Linda Dalton

Linda Dalton has over 30 years of experience as a dedicated solicitor, with a career rooted in a deep passion for the law that began in early childhood. Throughout her extensive career, she has managed a wide variety of legal matters, demonstrating a commitment to using the law as a tool to make life easier for her clients and to protect those who are vulnerable. Linda spent 23 years at Carty & Cox in Bellingen before founding Bellingen Law in July 2022. She was among the first accredited family law practitioners on the Mid North Coast and remains the sole full-time family law practitioner based in Bellingen. While family law is a significant part of her work, she also has a strong interest in wills and estates, as well as the diverse and sometimes unusual legal issues that arise in a rural practice. Her earlier career included experience with Community Legal Centres, Legal Aid NSW, and Catherine McKimm & Associates in Coffs Harbour. Understanding the emotional and practical toll legal disputes can take, Linda prioritises resolving matters without court intervention whenever possible. She provides clear, realistic advice early on, considering both immediate and long-term consequences, and balances financial and non-financial factors to achieve practical solutions. Known for her strong advocacy and thoughtful approach, she is highly regarded both professionally and within her community. Beyond her legal practice, Linda is a qualified mediator and registered civil marriage celebrant, regularly conducting weddings and funerals, offering support to clients at all stages of life. In the community, Linda has been actively involved in various initiatives, including the Raleigh Public School Parents and Citizens Association, the Bellingen Youth Orchestra, and local refugee family settlement programs. She has also contributed through the Two Way Street Driving Program, the SIEV X Memorial project, teaching Ethics at Bellingen Public School, and service with the Scotchman Rural Fire Service. A long-term resident of the Kalang Valley, she balances her professional life with family, having raised three children and embracing rural community life. Linda holds a Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of Sydney (1990) and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1990 and the High Court of Australia in 1992. She gained accreditation in family law in 1997 and was accredited as a mediator and dispute resolution practitioner in 2016. She has been a registered civil marriage celebrant since 2018.