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Get To Know Us

We’ve got you covered for all of life’s big changes

 

Parker Coles Curtis is a boutique family law firm in central Canberra run by specialist family lawyers. We also offer conveyancing and Will preparation services.

Debra Parker

Director

As the only lawyer in Canberra with Specialist Accreditation in two areas (family law and dispute resolution), Founding Director Debra Parker doesn’t do things by halves. Debra’s meticulous but practical method makes family law less daunting.

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Catherine Coles

Director

Described as a ‘graceful gladiator’ by a former client, Founding Director Catherine Coles employs her formidable advocacy skills in appearances for her clients in the Family Court, Federal Circuit Court and ACT Magistrates Court.

Catherine is also a Council member for the ACT Law Society and elected to the Family Violence & Children’s Committee.

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Jacquelyn Curtis

Director

Founding Director Jacquelyn Curtis has worked exclusively in family law for more than a decade, assisting clients with a range of disputes. A natural born lawyer Jacqui is just the right blend of compassionate supporter and skillful advocate.

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Monica Serci

Senior Associate

A rising star in family law, Parker Coles Curtis Senior Associate Monica Serci provides cost-effective options to capably lead you through negotiations, mediation and, when warranted, litigation, to resolve your matter. Monica is the lawyer you want by your side when family law problems happen.

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Kate Riley

Senior Associate

Kate has practiced almost exclusively in family law matters since she was admitted in 2013. After a brief role in the Attorney General’s Department advising on Family Law reform and matters requiring intervention by the Attorney General in the Family Court of Australia, she returned to private practice in 2021 and joined our team as a senior practitioner. 

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Cameron Rybinski

Lawyer 

Cameron recently returned to Canberra after spending some time in  Sydney and has a strong preference for alternative dispute resolution.  

Cameron is a passionate practitioner with a dry sense of humour who is able to cut through to the core issues of a situation and provide straight down the line advice. 

 

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Alison Boyle

Executive Assistant

Starting as a wonderful paralegal in our team, Alison now looks after all our conveyancing matters from property transfers to Court Orders, and assists clients with their purchases and sales matters. She completed her conveyancing qualifications in 2019 and is registered as a licenced conveyancer (NSW).

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Karen Jones

Executive Assitant 

Karen is an expert Executive Assistant who has been working in the law industry for 25 years. Starting in Sydney and moving away from the rat race with her Husband and 2 boys, she’s now settled and at home in the heart of our bush capital here in Canberra.   

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Liam McCarthy

Liam was admitted to practice when he was employed as an Associate to Judge McNab in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (as it then was). As a sitting Associate, Liam was involved in a varied range of parenting and property matters in courtrooms in Melbourne, Dandenong and regional Victoria. This provided Liam a unique insight into the workings of the Court, Court room advocacy and the decision-making process.

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What our clients say

Debra’s work ethic and commitment is amazing!

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I thank the whole team for significantly improving all our lives and I am super glad we came here. Because of this team we are able to call today the first day of the rest of our lives. This all comes with the best possible outcome.

Catherine Coles is an amazing Lawyer and person. She made what I thought impossible- Possible.

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Catherine is very professional and efficient. I am grateful to have received her recommendation as her dedication and knowledge enabled me to get a fair result. Thank you, I really appreciate it.

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I was shocked to discover that Jacqui was a single mother, especially at a time when I was coming to terms with being one and thought it was a terrible thing. Understanding that single mothers could also have good co-parenting outcomes and be absolutely winning at life really helped me re-set my assumptions of what my life might be like after divorce. Jacqui not only helped me win my freedom, she helped me see that I was strong enough to go it alone. Choosing her was the best move I could have made.

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I can't recommend Parker Coles Curtis highly enough. The team masterfully managed the simultaneous settlements of the properties we sold and bought. Organising the simultaneous settlement proved to be a bit of a nightmare for PCC given all the parties involved but they ensured everything was completed successfully on time. Most of our dealings were with the ever-attentive Lela, whose easy-going yet professional manner made her a pleasure to work with and took the stress out of the situation for us. Thanks very much PCC!

Thank you so much for this. I am glad I have your expertise. I trust your judgement in your crafting of the outline of argument.

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Debra Parker was fantastic at supporting me through a very challenging separation and settlement. Debra was very understanding of my financial limitations and enacted a plan that allowed me to access excellent legal representation within my means.

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Thankyou Debra and Team for your hard work, professionalism and advice which has delivered excellent outcomes in representing me in difficult times. Your knowledge and experience in addition to your pragmatic and strategic approach is very comforting.

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Every day I wake up with a feeling of the deepest gratitude that I had Catherine Coles as my solicitor.

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I have been a client of Debra Parker for well over a year and have nothing but the highest praise for her and her supporting staff. She has always gone out of her way to provide me sound advice and has helped me greatly through a difficult and anxious time. Your professionalism and expertise second to none and I’m very satisfied who is the outcome that she has achieved I highly recommend Debra Parker for all family law matters.

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Catherine is fearless and will stand her ground with the experience and the attention to detail to back herself.

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Debra’s calm and caring demeanour gave me encouragement at a time when I needed it most. I am very grateful to you for seeing me and for your help in putting me on the path towards change, whatever that turns out to be.

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Thank you once again Debra, so very much. I’ve been through the worst of times but your support and advice, as well as your genuine kindness, has been so valuable to me.

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Debra you are a lovely person and I thank you so much for your help, support and understanding over those roller coaster years.

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Catherine is exceptionally well organised. She made me feel at ease when things were touch and go and reeled in win after win in my case. She was ever at the ready to make the wrongs right again. Catherine is brilliant at digging into the grey areas and the less-obvious areas of legislation and using them superbly to gain solid wins.

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Jacqui has consistently been an exceptional source of advice and focus throughout a very difficult time for my family. Her approach, demeanour and dedication has remained well considered, balanced and professional. Jacqui is well researched, prepared and calming. Jacqui has listened to my concerns and taken the time to truly understand and concentrate on the priorities. Above all, Jacqui is kind, compassionate, respectful and committed. I truly trust her professional judgement and advice. I would wholeheartedly recommend Jacqui for professional representation.

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I’d like to thank you for all your help and amazing service you provided to me, could not find a (sic) better lawyer even if I wanted to. Thanks for everything.

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Jacqui is an efficient, smart, meticulous family lawyer with empathy and strategy. She understood my story as well as I did. I could tell her everything and anything and she was very good at communicating what was needed to achieve fair and positive outcomes amid a traumatic dispute.

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Jacqui has such a friendly demeanour and understood my concerns. She listened and gave me advice tailored to my circumstances. I have a high-conflict ex and Jacqui’s advice helped me achieve a positive outcome that is in everyone’s best interests. I have young children and Jacqui was so flexible with her appointment time and understanding the realities of being a working single parent.

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A very good experience dealing the Debra and the team. Friendly, efficient and very professional.

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Jacquelyn shared sound advice that helped me navigate a family violence situation and supported me in a seemingly impossible relocation case. It was the opposite advice to others I had contacted. Those first steps were imperative to my successful outcome. I now have a very bright future for my children and I, but it could have been very different in someone else’s hands.

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Thank you Catherine – I have really appreciated your advice on this. It was completely overwhelming until we spoke.

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Debra is like a friend who tells you how it is and not what you want to hear. That's a good friend to have. She will tell you the truth and manage your expectations.

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Thanks to Debra, Monica and Lela for their support and fantastic work during this extremely stressful time. The team were very professional while being really down to earth, pleasant and efficient.

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Thank you Catherine so much for your prompt communication and always being on top of an ongoing matter that you came into pretty late in the process. Thank you for your sympathetic, but firm and consistent guidance as to the likely outcome and your recommendations as to how the interests be best served in terms of settling this matter rather than allowing it to proceed to trial. I really appreciate all you have done. You’re an all-round professional.

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I need to find the means by which to thank you Debra. So over a week ago I was reeling mentally and physically and wondering how to deal with all that I had on my plate. Had no idea where to turn to except that in a moment of luck (divine luck no doubt) I came across your name . And that led me to where I am today, in contact with, and being advised by wonderful lawyers. I am deeply indebted to you.

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Highly recommend Jacquelyn Curtis! She was amazing in my family law matter going above and beyond outside ‘normal’ work hours doing all she could in a time that was extremely stressful she gave me peace of mind.

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Monica Serci is a fantastic lawyer. Very knowledgeable and efficient, but also compassionate and understanding of the stress people are under in family law situations. She made the process much easier due to her expertise and kindness. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending her services to others.

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Thank you for your guidance, support, empathy and understanding. We know that what ever outcome is achieved, you are always firmly in our corner, and for that we can never thank you enough.

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Jacqui has unequivocally supported a low-conflict approach which has been absolutely necessary in establishing cooperative, respectful and child focussed arrangements. My family, and more importantly my child, has benefited from Jacqui’s engagement.

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Thank you Debra for supporting me, knowing how much to push me, knowing how much to encourage me – and knowing when I’d had enough. You’re fabulous.

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Catherine Coles is not just a highly intelligent and bright solicitor but also an amazing individual who took my worries and fears seriously. With determination, great organisation and efficiency, she got the very best outcome for my situation.

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Thank you again Debra. You have infinite patience as you are kind and considerate with me and it is a miracle that you are assisting me so competently.

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The Loungeroom Lawyer concept was so convenient for me - a time-poor, working single Mum. I loved the fact that I could meet with a lawyer in the comfort of my own home (in a tracksuit) and get the information and support I needed. Jacquelyn then represented me in a family court case and helped me navigate the complexities of FVO's. I felt supported, safe and extremely well represented. I highly recommend Jacquelyn at Parker Coles Curtis, I will forever be grateful for her support.

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You are an incredible intellect and woman of strength pulling up other strong women and men. Thank you Debra for all your hard work. I’m gobsmacked!

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Debra is a great listener, empathetic and friendly. Very supportive, accessible and encouraging through the most challenging stages of the matter. Her legal acumen and strategic direction, supported by an exceptional team come to the fore when the whips are cracking. The team continues to communicate and work hard to full resolution of all aspects of your matter. Very thorough, always follow through and highly professional - far in excess of other experiences I and others have had with other firms. I thank them and thoroughly recommend Parker Coles Curtis.

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