One of Newcastle’s oldest firms, Baker Love, has announced the appointment of Solicitor, Candice Bell to its family law team.
Candice brings over a decade of family law expertise to the firm, having worked across the field in both private practice and as a Judges’ Associate in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.
Such experience has enabled Candice to observe the workings of the family law system from both sides, seeing matters from the court’s perspective, as well as that of a practitioner.
For Matthew Carney, who heads Baker Love’s family law practice, it is this unique background and mix of skills that makes Candice’ addition to the team so valuable.
“Candice is an exceptionally good Lawyer, so it was natural that we wanted her to join us at Baker Love,” he said.
“However, it is also Candice’ varied legal background that makes her respected by clients and the legal community.
“An extensive period spent within the court system has given her an excellent insight into the workings of the family court, which of course brings great benefit to the clients she advises.”
For Candice, it was her time spent as a Judges’ Associate which first sparked her interest in family law, and which has led to the field becoming the focus of her legal career.
“The court is obviously under constant pressure, with much demand and limited resources. I became increasingly interested in seeing how the court, with such high demands placed upon it, relied on the profession to ensure matters were dealt with appropriately,” she said.
“It was also an opportunity to see the impact the court has on people’s lives, first-hand. This interest has manifested into a long-term career.”
Like many solicitors working in family law, helping clients achieve an optimal outcome at a particularly difficult time in their lives is strong motivation for Candice.
Her goal is to ensure clients are well-informed from when they first engage her services, and have the knowledge to make the right decisions, for themselves and their families.
“Often when clients engage the services of a family lawyer, they are vulnerable, and faced with choices that have consequences for not just themselves, but for their children, former partners, and others in their network,” Candice said.
“It is my job to make sure they have the information they need to make good decisions, with outcomes that work for them not just in the short-term, but in years or decades to come.”
With family law matters often crossing over into other areas of law, Candice’s clients benefit from her access to Baker Love’s network of practitioners working in other legal areas.
“Often with even straight-forward matters advice from colleagues who are experts in other fields of law is advantageous to the client. In complex matters, this becomes even more important,” she said.
“We may need to advise clients on issues such as bankruptcy, superannuation, international assets, complex tax structures or criminal proceedings.
“Baker Love has a strong team able to provide sound advice across these areas. This gives us confidence that clients are receiving comprehensive legal advice, which can be practically applied in real-world scenarios.”
With COVID-19 affecting many areas of business, Candice says that, family law practices have not been met with a decline in demand for services.
“Family law matters tend to be those that can’t be put on hold until the pandemic is over. Such matters affect people in the most personal of ways, and people are often seeking resolutions to their issues as a matter of urgency,” she said.
“The court, and practitioners, have therefore put in place mechanisms so that the system can continue as efficiently as possible, and protect those most vulnerable.”
Candice joins fellow solicitors in the Baker Love family law practice, Matthew Carney, Terry Morgan, Jillian Stibbard, and Sam Lewis.
She believes the firm will provide a solid base from which she can grow her client base and realise her career aspirations.
IMAGE | Baker Love’s Family Law team: Sam Lewis, Matthew Carney, and Candice Bell (left-right).
