Professor Belinda Fehlberg

Overview

Belinda Fehlberg is a professor of law in the Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, specialising in family law. She has a particular interest in how 'law in books' is understood, applied and experienced by professionals and families. Belinda has conducted empirical research over the past 30 years on a wide range of family law issues including spousal guarantees, pre-nuptial agreements, overlapping powers of the state children's courts and family law courts, children's contact services, links between post-separation parenting and financial arrangements, and the meaning of home for children after parental separation. She is the lead author of Australian Family Law: The Contemporary Context (Oxford University Press, 2015).

Belinda has law degrees from the University of Melbourne (BA, LLB (Hons) and Oxford (DPhil). She has had several ARC Discovery and Linkage projects as lead or sole CI. Her editorial roles include being a member, Editorial Board and Overseas Editorial Adviser, International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, Corresponding Member, Cambridge Family Law Centre, member, Editorial Board, Australian Journal of Family Law, and editor of that journal.

Belinda has been the MLS Deputy Dean and Associate Dean (Staff Development) since July 2025. Her other Faculty responsibilities have included terms as Associate Dean (Research), Associate Dean (MLM) and as an Associate Dean (Staff Development).  She is co-convenor of the MLS Family and Children’s Law Research Group.