Kat Plint

Kat Plint is a lawyer at Forge Legal with an advocacy practice that runs across state and federal courts, much of it in matters involving the most serious risk of harm, abuse and death.

In Queensland she represents vulnerable clients in the Magistrates Court, with a particular focus on child protection, coronial inquests and domestic and family violence. She is a robust advocate who holds that every person has the right to high-quality legal representation, and she stands up for people facing injustice, people with disabilities and people from diverse backgrounds.

Many of the people she acts for have been failed by the system or wrongly accused. She also appears regularly in Division 1 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, representing parents and carers of children who have been exposed to serious harm, have suffered it, or remain at serious risk of it.

Kat is also the founder of a not-for-profit organisation with deep experience in family support, coronial research and investigations, coronial advocacy, community education and child-safety reform. That advocacy has meant working with police, families, coroners, members of parliament, councils, schools and community organisations, and it has led to both education programs and legislative reform.

She continues to deepen that knowledge and is currently undertaking a Master of Domestic and Family Violence Practice.

Kat understands that people often come for family law advice at one of the hardest points in their lives. Her approach is to listen carefully, understand the circumstances behind the legal issue, and give clear, practical guidance so clients understand their options and the path ahead.

Professional qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws, 2022
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, 2023
• Practising as a solicitor since September 2023
• Domestic and Family Violence Duty Lawyer Accreditation, 2024
• Currently undertaking a Master of Domestic and Family Violence Practice

Areas of practice

Kat's legal capabilities and areas of particular interest include:

• Domestic and family violence
• Child protection
• Children and parenting matters
• Separation and divorce
• Family law
• Court and advocacy matters

Advocacy and community

Kat has a longstanding commitment to advocacy, child protection and community service. Her community work has included coronial research and advocacy, assisting families through coronial processes, preparing and contributing to submissions, working with government and community organisations, and advocating for legislative and regulatory change.

These experiences have given her a deep understanding of what it means to navigate courts, government agencies and formal processes during periods of grief, trauma, uncertainty and significant family stress.

Kat's community contribution has included:

• City of Ipswich Australia Day Medallion, 2009
• Queensland Volunteer of the Year for Child Protection, 2012
• Coronial advocacy and research across more than 109 inquests
• Supporting hundreds of families affected by drowning and serious water-related incidents
• Co-authoring editions of the Queensland Pool Safety Guide
• Advocacy contributing to improvements in Queensland pool and building-safety regulation
• Community education and child-safety advocacy

Outside work

Away from the practice, Kat has strong ties to rural agriculture. She is a registered apiarist and a member of the Ipswich & West Moreton Beekeepers Association, the Australia Stockhorse Association, the Paint Horse Association and the Returned Services League, and she advocates for better family support for veterans and emergency services personnel. Time off means her grandchildren, horse riding, rose gardening and travel.