Dimitra Tolis
Partner and Accredited Family Law Specialist
Dimitra began her career predominantly practicing in civil litigation, including with the Crown Solicitors Office, before specialising in Family Law in 1998 and joining Tolis and Co in 2000. She has twenty-five years of post-admission experience across all aspects of legal practice and a wide knowledge base across all jurisdictions with expertise in Family Law.
In 2015 Dimitra attained Family Law Specialist Accreditation, one of the first and currently one of only a handful of legal practitioners to hold this accreditation in South Australia. This Accreditation acknowledges that she provides the highest standard of service to clients, and this evidences her comprehensive knowledge and understanding of family law.
Dimitra has been recognised by the peer-reviewed website ‘Doyle’s Guide’, for the past two years as a ‘Leading Family and Divorce Lawyer’ and ‘Leading Family Law – Parenting Lawyer.’ Additionally, the firm, under her direction, has been listed for the last three consecutive years as a ‘Leading Family Law Firm in South Australia.’
She has a drive to achieve results, advanced analytical capabilities, and enables successful outcomes to be realised by applying strategic thinking. She has developed an excellent reputation for her integrity, technical skills, sensible judgement, and empathy for her clients.
As a result of extensive and significant experience she has gained by persuasively negotiating on behalf of her clients in complex mediations, Family Dispute Resolution Conferences, Conciliation Conferences, and informal conferences, she is able to negotiate practical, commercially pragmatic and cost-effective solutions for her clients and avoid litigation in most cases.
In parenting matters, Dimitra is committed to achieving child focused resolutions and ensuring that negotiations are conducted respectfully and, if safe and appropriate, without disruption or damage to the co-parenting relationship.
Dimitra has successfully negotiated and litigated complex property matters involving high net worth property pools, numerous trusts and corporate entities, self-managed superannuation funds, third parties and complex business structures.
Dimitra has authored papers and presented to Flinders University Family Law students and at Television Education Network’s Annual Family Law Conference in Melbourne.
Education & Training
2016- 2017 Australian Advocacy Institute, Advocacy Skills in Family Law
2015 Family Law Specialist Accreditation, Law Institute of Victoria/Law Society of South Australia
1996 Graduate Certificate in Legal Practice, University of South Australia
1995 Bachelor of Laws, The Flinders University of South Australia
Active Professional Memberships
Law Society of South Australia
Family Law Section, The Law Council of Australia
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Women’s Legal Service
Hellenic Australian Lawyers
Women Lawyers Association
Committee & Community Representation and Philanthropy
2021 Founding Committee, Young Impact 100
2012 Founding Committee, Treetops Autism Specific School
Language Specialisation
Greek – Fluent written and spoken
Articles and Presentations
2021 Innovation in Family Law Practice, Television Education Network Annual Family Law Conference, Melbourne
2021 Drawing Affidavits in Family Law property matters, Flinders University Law School
2021 The Importance of the Women’s Legal Service in Matters Involving Family Violence – Women’s Legal Service 25th Anniversary Gala