Year of Admission: 2008
Elected to the Bar: 2021
Liability limited by a Scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation
Toni Parkinson
The short version of my legal career to date is that I graduated in law and arts from the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1993. After graduation I joined the New Zealand Police service in various operational and legal roles until 2002. I had a period of working at the United Nations based in the Pacific Island region where I worked on various legal development projects.
In 2005 I joined the Crown Prosecutor’s Office based in Auckland and took prosecutions including the odd cattle rustling case.
In 2008 I moved to Perth for the weather and family, and began by chance, to practice in family law. I have practiced in family law exclusively since 2008, firstly at Lavan Legal, and then DCH Legal Group. I joined the partners at DCH Legal Group in 2013 until my move to the WA Bar in June 2021.
I accept briefs in all areas of family law including complex property cases and parenting cases, care and protection matters and appeal matters. I accept briefs on behalf of Legal Aid Western Australia as an Independent Children’s Lawyer, and Child Representative. I am also a qualified and experienced mediator.
I have an approachable, collaborative, and practical working style. I have a calm temperament (most of the time) and I am comfortable working with people from all walks of life. I grew up in a fishing community in New Zealand and still enjoy a daily swim in the ocean, getting outside, my French Bulldogs, and a glass of wine or beer at my local hotel.
I am a member of the Law Society of Western Australia, Family Law Practitioners Association of WA, and Law Council Family Law Section.
Qualifications
LLB (University of Otago) BA (Hons) Masters Public Policy (Victoria University)