About Us

De Saxe O’Neill Family Lawyers serves the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Offering support during life’s most challenging phases. We are a local family law firm known for our commitment to providing assistance and guidance. Our firm has been recognised as a distinguished ‘Leading Family and Divorce Law Firm’ for 2024 by Doyles Guide.

Our team of professionals specialise in a broad spectrum of legal areas. Including Family Law, Collaborative Law, Deceased Estates, and Mediation and Family Dispute Resolution (FDR). We stand ready to address your specific needs, offering proactive and comprehensive support throughout your journey.

Unlike traditional firms, we offer a private and supportive space to discuss how we can address your particular needs. When required, we will use family-friendly processes and if needed, will talk to your support network and your former partner’s lawyer. If you need tough representation in court, our Northern Beaches firm will be there to help guide you.

Our first choice in separation and divorce however, is to use alternative methods. We engage other professionals such as mediators, financial advisors and counsellors to assist you and your family to get through this difficult time.

Get in touch with our expert family lawyers at De Saxe O’Neill via our contact page or call us on 02 9948 3820. Your journey to resolution, support, and peace of mind begins with us.

Why Us

As a small Northern Beaches family law firm,
we offer a flexible, personal service to our clients:

We adapt our approach for every family, whether a gentler or a tougher approach is needed

We know people are not keen on seeing a divorce lawyer but once you come and see us, we will support you all the way through

Located in a small, discreet building, we offer our combined expertise and technology to deliver excellent advice and service

We are experts in our field with both Directors Accredited Specialists in Family Law, and choose to practice in select areas of law which we know and can deliver to you at a high level

Our Team

Janine De Saxe – Director

Janine is a highly experienced family lawyer, having practised in all aspects of Family Law for over 30 years. Janine places great importance on keeping families out of court.

Margie O’Neill – Director

Margie is experienced in all areas of family law including parenting, property settlements, Hague Convention matters, relocation and recovery applications, same-sex and defacto matters.

Caitlin Hutchings – Associate

Caitlin is a family lawyer who joined our team in 2023. Caitlin graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts and was subsequently admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Caitlin’s professional journey has been single-mindedly dedicated to the field of family law since her admission to […]

Kaila Benson – Associate

Kaila is a dedicated family lawyer who became a valuable addition to our team in 2024. Kaila graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Laws in 2020 and was subsequently admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Kaila commenced her career working in the NSW Police Call centre, which ably equipped her […]

Jane Robins – Associate

Jane is part of our team of family lawyers and joined us in 2025. She was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2020 and to the High Court of Australia in 2023. Jane is a dedicated family lawyer, communicating with compassion and sensitivity, working to deliver quality service […]

Macy McCutcheon – Paralegal

Macy is a paralegal who joined De Saxe O’Neill Family Lawyers in early 2024. She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences) at the University of Technology Sydney. Set to graduate in 2027, Macy’s passion lies in fostering an empathetic approach within our firm, driven by […]

Ella Colwell – Paralegal

Ella joined De Saxe O’Neill Family Lawyers in March 2025 as a Paralegal. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science at UNSW, with graduation expected in 2026. Before joining our team, Ella worked as a court monitor, where she developed a strong understanding of the legal system and observed first-hand […]

Shelley Keeble – Administrative Assistant

Shelley brings significant value to our team with her recent completion of a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University in 2022. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Graduate Diploma in International Studies from the University of Sydney. Having joined our team in October 2022, Shelley manages reception and various administrative […]

Vanessa Watkin – Assistant

Vanessa brings a wealth of financial and business expertise to our team, with a professional background that spans large corporate organisations through to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. She holds a Bachelor of Business (UTS) and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA). Vanessa’s career has included senior roles as Audit Manager at KPMG and Finance […]

Lynne Pursley – Accounts Manager

Lynne plays a pivotal role at De Saxe O’Neill Family Lawyers as the Accounts Manager. Earlier in her career, she dedicated 17 years to working as a legal secretary. Lynne also embarked on a unique journey in the exhibition and events industry for an extended period. Lynne’s presence brings a cheerful dimension to our team […]