CHAN & SMITH LEGAL
We are founded on the principle that effective legal representation requires more than technical knowledge. It requires clarity, structure, and measured judgement.
We specialise in litigation, criminal law, family disputes, debt recovery, and insolvency matters, bringing clarity to complex legal challenges. Our approach is deliberate and precise, cutting through noise to identify the path forward. We believe in calm, strategic action over reactive responses, and in building solutions that withstand scrutiny.
Based in Glen Waverley, we serve clients who value thoughtful counsel and decisive execution. Our commitment is to provide legal services that are as clear and reliable as they are effective, ensuring that every decision is informed, every action purposeful, and every outcome aligned with your objectives. We are also able to advise clients in Mandarin and Cantonese, providing clarity across language as well as law.
Celia Chan
Principal Solicitor
Celia Chan is the Principal Solicitor of CHAN & SMITH LEGAL, with over 7 years’ experience across criminal, family, and civil litigation.
Background
Celia commenced her legal career with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), working in regulatory enforcement with a focus on small business compliance and deterrence. During this time, she worked closely with liquidators and company directors in matters involving insolvency and breaches of directors’ duties, developing a disciplined and commercially grounded approach to complex disputes.
She later contributed to legal education as an Associate Academic at Deakin University, teaching sentencing law and reinforcing a principled understanding of judicial reasoning and discretion.
In private practice, Celia has acted across a broad range of matters, from summary offences to indictable proceedings, appearing in the Magistrates’, County, and Supreme Courts, including appellate jurisdictions. Her experience extends to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in both Melbourne and Tasmania, as well as regularly conducting shareholder oppression and winding up proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria.