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Danielle Zetzer – Disrupting the way divorce is done, respectfully.
Danielle Zetzer, Principal Lawyer, Founder of Respect Legal, and voice behind the podcast Diary of a Divorce Lawyer, has become a positively disruptive presence in Australian family law. Her approach of “doing divorce differently” is rapidly gathering momentum as she continues to push for ways to challenge the traditional model of family law practice.
Respect Legal
How did you start down this career path?
From a very young age, Danielle’s personal experiences deeply influenced her career ambition. As both a child of divorced parents and a divorced mother of 3 children herself, she felt a strong pull toward family law, driven by the desire to reshape the often contentious and costly divorce process into one that emphasises dignity and collaboration. Themes of empowerment, equality, and loudly defending those who struggle to find their own voice pushed Dani toward a career path in Law to meet her need to make a difference to the vulnerable.
https://respectlegal.com.au/our-people/
What inspires you in your role/industry? Why?
Danielle is inspired by the opportunity to change how people experience separation and divorce. She seeks to minimize the financial, emotional, and psychological toll on families. By advocating for an approach that keeps families out of court, she feels that her work directly contributes to clients’ wellbeing. These reasons inspire the team at Respect Legal to celebrate settlements out of court, not billable hours.
What's your approach to customer service that separates you from the rest?
What sets Danielle apart is her empathetic and supportive approach to clients. As a collaboratively trained lawyer, her strength lies in her compassion, strength and healthy no-nonsense attitude. A self-confessed “nerd”, Dani has a special interest in complex matters, both parenting and financial.
How do you innovate and stay ahead of industry trends?
Danielle stays ahead of industry trends by continually exploring methods that prioritise wellbeing and avoid litigation. She also leverages her podcast and other media appearances to discuss real issues in family law, providing accessible insights and resources to a broader audience. This helps her stay connected to both her clients and developments in the field.
What is the toughest challenge you've faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
Managing high-conflict cases, particularly where emotions run high, and finding ways to keep these cases out of the courtroom. Dani overcomes these obstacles by focusing on strategic planning and conflict resolution techniques that keep clients’ long-term welfare in mind, often achieving more peaceful and cost-effective outcomes than traditional methods.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/
What are some of your goals for the next 5 years?
Danielle aims to further establish Respect Legal as a leader in compassionate family law while expanding her influence through media as a disruptive thought leader and innovator via her podcast, media appearances – and an initiative set to address the gap in legal aid for ‘middle Australia’ who can’t afford high legal fees yet don’t qualify for free support either. Watch this space as Dani is a trailblazer, keen to create broader awareness and advocacy around alternative dispute resolution, which aligns with her vision of reducing adversarial approaches in family law.
