, preference for Beth Din-led mediation where possible, sensitivity to the impact on shidduch prospects — is the difference between a manageable separation and a community crisis.

Travel from Caulfield to the office

St Kilda is around 15 minutes by car from most parts of Caulfield. For clients who prefer not to travel, telephone and video consultations are standard, and I can attend at the client's home or workplace for elderly or unwell clients where required.

Beyond family law

Caulfield clients regularly come to the firm for conveyancing (much of the Glen Eira housing stock has changed hands multiple times in the last twenty years), wills and estate planning (often with halachic considerations), and Binding Financial Agreements ahead of marriage or remarriage.

Jewish family law

Specialist Jewish family law service for Caulfield

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 Caulfield, 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 Caulfield families — calmly, honestly, and always on your side.

Divorce lawyer in Caulfield

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 Caulfield

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 Caulfield

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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