Family & Relationships
Domestic violence lawyers help people seek protection orders, and act for people responding to applications.
Each state has its own protection order scheme, called AVOs in NSW, intervention orders in Victoria, DVOs in Queensland and restraining orders in WA. Police can apply on your behalf, or you can apply yourself. A lawyer can explain the conditions, represent you at court and connect the order with any family law proceedings.
Protection orders can stop threats, contact and harassment quickly. For respondents, an order can affect housing, parenting time, firearms licences and some jobs.
Each state has its own scheme: AVOs in NSW, intervention orders in Victoria, DVOs in Queensland, restraining orders in WA and SA. Orders are made in state local or magistrates courts and are nationally recognised under the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme.
Domestic Violence & AVOs firms in the directory
631 firms
Tweed Heads, NSW · Northern Rivers
Henry Family Lawyers provides legal services in Tweed Heads, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Binding Financial Agreements and Divorce & Separation.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Horrocks Solicitors provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Carrara, QLD · Gold Coast
Lockett McCullough Lawyers Noosa provides legal services in Carrara, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Wodonga, VIC · Hume & North East
Myers Jane provides legal services in Wodonga, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Partner & Family Visas.
Katoomba, NSW · Western Sydney
Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre provides legal services in Katoomba, NSW. Listed practice areas include Partner & Family Visas, Human Rights & Discrimination and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Bentleigh East, VIC · South East Melbourne
Hamilton Thomas Lawyers provides legal services in Bentleigh East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Elizabeth, SA · Adelaide Metro
Legal Services Commission Elizabeth provides legal services in Elizabeth, SA. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Wills & Estates.
Bairnsdale, VIC · Gippsland
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Bairnsdale, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
Adelaide, SA · Adelaide CBD
Law Society of South Australia provides legal services in Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Family Law and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Baker Ryrie Rickards Titmarsh - Parramatta provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Assault & Violent Offences and Traffic Offences.
South Melbourne, VIC · South East Melbourne
Gale Family Law provides legal services in South Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Balaclava, VIC · South East Melbourne
A. Shenken & Co provides legal services in Balaclava, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Binding Financial Agreements.
Blacktown, NSW · Western Sydney
Claremont Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Blacktown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Traffic Offences.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Kozarov Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Criminal Law.
Lismore, NSW · Northern Rivers
Legal Aid NSW provides legal services in Lismore, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Mental Health & Guardianship Tribunal.
Wollongong, NSW · Illawarra & Wollongong
Rossi Simicic Lawyers provides legal services in Wollongong, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and De Facto Relationships.
Busselton, WA · South West
Boudica Criminal Law provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Bail Applications and Assault & Violent Offences.
Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
Carew Lawyers provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Wills & Estates.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Harbourside Legal Services provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Planning & Environment, Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Morwell, VIC · Gippsland
James Trembath & Associates provides legal services in Morwell, VIC. Listed practice areas include Bail Applications, Criminal Law and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Burwood, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
Legal Aid NSW provides legal services in Burwood, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Mental Health & Guardianship Tribunal.
Navado provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Loganholme, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
Advance Family Law provides legal services in Loganholme, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
St Clair, NSW · Western Sydney
Rafton Family Lawyers provides legal services in St Clair, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
Understand the next step
Tell the lawyer whether you need protection, have been served with an application or already have an order. Use a safe method of contact and make the next hearing date clear at the outset.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. A directory enquiry is not an emergency service or confirmation that representation has been arranged.
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
Discuss negotiation and family dispute resolution. Parenting applications generally involve prior dispute resolution unless an exception applies; ask the lawyer to assess the appropriate process.
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning work.
Ask for separate estimates for advice, negotiation, document preparation and court work. A fixed divorce-application fee does not necessarily cover parenting or financial disputes.
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.
Highlight court dates, proposed travel or relocation and any planned property sale. Ask which time limits apply to your particular issues rather than assuming there is one deadline for everything.
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
No. A protection order is a civil order. Breaching it, however, is a criminal offence.
Call 000. Police can make or seek urgent orders. For support, 1800RESPECT is available 24 hours.
Not always. A simple divorce application can be filed online without one. It's worth getting advice before you apply if you have children, shared property or superannuation, because divorce starts the clock on time limits for property claims.
Married couples generally have 12 months from the date the divorce becomes final. De facto couples generally have two years from separation. After that you need the court's permission, which is not guaranteed.