Ross Dunlop, DS Family Law

Ross spent his younger years in Glasgow, Scotland, before migrating to Australia in 1997. He holds both an Honours Degree in Law and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Strathclyde.

He was admitted as a solicitor in Scotland in 1992 where he spent five years in practice, principally in the areas of criminal law, family law and domestic and commercial conveyancing.

After relocating to Western Australia, Ross has practised exclusively in Family Law. He established DS Family Law in 2004, with co-director Milos Supljeglav. Between 2010 and 2015, the bulk of Ross’ caseload came from our Darwin office, which Ross still attends every few months.

Away from the law, Ross’ interests include playing soccer and strength/fitness training, as well as spending time with his family. Ross loves experiencing new places and has worked and travelled through Europe, North and Central America and the Middle East, before settling in Perth.

Date of Admission to Practice

• Admitted to practise in Scotland as a Solicitor on 2 June 1992
• Admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 6 April 1999
• Admitted to practise in High Court of Australia on 25 January 2010

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws with Honours (Upper Class)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

Select Experience

• Assisting rural client in relation to complex property dispute involving Family Trust crayfishing assets worth $15M. The matter was satisfactorily resolved through lengthy, intense negotiations over a two year period, without its having to be litigated, and involved the close cooperation of the parties’ accountant and financial planner. The parties maintain an amicable relationship post-separation.

• Running a difficult interstate child relocation litigation, representing the mother who sought to move from Queensland to the Northern Territory with her new partner. The parties’ relationship had been highly acrimonious for several years post-separation, and the trial ran for four days. The mother’s application was successful.

• Advising upon, negotiating and drafting a pre-marital Financial Agreement to protect client’s significant family wealth – $30M acquired over generations – from claim by other party if relationship broke down. Parties planned to have children, increasing the complexity of the advice and the formula for calculating the limited (but sufficient) distribution to the other spouse upon any future separation.

• Assisted father in proving paternity and in re-establishing relationship with 8 year old daughter some six years after having last seen her. Mother was obstructive, continually breached orders for contact and sought to alienate the daughter. She is now a teenager and lives with the father.