Skip to main content

Debra Parker

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.

 
With a stellar legal and court career, community justice and equality engagements, combined with living abroad in France and raising a large family, Debra knows that family law problems can be diverse and complicated. She understands that sensible solutions deliver the best outcomes. Debra is also an Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.
 
An early pioneer of alternate dispute resolution in Canberra, with a 10-year appointment as Registrar of the Family Law Courts, Debra’s no-nonsense, forthright approach has earned her high regard among her peers and the judiciary. Her sound, bespoke and pragmatic advice spans the full spectrum of family law issues.
 
Debra is an expert at especially complex families matters and a contested relocation specialist. She has successfully helped many families with complicated relocation matters including interstate and overseas.
 

Debra will provide support and reassurance as she tirelessly advocates for you every step of the way, gaining a clear understanding of your needs and goals and mapping out the best way to achieve them. Debra is also a qualified arbitrator and collaborative divorce lawyer.
 
She is also a proud member of the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Debra will provide support and reassurance as she tirelessly advocates for you every step of the way, gaining a clear understanding of your needs and goals and mapping out the best way to achieve them. Debra is also a qualified arbitrator and collaborative divorce lawyer.

Awards

  • Family Lawyer of the Year 2020, APAC Insider 
  • Accredited Specialist, Family Law 
  • Accredited Specialist, Dispute Resolution
  • Doyle’s Guide Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer (ACT) (2015 – 2020)  
  • Doyle’s Guide Leading Mediator (ACT) (2015 – 2020
  • Finalist, 2020 Lawyers Weekly Australasian Mediator of the Year Awards
  • Finalist, 2019 Lawyers Weekly Australasian Mediator of the Year Awards
  • Accredited Mediator Australian Institute of family law arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM)
  • Accredited Collaborative lawyer (Monash University VIC) 
  • Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner 
  • Member International Academy of Family Lawyers
  • Nationally Accredited Mediator 
  • NSW Law Society List of Approved Mediators
  • Bond University Mediation and Arbitration course
  • University of Adelaide Bachelor of Laws

Testimonials 

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.

 

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 is second to none and I’m very satisfied who is the outcome that she has achieved.

 

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.

What our clients say

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Monica Serci

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

Learn more about Monica Serci

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.

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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

Learn more about Catherine Coles

Debra’s work ethic and commitment is amazing!

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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.

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.

Learn more about Jacquelyn Curtis

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!

Learn more about Debra Parker

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

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Catherine Coles

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.

Learn more about Monica Serci

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

Learn more about Debra Parker

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.

Learn more about Debra Parker