The 2026 listing of leading North Queensland Family & Divorce Lawyers details solicitors practising within the areas of family law, matrimonial, parenting, property and spousal maintenance matters in the Cairns, Townsville & North Queensland legal markets who have been identified by their peers for their expertise and abilities in these areas.
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law – Cairns
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers – Cairns
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers – Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre – Townsville
Leading
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group – Cairns
Leith Kennedy, Ruddy Tomlins & Baxter – Ayr
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone – Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group – Cairns
Recommended
Courtney Aitken, Dawson Family Law – Townsville
Julie Bligh, Connolly Suthers – Townsville
Natasha Busby, Life Legal – Townsville
Nardine Collier, Collier Family Law – Cairns
Heath Connolly, Lee Turnbull & Co – Townsville
Manuela Payet, Miller Harris – Cairns
Jessica Ragh, Millyard Family Lawyers – Cairns
Louise Robert, Preston Law – Cairns
Kelly Whitten, WGC Lawyers – Cairns
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
The 2026 rankings of leading Family & Divorce Lawyers in North Queensland, identified by fellow Queensland Family Lawyers. Compiled via our independent, peer-review methodology — rankings cannot be purchased.
Previous editions
2025 edition published November 2024
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Leading
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Recommended
James Bailey, Wallace & Wallace - Mackay
Julie Bligh, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Natasha Busby, Life Legal - Townsville
Heath Connolly, Lee Turnbull & Co - Townsville
Nicole Cullen, McKays - Mackay
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris Lawyers - Cairns
Leith Kennedy, Ruddy Tomlins & Baxter - Ayr
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Paula Phelan, Phelan Family Law - Rockhampton
Louise Robert, Preston Law - Cairns
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2024 edition published November 2023
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Recommended
Julie Bligh, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Natasha Busby, Life Legal - Townsville
Heath Connolly, Lee Turnbull & Co - Townsville
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Leith Kennedy, Ruddy Tomlins & Baxter - Ayr
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Paula Phelan, Phelan Family Law - Rockhampton
Louise Robert, Preston Law - Cairns
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2023 edition published December 2022
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Leading
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Recommended
Callum Argeat, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Julie Bligh, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Nikki Dawson, Legal Sense NQ - Townsville
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris - Cairns
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Kate Pateman, klplegal - Townsville
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2022 edition published November 2021
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Recommended
Courtney Aitken, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Julie Bligh, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Nikki Dawson, Legal Sense NQ - Townsville
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris - Cairns
Clare McCormack, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2021 edition published December 2020
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Patricia Cope, Cope Family Law - Cairns
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Recommended
Rebekah Bassano, Bassano Law - Cairns
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Clare McCormack, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law - Townsville
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2020 edition published November 2019
Preeminent
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Recommended
Rebekah Bassano, Bassano Law - Cairns
Patricia Cope, Cope Family Law - Cairns
Amalie Grima, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Jennifer Hartley, O'Reilly Stevens - Cairns
Clare McCormack, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law - Townsville
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons, Cairns
2019 edition published November 2018
Preeminent
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Vicki Jackson, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Catherine Ross, Cairns Family Law Group - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Recommended
Rebekah Bassano, Bassano Law - Cairns
Julie Bligh, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Damian Carroll, Macrossan & Amiet - Mackay
Patricia Cope, Cope Family Law - Cairns
Jennifer Hamilton, J Hamilton & Associates - Mackay
Jennifer Hartley, O'Reilly Stevens - Cairns
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris - Cairns
Clare McCormack, South Geldard - Rockhampton
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law - Townsville
2018 edition published December 2017
Preeminent
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Leading
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law - Cairns
Michael Keogh, Miller Harris - Cairns
Eddy Lago, WGC Lawyers - Cairns
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone - Cairns
Peter Logan, Connolly Suthers - Townsville
Recommended
Rebekah Bassano, Bassano Law - Cairns
Julie Bligh, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Nikki Dawson, Mackey Wales - Townsville
Jennifer Hartley, O'Reilly Stevens - Cairns
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris - Cairns
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers - Cairns
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law - Townsville
Catherine Ross, MacDonnells - Cairns
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre - Townsville
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons - Cairns
2017 edition published December 2016
Preeminent
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose
Michael Keogh, Miller Harris
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law
Bev Reaston, Reaston Drummond Law
Leading
Deanne Drummond, Reaston Drummond Law
Eddy Lago, Williams Graham Carman
Wendy Lehmann, Lehmann Featherstone
Peter Logan, Ruhl Family Law Centre
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons
Recommended
Rebekah Bassano, Bassano Law
Patricia Cope, Cope Family Law
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris
Leith Kennedy, Roberts Nehmer McKee
Amanda Millyard, Millyard Family Lawyers
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law
Michael Purcell, Purcell Taylor
Catherine Ross, MacDonnells
Diane Ruhl, Ruhl Family Law Centre
Luke Shanahan, wilson/ryan/grose
2016 edition published December 2015
Preeminent
Michael Keogh, Miller Harris Lawyers - Cairns
Peter Logan, Boulton Cleary & Kern - Townsville
Leading
Chris Bowrey, wilson/ryan/grose - Townsville
Patricia Cope, Cope Family Law - Cairns
Terry Newman, Newman Family Law - Cairns
Kate Pateman, KLP Family Law - Townsville
Michael Purcell, Purcell Taylor - Townsville
Diane Ruhl, Boulton Cleary & Kern - Townsville
Recommended
Julie Bligh, Boulton Cleary & Kern - Townsville
Rose Davies, Preston Law - Cairns
Julie Hodge, Miller Harris Lawyers - Cairns
Chris Wright, Murray & Lyons - Cairns