Elizabeth Rusiti

Profile                     

        Throughout my career as a solicitor for almost 20 years, I worked in a diverse range of increasingly senior litigation roles - in shipping and international trade litigation, general commercial litigation and family law.  After an extended break from work to pursue other interests, including studying counselling, living in France and learning French, at the end of 2019 I was looking for a new challenge.   I decided to return to the legal profession and use my litigation skills and experience at the NSW Bar.   

Experience                   

  Barrister, NSW Bar – Sept 2020 – Present

I have a very busy practice in all aspects of family law, at interim and final hearings

I bring to my family law practice:

an extensive knowledge of the law

a strategic approach to litigation and settlement built on decades working as a litigator

a tenacity in pursuing the right outcome for my clients

the compassion and empathy skills developed over numerous years working in family law, as well as through formal counselling studies.

In addition, I have been junior Counsel in Federal and Supreme Court litigation by customers against their banks, as well as in challenging the Covid-19 NSW public health orders

                          Reader, NSW Bar – Sept 2020 – Sept 2021

Completed the Bar Readership under the supervision of my Tutors, Neil Jackson and Paul Livingstone

             Team Leader, Family Law, Armstrong Legal, Sydney – 2010 - 2012

    Supervising, mentoring and managing a team family lawyers in an extremely busy practice

    High level advice to other lawyers regarding family law and litigation strategy

            Principal, Personal Legal Solutions, Sydney – 2008 - 2010

     Non-litigious, collaborative family law and estate planning

             Senior Associate, Swaab Attorneys, Sydney – 2005 - 2008

       Contract Senior Lawyer, Phillips Fox & Hicksons Lawyers, Sydney – 2004 - 2005

                   Transport & international trade litigation

         Assisting partner to transition his practice from Phillips Fox to Hicksons

     Law Tutor, Civil Litigation & Evidence, University of New England, Armidale – 2003

                    Partner, AW Simpson & Co, Armidale – 2003

               General legal practice, in which I focused on family law

                 Partner, McMahons Lawyers, Sydney  – 2001 - 2002

               Partner at a commercial and insurance litigation firm

       My practice included large or complex commercial and personal injury litigation

             My role included supervising all of the firm’s junior lawyers        

                Senior Associate, Phillips Fox, Sydney – 1996 - 2001

Conducted a range of increasingly complex shipping, international trade and admiralty litigation

Specialist commercial litigation in District, Supreme and Federal Courts, as well as appeals, including to the High Court

              Solicitor, TH Walker & Co, Forestville – 1994 - 1996         Small to large debt recovery, general commercial litigation, personal injury and family law matters                                        

Education       

             Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Laws - Macquarie University, 1993

                                 Recipient of the Macquarie University Prize for Succession Law

                                        Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice - University of Technology, Sydney, 1993

                                        NSW Law Society Practice Management Course - FMRC Legal, 2002

                                        Collaborative Practice Short Course - University of Technology, Sydney, 2008

                                        Independent Children’s Lawyers National Training Program - Law Council of Australia Family Law Section, 2011

                                        Mediation Style Conference Program - Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators & Mediators, 2012

                                        Graduate Diploma of Counselling - Jansen Newman Institute, 2012

                                        Foundations of Directorship - Australian Institute of Company Directors, 2017

                                        Pass Bar Exam - NSW Bar Association, February 2020

                                        Bar Practice Course – NSW Bar Association, September 2020

                                        Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW – December 1993

                                        Called to the NSW Bar & Member of the NSW Bar Association – September 2020

Presentations                  Delivered firm-wide mentoring training program to McCabes Lawyers, Feb & Mar 2017

Legal mentoring seminar – Presented to Mills Oakley Lawyers, Apr 2017

Taking Responsibility for one’s Mental Health – Presented to Law Society of NSW, Oct 2017

Contract Termination Disputes – Presented to Legalwise CLE seminar, Feb 2021

                                         Family Law & Insolvency – Dealing with the Liquidator & Trustee in Bankruptcy – Presented, jointly with Jim Johnson, Barrister, to Legalwise CLE seminar, June 2021

                                         Family Law & Bankruptcy – Dealing with Assets in an Insolvent Estate - Presented, jointly with Jim Johnson, Barrister, to Legalwise CLE seminar, Nov 2021

                                         Maintaining Strong Mental Health for a Family Law Practice - Presented to Legalwise CLE seminar, Mar 2022

 Family Law Interim Hearings Dos and Don’ts - Presented to Legalwise CLE seminar, Nov 2022

Interests                           Speak close to fluent French, having divided my life between Australia and France during the 5 years prior to being called to the Bar

                                        Am an amateur champagne “expert”, was a finalist in the prestigious Vin de Champagne Awards in 2014

                                        Enjoy sailing, scuba diving and yoga when time permits

                                        Am otherwise to be found in the company of my toy poodle, Darcy

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation