Our Team
Glenn Robert Thompson OAM
Director
Glenn is acknowledged in Australia as one of the pre-eminent practitioners of Family Law and contributors to its development. He was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia in 1985. Glenn is a qualified Arbitrator with AIFLAM, is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Glenn specialises in all aspects of Family Law including complex property and child related disputes, and has acted for many international clients in various countries in relation to Australian Family Law matters. He has given expert evidence in Family Law.
In 2010 Glenn was awarded the NSW Law Society President’s Medal in recognition of his personal and professional contributions to the betterment of law and justice in NSW.
On 12 June 2017 Glenn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to Family Law and the Community.
Glenn the chair of the Specialist Accreditation Family Law Advisory Committee, is a member of the Family Law Committee of the Law Society of NSW, is a former Chair of the Greater Sydney Family Law Pathways Network, is a member of the College of Law Family Law Advisory Committee, and is an Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Law Master of Family Law. Glenn was a member of the Steering Committee of the Children’s Cases Program at the Family Court of Australia which produced the current Less Adversarial Trial System and was a member of the organising committee for the 19th National Family Law Conference held in Sydney from 7-10 October 2014. He has provided addresses to delegations of Singapore Judges, the Family Law Council, and the State Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice and has been the Law Society representative on the selection panel for the Department of Community Services.
Glenn has published several articles and lectured on a range of Family Law-related issues. To view some of his publications, see the “Legal Updates” link on the homepage.
John Francis Chapple
Director
John specialises in all aspects of Family Law and has extensive experience in complex property and parenting cases. John was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia in 1981 He is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is also a member of the Law Society of NSW and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, and a former member of the Family Law Committee of the Law Society of NSW. John was previously a member of the panel of Independent Children’s Lawyers (formerly Separate Representatives) for over 15 years. He has participated in a number of advisory meetings at the request of Judges of the Family Court.
John has acted for many clients both in the United States and Asia-Pacific Region in relation to Australian Family Law matters.
John is now also qualified as an AIFLAM accredited Mediator and Arbitrator.
Elaine Clarke
Director
Elaine graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics where she was awarded the University Prize for her achievements in the Family Law unit. Before joining Newnhams in 2014, Elaine worked in a commercial firm for 6 years, prior to and post completion of her degree, where she assisted and was exposed to a variety of matters, with a particular focus on insolvency and bankruptcy law. This experience has proven invaluable in respect of family law matters that include corporate and trust entities/issues.
Elaine has experience in a variety of family law matters including property/financial, spousal maintenance, child support and parenting proceedings that involve multifaceted issues such as; property settlements involving complex corporate and trust structures, third parties and interveners, international aspects including parties/assets/entities that are overseas, multi-jurisdictional issues involving related proceedings in the Federal, Supreme and Criminal Courts, relocation of children and allegations of family violence.
In 2019, Elaine received her Specialist Accreditation in Family Law from the New South Wales Law Society, undertook and became a Collaboratively Trained Lawyer. Elaine is a member of the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals, Collaborative Professionals (NSW) Inc, and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
In 2020, Elaine was named as a Doyle’s Guide ‘Rising Star’, as voted by the wider profession.
John F Newnham
Consultant
John Newnham, the former senior partner and now consultant, continues to bring to the firm the accumulated wealth of practical experience, knowledge and skills that commenced with the Newnhams firm of solicitors established by his father and uncle over 85 years ago. He was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia in 1965. John is a member of the Law Society of NSW and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, and a former member of the Family Law Committee of the Law Society of NSW.
John has the conduct of complex Family Law matters and, in the collaborative spirit he has fostered within the firm, is available for other members of the firm to consult whenever needed.
Marcia Simeone
Associate
Marcia was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court in 2008 and the High Court of Australia in 2010. Marcia graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, majoring in Politics and International Relations. At the completion of her university studies, Marcia completed a clerkship with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (Corporate Division) in Canberra where she was involved in all aspects of policy and reform work. Following her admission as a solicitor, Marcia worked in a small general practice firm in the Eastern Suburbs where she gained invaluable experience in the areas of family law, wills, estates and conveyancing, later joining the family law team of a larger practice in Chatswood and Parramatta.
Marcia practises exclusively in the area of family law dealing with divorce, property and parenting matters arising from the breakdown of marital and de facto relationships. Marcia joined the family law team at Newnhams Solicitors in 2011 and was appointed as an Associate of the Practice in 2012.
Christian Knox
Associate
Christian joined Newnhams as a Law Clerk in 2014 and worked with Newnhams throughout his studies. Christian graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (with Distinction) in 2015 and graduated with a Juris Doctor (with Distinction) in 2018. He was admitted as a solicitor in early 2019.
Following his admission, Christian had a short stint at a commercial law firm where he developed a commercial mindset that he now uses to provide clients with practical advice. Christian re-joined Newnhams in June 2019 and assists clients with both property and parenting family law matters, as well as acting across the firm’s other practice areas.
Christian is an active member of the NSW Young Lawyers Family Law Committee and in 2020 was part of the Committee’s working group to provide submissions to the Federal Parliament’s Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence. Christian also volunteers with Marrickville Legal Centre’s Family Law Advice Clinic.
Chris Vogelsinger
Solicitor
Chris completed his studies in 2020. Prior to commencing as a solicitor in private practice, Chris spent over 12 years at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, including working as an Associate to judges. This allows Chris to bring a unique skillset to the firm, with a deep understanding of court processes and procedures and experience in how courts will consider matters.
Chris is acutely aware of the toll separation and family law cases take on people, both emotionally and financially. His aim is to assist clients in navigating the difficulties of a separation and reach an appropriate outcome without the need to resort to the court system. Unfortunately that is not always possible and his experience within the court allows him to guide clients through those processes and procedures.
Chris aims to help people move on from what is often one of the hardest parts of their lives as swiftly as possible.
Outside of family law, Chris also assists clients in their estate matters, updating Wills and other associated matters.
Kathryn Dunkley
Solicitor
Kathryn graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice in 2014 and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2017. She was admitted as a solicitor in early 2019.
After finishing her studies, Kathryn worked as an Associate to a Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, in both the Sydney and Parramatta Registries. She commenced practising exclusively as a Family Law solicitor in Parramatta prior to joining the team at Newnhams. Kathryn’s diverse experience as a Judicial Associate and as a Solicitor has left her with a unique understanding of how matters progress within the Family Law Courts. Kathryn’s experience has also given her an in-depth appreciation of judicial decision making which enables her to provide clients with practical advice as to the range of possible outcomes should their matter proceed down the litigation pathway.
Kathryn takes a thorough but patient approach with her clients and recognises that no two clients or sets of circumstances are the same. Kathryn provides each client with tailored advice and assists them to navigate through the Family Law system as quickly as possible.
