Gary O’Gorman has over 30 years experience in dealing with all aspects of Family and De Facto Law having practised in this area of law, firstly, at the New South Wales Bar as a Barrister and now as a solicitor. On being called to the Bar, Gary initially practised in many areas of law including Family Law and Equity, Criminal Law, Common Law, Trade Practices and Bankruptcy in all jurisdictions. From the early 1990’s he specialised in Family Law and De Facto Law and related areas. Throughout this time, Gary practised from Edmund Barton Chambers, one of the leading Chambers for Family Law and De Facto Law in New South Wales.
While practising as a barrister, Gary undertook all of the usual tasks required of Counsel such as advising on evidence, advising as to possible outcomes for property settlement proceedings and proceedings involving children, settling interim and final orders and affidavits, appearing at mediations and at informal settlement conferences, appearing on interim and final hearings and appeals, negotiating settlements and drafting terms of settlement, consent orders, deeds, binding financial agreements and other ancillary documents. He also advised on the appointment of experts, provided advice as to the examination of experts and cross-examined experts in Family Law and De Facto Law matters from a very wide field of specialisations. He appeared in matters against Senior Counsel and in many interim and final hearings and appeals with Senior Counsel.
In respect of the property matters, these have included multifaceted issues involving valuations, company law, trusts, bankruptcy and superannuation while dealing with evidence regarding contributions, both financial and non financial, family loans, inheritances and all of the issues that arise under s.75(2) of the Family Law Act. In respect of proceedings involving children, the issues involved have covered all areas regarding parental responsibility, living arrangements for the children, the time spent with each parent, contravention and relocation and have included allegations of family violence, child abuse, sexual abuse and substance abuse. Gary has also been retained by the Legal Aid Commission to appear as the representative for children in parenting proceedings (ICL).
In 1996 Gary was admitted to the degree of Barrister-at Law in Ireland and became a member of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. Gary has been a member of the Family Law Division of the Law Council of Australia since 1995 and is a contributor to the latest edition of the Australian Master Family Law Guide published by CCH.
In early 2010 Gary commenced lecturing in Family Law as part of the degree course in law in the Faculty of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney. Gary continued to lecture in Family Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia until June 2013 attaining a 98.2% satisfaction rating from his students and being awarded a Letter of Merit for his lecturing from the University.
At the same time Gary established O’Gorman Lawyers, Solicitors & Barristers, in Gladesville. Gladesville is located only 9 kilometres from the Sydney CBD and 14 kilometres from the City of Parramatta, where the only Registries of the Family Court and the Federal Magistrates Court in the Sydney metropolitan area are located.
Gary established the firm to utilize his professional expertise to help clients, from the very outset, deal competently and expeditiously with a wide range of Family Law and De Facto Law problems and to guide their matters to an early resolution or, in the event that an early resolution was not possible, to use his expertise from many years in Family Law litigation, to properly prepare their matters for hearing and to appear for his clients in any subsequent court appointed events or any interim or final hearing. The firm also provides other services provided by a general solicitors practice.