“Deborah Awyzio has established herself as one of Queensland’s foremost family law dispute resolution professionals, bringing nearly three decades of specialist experience to some of the most sensitive and challenging family matters. Renowned for her mediation expertise, strategic judgement and unwavering professionalism, she has helped countless families achieve practical and lasting resolutions outside the courtroom. Her leadership within the legal profession, combined with a commitment to constructive problem-solving and respectful dialogue, has made her a trusted figure in family law and a significant contributor to the advancement of dispute resolution practice in Australia.”

Fantastic Lawyers® Editorial 2026

Deborah Awyzio is a nationally accredited mediator, arbitrator and registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner based in Brisbane. With almost 30 years of experience practising exclusively in family law, she is widely recognised as one of Queensland’s leading experts in family dispute resolution, mediation and complex family law matters.

As the founder of D A Family Lawyers and a long-standing leader within the legal profession, Deborah has earned a reputation for helping families resolve difficult disputes with clarity, purpose and respect. She is recognised in the Doyles Guide as a Leading Family Lawyer, Leading Parenting and Children’s Matters Lawyer and Leading Family Law Mediator.

What Deborah Awyzio Does

Deborah focuses on helping individuals and families resolve family law disputes without unnecessary conflict wherever possible. Her work includes:

• Family law mediation
• Family dispute resolution
• Property settlements
• Binding financial agreements
• Child custody and parenting disputes
• International child abduction and Hague Convention matters
• Child support disputes
• Spousal maintenance claims
• Family law arbitration
• Estate and franchising dispute mediation

She regularly assists separating couples, parents and families to reach practical agreements that allow them to move forward with certainty and confidence.

Why She Stands Out

Deborah is known for her straightforward, pragmatic and solution-focused approach. Colleagues and clients alike describe her as a mediator who remains independent, impartial and focused on outcomes.

Her extensive experience as both a family lawyer and mediator allows her to identify issues quickly, cut through unnecessary conflict and guide participants towards realistic and sustainable resolutions.

Having conducted hundreds of mediations across family law, estate and commercial disputes, Deborah brings both legal expertise and practical negotiation skills to every matter.

She has also undertaken advanced mediation training at Harvard Business School, further strengthening her reputation as a highly skilled dispute resolution professional.

Leadership Within the Legal Profession

Few family lawyers in Queensland have contributed as extensively to the profession as Deborah.

She served as Vice President of the Queensland Law Society in 2014 and 2015 and is a former President of the Family Law Practitioners Association of Queensland. She has also served as Chair of the Queensland Law Society’s Professional Conduct Committee and as Queensland’s solicitor representative on the Family Law Section Executive of the Law Council of Australia.

Today, Deborah continues to support the profession through her role as Senior Counsellor to the Queensland Law Society, providing ethical guidance and support to solicitors across Queensland.

Recognition and Professional Credentials

Deborah’s expertise is recognised by her peers and the wider legal community. She is consistently recognised in the Doyles Guide as a leading practitioner across family law, parenting matters and mediation.

Her professional qualifications include:

• Accredited Family Law Specialist (Queensland Law Society)
• National Accredited Mediator
• National Accredited Arbitrator
• Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner
• Bachelor of Laws, Queensland University of Technology
• Bachelor of Information Technology, Queensland University of Technology

She is admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

Professional Memberships

Deborah is an active member of numerous professional organisations, including:

• Queensland Law Society
• Family Law Practitioners Association of Queensland
• Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
• Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators
• Queensland Association of Collaborative Practitioners