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
Norwest, NSW · Hills District
Selvaggio Lawyers provides legal services in Norwest, NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Townsville City, QLD · Townsville & North Queensland
Donnie Harris Law provides legal services in Townsville City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Hope Island, QLD · Gold Coast
Stacks Law Firm Tweed Heads provides legal services in Hope Island, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Geelong, VIC · Geelong & Surf Coast
Randall Bell Lawyer provides legal services in Geelong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Child Protection & Care Matters, Criminal Law and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
NSW · Brisbane South & Logan
CG Legal Group provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Point Cook, VIC · Western Melbourne
Confident Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Point Cook, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Planning & Environment.
Mckinnon, VIC · South East Melbourne
Conveyancing World provides conveyancing services in Mckinnon, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Cridland & Hua Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Assault & Violent Offences.
South Hedland, WA · Pilbara & Kimberley
Pilbara Community Legal Service Inc provides legal services in South Hedland, WA. Listed practice areas include Domestic Violence & AVOs, Building & Construction and Business & Commercial Law.
Lake Wendouree, VIC · Ballarat & Central Highlands
Rodney Jacobs Lawyer provides legal services in Lake Wendouree, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Mount Isa City, QLD · Outback & Torres Strait
Anderson Telford Lawyers provides legal services in Mount Isa City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Assault & Violent Offences and Fraud & White Collar Crime.
Proserpine, QLD · Mackay & Whitsundays
Brown & Baker Solicitors provides legal services in Proserpine, QLD. Listed practice areas include Personal Injury, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Greenvale, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Steel Chinka (HEP) Lawyer provides legal services in Greenvale, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Hawthorn East, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Stopline Pty Ltd provides legal services in Hawthorn East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Fraud & White Collar Crime and Elder Law & Aged Care.
Tweed Heads, NSW · Northern Rivers
Thompson Norrie Solicitors provides legal services in Tweed Heads, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Abledale Law provides legal services in Ipswich, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Drug Offences and Bail Applications.
Cannonvale, QLD · Mackay & Whitsundays
Brown & Baker Solicitors provides legal services in Cannonvale, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Personal Injury.
Brookwater, QLD · Ipswich
Savannah Legal Barristers & Solicitors provides legal services in Brookwater, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Criminal Law and Immigration & Visas.
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Mildura, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
South Yarra, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Lewenberg & Lewenberg Solicitors provides legal services in South Yarra, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Adelaide, SA · Adelaide CBD
Patsouris and Associates provides legal services in Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include General Practice (regional generalist), Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Geraldton, WA · Mid West & Gascoyne
Aboriginal Family Law Services provides legal services in Geraldton, WA. Listed practice areas include Partner & Family Visas, Child Protection & Care Matters and Family Law.
Liverpool, NSW · Western Sydney
Capitol Legal provides legal services in Liverpool, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Personal Injury and Family Law.
Liverpool, NSW · Western Sydney
Claremont Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Liverpool, NSW. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Traffic Offences.
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.