Litigation lawyers resolve civil disputes through negotiation, mediation and court.
firms
1,867
regions
16
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They assess prospects, costs and risks, and choose the most efficient path to resolution.
Why litigation & dispute resolution matters
Disputes are expensive and stressful. A clear strategy from the start controls cost and risk.
The Australian context
Civil disputes are heard in state local, district and supreme courts depending on value, and in federal courts for federal matters. Courts encourage alternative dispute resolution and have overarching duties to resolve disputes justly and quickly.
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Hills Solicitors provides legal services in Maitland, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Commercial Litigation · Family Law · Wills & Estates · Unfair Dismissal · Employment Law
★★★★★★★★★★4.3(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
M.A. Kent & Associates provides legal services in Ipswich, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Criminal Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreCriminal Law · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Business & Commercial Law · Parenting & Child Custody · Domestic Violence & AVOsFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
★★★★★★★★★★4.0(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Class Actions, Personal Injury and Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP.
Class Actions+7 morePersonal Injury · Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP · Contested Wills & Family Provision · TPD & Superannuation Claims · Medical Negligence · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute ResolutionNo win, no feeThe firm mentions no win, no fee arrangements. Confirm terms in writing.
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers provides legal services in Darwin City, NT. Listed practice areas include Class Actions, Personal Injury and Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP.
Class Actions+7 morePersonal Injury · Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP · Contested Wills & Family Provision · TPD & Superannuation Claims · Medical Negligence · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution
★★★★★★★★★★4.2(98)Google rating from 98 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Petherick Cottrell provides legal services in Mandurah, WA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Family Law.
Wills & Estates+7 moreLitigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Property & Conveyancing · Criminal Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Divorce & Separation · Business & Commercial Law
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(97)Google rating from 97 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Cheney Suthers Lawyers provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Agribusiness & Rural Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Agribusiness & Rural Law · Family Law · Planning & Environment · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Personal Injury
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(95)Google rating from 95 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Corsetti Lawyers provides legal services in Cairns City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Wills & Estates · Family Law · Building & Construction · Insolvency & Restructuring · Employment Law
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(90)Google rating from 90 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers provides legal services in Toowoomba City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Class Actions, Personal Injury and Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP.
Class Actions+7 morePersonal Injury · Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP · Contested Wills & Family Provision · TPD & Superannuation Claims · Medical Negligence · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(90)Google rating from 90 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Shad Partners provides legal services in Bankstown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Partner & Family Visas and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+6 morePartner & Family Visas · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Powers of Attorney & Guardianship · Business & Commercial Law · Probate & Estate Administration
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(90)Google rating from 90 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Winn Legal provides legal services in Bendigo, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Planning & Environment.
Business & Commercial Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Planning & Environment · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Agribusiness & Rural Law · Partner & Family Visas · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(89)Google rating from 89 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Argon Law | Commercial Lawyers Sunshine Coast provides legal services in Maroochydore, QLD. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Business & Commercial Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Wills & Estates · Employment Law · Partner & Family Visas · Planning & Environment · Commercial Property & Leasing
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(89)Google rating from 89 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Just Family Law - Family Lawyers Dandenong provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+7 moreParenting & Child Custody · Divorce & Separation · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Property & Conveyancing · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Property Settlement · De Facto RelationshipsFree first consult
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(88)Google rating from 88 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Bazaliza Lawyers provides legal services in Potts Point, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law · Immigration & Visas · Notary Public & JP Services · Mediation & Dispute Resolution2 languages
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(88)Google rating from 88 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Simonidis Steel provides legal services in Brisbane Cbd, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(87)Google rating from 87 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Ellis Lake Lawyers provides legal services in Charlestown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Commercial Property & Leasing · Family Law · Partner & Family Visas · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Mediation & Dispute Resolution
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(87)Google rating from 87 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
GWM Lawyers provides legal services in Port Macquarie, NSW. Listed practice areas include Fraud & White Collar Crime, Banking & Finance and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Fraud & White Collar Crime+4 moreBanking & Finance · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Criminal Law
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(86)Google rating from 86 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Wilsons - The Family Lawyers provides legal services in Toowoomba City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Parenting & Child Custody · Partner & Family Visas · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Property Settlement
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(84)Google rating from 84 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Lynch Meyer Lawyers provides conveyancing services in Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Insolvency & Restructuring · Planning & Environment · Elder Law & Aged Care · Debt Recovery · Banking & Finance4 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: mandarin, cantonese, vietnamese
★★★★★★★★★★4.1(83)Google rating from 83 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Coleman Greig Lawyers provides legal services in Parramatta, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Wills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Planning & Environment · Mediation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(82)Google rating from 82 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
C V Martin Legal Services provides legal services in Tuggerah, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Powers of Attorney & Guardianship · Family Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Commercial Property & Leasing
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(81)Google rating from 81 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Chamberlains Law Firm provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Class Actions.
Business & Commercial Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Class Actions · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Wills & Estates · Building & Construction · Planning & Environment · Employment LawNo win, no feeThe firm mentions no win, no fee arrangements. Confirm terms in writing.Free first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(79)Google rating from 79 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Australian Probate Lawyers provides legal services in Nundah, QLD. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(78)Google rating from 78 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Elliott & Harvey Lawyers provides legal services in Upper Mount Gravatt, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
A practical guide to litigation & dispute resolution
What to discuss at the first meeting
Set out the agreement or relationship, disputed facts and outcome sought. A first assessment should distinguish legal options from the commercial or practical value of pursuing them.
Agree on stages and review points rather than treating a first demand as a commitment to full litigation.
How the engagement may progress
01
Prepare a chronology, agreement or policy, important communications and a calculation of any claimed amount. Distinguish firsthand facts from assumptions.
02
Discuss negotiation, a complaint scheme, mediation, a tribunal or court. Ask which options are available for this particular matter.
03
Agree on a first step and a point to reassess progress and cost. Before settling, understand what claims would be released and how obligations would be recorded.
Fees and the scope of work
Request stages for advice, correspondence, negotiations and proceedings. Discuss filing, expert and barrister costs and any potential liability for another party’s costs.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Dates to raise at first contact
Provide every demand, decision and court document with its date. Do not assume informal negotiations suspend a response or filing deadline.
Questions to ask a litigation & dispute resolution adviser
What is a proportionate first step?
What evidence and costs should be assessed before proceedings?
What evidence would change the assessment?
Is a complaint or dispute-resolution scheme available?
What are the practical costs and risks if agreement is not reached?
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How long does litigation take?
From months for small claims to years for complex matters.
How much does going to court cost?
It depends on the court, the complexity and how far the matter goes. Ask for a written estimate for each stage, and remember that the losing party often pays part of the winner's costs.
Can I sue for defamation?
Possibly, if a publication identified you and caused or is likely to cause serious harm to your reputation. There are defences and strict time limits, usually one year from publication.
