Her former husband thought she was perfectly capable of supporting herself as a legal secretary or personal assistant after their marriage broke down.

But having emerged from the ''long, expensive and fraught litigation'' that followed their separation, the woman wanted nothing more to do with lawyers or the law - and the Family Court has ordered her former husband pay her $1000 a week while she retrains for another career.

The order came as Justice Stuart Fowler determined a property settlement for the Sydney pair who, for legal reasons, cannot be named.

Former husband must pay for wife's career change