Our People Practice: Divorce.com.au
Sue Foote
Kathy Chase
Professional Qualifications:
Master of Laws (University of Technology, Sydney), majoring in dispute resolution.
Bachelor of Laws (University of New South Wales)
Bachelor of Arts (University of New South Wales)
Member, Law Society of New South Wales
Solicitor, Supreme Court of New South Wales
Solicitor, High Court of Australia
Background and Experience
Kathy was admitted to practice in July 1978. Since her admission Kathy has had experienced in many fields of the law. Kathy initially worked as a lawyer in one of the largest banking institutions in Australia. She then commenced her own legal practice while raising her first 2 sons. Kathy then worked in the field of workers compensation and work relating to claims by members of the Stolen Generation while raising her then family of 4 children before re-entering traditional legal practice in a suburban firm in her local Northern Beaches area. Kathy was then approached by the College of Law to work as a lecturer, lecturing to qualified lawyers who were undertaking the Master of Applied Law in Family Law. After some years as a lecturer, Kathy commenced work as a family lawyer and commercial litigation lawyer with 2 firms. In June 2020 Kathy commenced her own firm and in November 2022 joined Watts McCray as a consultant.
Kathy has enjoyed working as a lawyer on a wide range of matters. Her experience outside of family law includes commercial matters involving the buying and selling of businesses and partnership and shareholders disputes; family provision claims in the Supreme Court, either acting for the claimants seeking a share in the estate or acting for the executor resisting a claim; drafting Wills and Powers of Attorneys and Guardianships; assisting clients’ in applications filed with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal; acting for clients in disputes over contracts; misleading and deceptive conduct claims; and for defendants in apprehended domestic violence orders. Kathy has also had some experience in the Children’s Court.
Kathy’s experience in family law matters includes drafting financial agreements and defending the validity of financial agreements, settling property disputes by way of consent orders or litigation; parenting disputes settled by consent orders or litigation; drafting child support agreements; and drafting surrogacy agreements and assisting in the legal process of adoption.
As a practitioner of a certain age, Kathy has not only acquired substantial knowledge and experience of family law matters but developed what she considers is a deep understanding of the needs of clients and the emotional costs to clients if matters are not settled in the most cost effective and least acrimonious way possible.
Kathy is acutely aware that for many clients their family law matter, whether it be a property dispute, a parenting dispute or a combination of both, is the first time they have interacted with a lawyer and the prospect of being involved in a long-running dispute is a dauting one for them. Kathy strives to minimise the stress and costs to a client when faces with a dispute. Kathy considers that a rapport with a client is an essential tool in assisting a client achieve the client’s aims.
Kathy has lived on the northern beaches of Sydney for 38 years. Kathy’s passion, outside her family and friends, is travelling. Her personal motto is “live the moment” and her motto to clients is “It will be alright in the end and if it is not alright now it is not the end.”
Alyse Gallacher
Alyse Joined the Watts McCray team in 2017 working as a Personal Assistant. Alyse also had an integral role as Sydney CBD Coordinating PA and assisted with the day to day management of Personal Assistants, as well as office management duties. Alyse prides herself as a team player and always assists her team when needed.
Alyse has worked within the law industry since 2010 and has worked exclusively in Family Law since 2014. She has assisted on complex high wealth property cases, high contentious parenting matters including cross-jurisdictional matters and Hauge Convention matters. She has experience with cases that have gone to the Appeals Court, the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of NSW.
Alyse has gained a wealth of knowledge while working within family law and has the ability to communicate with clients that are under immense emotional distress. Alyse takes the time to listen to clients and explains the legal process, cutting out legal jargon.
Rebecca McLeod
Professional Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Laws (Macquarie University)
· Bachelor of Social Science (Macquarie University)
· Member, Law Society of New South Wales
· Solicitor, Supreme Court of New South Wales
Rebecca was admitted as a solicitor in 2008 and has practiced almost exclusively in Family Law since 2012.
Prior to joining Watts McCray, Rebecca was the Managing Director of a general practice firm on the Northern Beaches where she gained insight and experience in a wide range of other areas of law including commercial and civil litigation, conveyancing, estate planning, intellectual property and commercial law. This opportunity helped her identify her passion for Family Law.
Rebecca’s business acumen and extensive experience in a variety of Family Law matters, including complex and contentious property and parenting matters, spousal maintenance, divorce, child support and parentage testing is invaluable when helping clients achieve their desired outcomes. She acknowledges that whilst possessing the relevant technical skills is absolutely essential, being human centric and empathetic is also pivotal in assisting clients.
She is conscious that the issues clients face following separation or entering into a new relationship are usually foreign and potentially overwhelming, and aims to aid that process and ease the burden by ensuring clients are empowered by sound, clear and efficient legal advice.
Rebecca is also acutely aware of acting in a commercially sensible manner, ensuring the costs are not disproportionate. She is always working towards reaching a time and cost effective resolution.
When faced with a challenging matter, Rebecca has no qualms in applying the tenacity, organisation, strategy and attention to detail that will successfully see the matter through, including advocating for her clients in Court if needs be.
Rebecca grew up and remains living on the Northern Beaches and is actively part of the sporting community. When not helping clients, she enjoys baking, being outdoors and spending time with her family and friends.
