Clarissa Rayward

Director Brisbane Family Law Centre

Clarissa Rayward is known as ‘The Happy Family Lawyer’, specialising in helping couples work together to reach out-of-court resolutions to their relationship breakdown.

Clarissa is an Accredited Family Law Specialist, Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator. She is also the Director of the Brisbane Family Law Centre, a multidisciplinary collaborative practice where lawyers work alongside counsellors and financial planners to ensure that clients receive the holistic support they need. 

Clarissa is also a successful author and blogger. Her blog ‘The Happy Family Lawyer’ provides weekly commentary and tips on issues relating to life, love, relationships and divorce. She is also the Author of the book, ‘Splitsville – How to separate, stay out of Court and stay friends.’ 

In 2016, Clarissa launched her new venture ‘Happy Lawyer, Happy Life’ in response to the growing number of lawyers and other professionals reaching out to her looking for ways of finding ‘Happiness’ in their careers. Clarissa’s podcast and book both titled ‘Happy Lawyer, Happy Life’ offer insights and resources for legal professionals seeking fulfilling careers and happiness both in law and in life.

Due to the overwhelming response to her book and podcast, Clarissa has also launched two new initiatives to support and assist lawyers in their professional lives: “The Course” and “The Club”. Clarissa has been recognised for this innovative platform, receiving the 2017 LexisNexis and Janders Dean Legal Innovation Index Award for “The Club”, an online community for entrepreneurial lawyers looking to make the best out of their career while making the best of their lives outside of the law.

For her continuing groundbreaking innovative ideas and projects, Clarissa has been recognised in 2017 with the Women Lawyer’s Association of Queensland’s Inaugural Trailblazer Award. In 2019 Clarissa was recognised as the Wellness Advocate of the Year in the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards and was also the inaugural winner of the Minds Count Individual Wellness Advocate in Law.