About Us - Men’s Legal Service
Men’s Legal Service was established in 2016 as a response to the observation that there was limited assistance available to men who were experiencing family law events.
Our founders were concerned that this lack of resources and services resulted in many men losing contact with their children after separation or divorce. It was apparent that a cause of this was that most of these men lacked the financial resources to seek the legal advice or representation necessary to navigate the family law system and satisfactorily resolve parenting and property matters.
Our mission is to make pragmatic, cost-effective legal services available to men at turning points in the lives of them and their families.
Our mission is achieved through the following key actions:
- Providing low-cost and means-tested legal services to clients in a dignified and professional manner;
- Enabling and encouraging positive and responsible outcomes in the lives of clients and their families;
- Being a ‘guide at the crossroads’ to connect men with community and government organisations and resources to assist with broader life issues;
- Providing an informed, apolitical voice on issues that affect clients; and
- Promoting recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle of the equality of men and women.
Our primary focus is on assisting fathers to continue to be available and involved in the lives of their children after family law events.
Lawyers
Men’s Legal Service thanks the many volunteers and contributions of time from lawyers and other members and groups within the community.
Sajan Naker
Office Manager
Sajan Naker completed a Bachelor of Business in International Hotel Management with Le Cordon Bleu Australia in 2017. Sajan received a $30,000.00 entrepreneur business scholarship to attend this prestigious University and studied and worked at some of the most exclusive 5-star hotels and establishments located across Australia.
With the management skills obtained from Le Cordon Bleu Australia and Sajans relentless hunger for success and ambition, Sajan has risen through the ranks to his current role as Office Manager for Stokes Lawyers & Men’s Legal Service.
Sajan likes to keep fit and healthy and often goes to the gym both during the week and on the weekends, he also has a passion for motorbikes and owns a custom Harley Davidson which he rides on the weekends.
Sajan is also a very experienced traveller visiting over 20 counties and 30 cities around the world. Sajan is a sucker for good food and enjoys time spent with his family, friends, and his beloved dog Django.
Deborah Brackenreg
Senior Lawyer
Deborah is one of the Family Lawyers at Men’s Legal Service. She was admitted to practice law in 2007 in Darwin. She worked for North Australian Aboriginal Family Law Service.
She has practised across remote communities across the Top End of the Northern Territory travelling with the ‘bush circuit’.
Traveling by small planes boats and cars. She provided domestic violence, family law; child protection; tenancy and the full range of legal services to normally inaccessible communities that had no success to legal services.
She has also spent 6 years working with Territory Families working in child protection and youth justice.
She has also practised in family law and child protection and domestic violence services in Carnarvon with the Aboriginal Family Law Service in remote WA.
Deborah prides herself on always attempting to mediate and avoid litigation, which is costly and stressful for all the parties (including their lawyers!)
She understands everyone is different and needs to a voice to be heard and someone to guide them through the complicated and protracted system that is the Family Court.
She is always there for her clients and provides a ready ear.
Otherwise, Deborah is animal mad, loves the water (not the crocodiles!) and the beach. Her frogs, her dogs, friends and family.
Miranda Campbell
Senior Lawyer
Miranda commenced her legal career as a property lawyer in Brisbane but has always had a passion for family law. In between her property law matters she made time for as many family law files as she was able to and volunteered her time outside of work providing free family law advice in community legal.
Eventually Miranda transitioned from property law to a firm that specialised in family law and it was there that she honed her technical knowledge and litigation skills.
Miranda has exceptional communication skills and a stamina for working long hours which serve her well in the legal profession. She credits this to growing up in a family of hard workers and to the years that she spent employed as an international flight attendant. Miranda is a resolute (though courteous) and empathetic advocate who will take the time to gather the facts, understand her client’s story and provide her client with realistic advice to assist them in moving forward.
Miranda moved to Darwin when her military husband was posted here and was determined to find a position in a firm whose values aligned with her own. She considers herself fortunate indeed to have found a position at a not-for-profit family law firm. Miranda passionately believes that family lawyers ‘have a duty to minimise costs and to reduce conflict’ to quote one brilliant judge.
In her spare time, Miranda loves to explore the many majestic natural attractions in and around Darwin with her family, to holiday dream and plan and to occasionally just chill out and binge watch a riveting Netflix, Stan or Binge series.
Alina Rylko
Lawyer
Alina Rylko is a Family Lawyer, Admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2019 and the High Court of Australia in 2021.
Alina joined Men’s Legal Service in January 2022, with a wealth of experience in working with a diverse range of clients.
She is a member of the Queensland Law Society, the Family Law Practitioners Association (FLPA), and holds two degrees in Law and Communications.
Prior to her Admission as a Lawyer, Alina was a Law Clerk working predominantly in Legal Aid Family Law and Domestic Violence matters.
Alina’s approach is pragmatic, calm and service-focused to ensure our clients are well supported through the Family Law process.
Prior to joining the legal profession, Alina was a media advisor to high profile law firms and a news journalist.
She was born in Moscow and speaks fluent Russian.
Board
James Stokes
Legal Practitioner Director
James is the founder of Men’s Legal Service. As a commercial lawyer who had experienced family law events himself, James not only recognised a need for affordable legal services for men but he also acted on it.
As a local of the Logan area for more than 30 years, James has developed collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and likeminded advisors. He regularly assists regional and remote law firms outside Queensland’s south-east corner, has presented as a speaker for the Tax Institute of Australia, Queensland Law Society and numerous legal education providers, banks and community groups. He is also a director of Rivermount Education Limited, and the Economics and Law Research Institute, and the consulting general manager of WillPoint (Australia’s leading provider of death and probate notification and will locator services).
As a lawyer, James has more than 15 years of experience working with some of Queensland’s largest and smallest firms. He has provided estate planning, business succession and commercial advice to business owners and private clients.
Stewart Fleming
Board Member
Stewart became a single father when his wife left just after their son's first birthday.
5 years later Stewart and his son (Jack) moved to London for his son to attend a school in London.
After 5 years in London, seeing the world, the boys decided to come back to Australia for Jack to attend an Aussie High School.
Through his career, Stewart has founded over 30 businesses, is a professional coach and is passionate about a Dad's role in raising children.
He is currently resident Master Coach at Performance Studios, President of the Logan Chamber of Commerce, President of Innov8 Logan and serves on the board of Bare Foot Fish, My City Logan and Operait Data Services.
Natasha Hobson
Board Member
As a wife, mother and business owner in Logan, Natasha feels strongly that men deserve equal access to legal representation and that children benefit profoundly from having a caring and involved father in their lives.
She is proud of the work Men's Legal Service does and is always on the lookout for ways to improve our services.
Daisy Cousens
Board Member