Who are we?

Paterson & Dowding Family Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected leading Family Law practices in Western Australia.

For more than 50 years, Paterson & Dowding Family Lawyers & Mediators have been advising the Western Australian community on Family Law.

We’re proud of our solid reputation as one of the oldest and most highly regarded Family Law firms in Western Australia. Established in 1967, one of our founding partners was the former Premier of Western Australia, The Honourable Peter Dowding SC. We have enjoyed consistent peer recognition in DOYLES as a leading Western Australian Family & Divorce Law Firm firm practising in the areas of family, divorce, complex property, parenting, spousal maintenance and matrimonial law matters.

Former partners of Paterson & Dowding Family Lawyers include:

• Past Chief Judges of the Family Court of Western Australia
• A former Premier of Western Australia, The Honourable Peter Dowding SC
• A Magistrate in the Magistrates’ Court of Western Australia
• Past and Present Registrars and Magistrates of the Family Court of Western Australia
• Members of the Independent Bar

A broader capability

Our highly skilled team of Family Lawyers is led by Lucy Thomas (specialising in parenting and children’s matters) and Craig Taylor (specialising in property and related financial matters). Both are Accredited Family Law Specialists who have been with the company for more than 10 years. Lucy recently celebrated her 30 year anniversary with the firm and shared more about her journey in a Q&A article that was also published in Farm Weekly.

Lucy and Craig are also listed in The Doyles Guide as Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers in Western Australia. Lucy is also listed as Preeminent in The Doyles Guide Leading Parenting, Custody & Children's Matters Lawyers in Western Australia.

Our experienced team also includes a Mediation-style Conference Convenor, a Nationally Accredited Mediator, Collaborative Lawyer and a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.

Our reputation is based on our ability and willingness to manage matters both large and small, regardless of their level of complexity or asset pool.