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
Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
Reardon Family Lawyers provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Parenting & Child Custody.
Burswood, WA · Perth East
Residential Settlements provides legal services in Burswood, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Strata & Body Corporate and Family Law.
West Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Robert A. McHugh provides legal services in West Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Robyn Greensill & Associates provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Criminal Law and Bail Applications.
Fortitude Valley, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Rouse Lawyers provides legal services in Fortitude Valley, QLD. Listed practice areas include Building & Construction, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Business & Commercial Law.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Sargeants provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Tallangatta, VIC · Hume & North East
Sargeants provides legal services in Tallangatta, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Beaumaris, VIC · South East Melbourne
Sargeants provides conveyancing services in Beaumaris, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Murrumbeena, VIC · South East Melbourne
Sargeants provides conveyancing services in Murrumbeena, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Wonthaggi, NSW · Gippsland
Sargeants Bass Coast Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Wonthaggi, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Business & Commercial Law.
Wharparilla, VIC · Bendigo & Loddon
Sargeants Echuca provides legal services in Wharparilla, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
West Wodonga, VIC · Hume & North East
Shellie Graham Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in West Wodonga, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Strata & Body Corporate and Agribusiness & Rural Law.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Sodexo provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Health & Medical Practitioner Law, Partner & Family Visas and Property & Conveyancing.
Torquay, VIC · Geelong & Surf Coast
Springwood Lawyers provides legal services in Torquay, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
Byron Bay, NSW · Northern Rivers
Springwood Lawyers provides legal services in Byron Bay, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
Bundall, QLD · Gold Coast
Stacks Law Firm Bundall provides legal services in Bundall, QLD. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Traffic Offences and Business & Commercial Law.
Sydney, NSW · Sydney CBD
Sydney City Crime provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Bail Applications and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Tamborine Mountain, QLD · Gold Coast
Tamborine Mountain Law provides legal services in Tamborine Mountain, QLD. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Criminal Law and Child Protection & Care Matters.
Beaudesert, QLD · Gold Coast
Tamborine Mountain Law provides legal services in Beaudesert, QLD. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Criminal Law and Child Protection & Care Matters.
Surry Hills, NSW · Sydney CBD
Tenants' Union of NSW provides legal services in Surry Hills, NSW. Listed practice areas include Residential Tenancy, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Human Rights & Discrimination.
Heatherbrae, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
Terrace Care provides legal services in Heatherbrae, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Parenting & Child Custody.
Bega, NSW · South Coast
Thomson, Carmen provides legal services in Bega, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Binding Financial Agreements.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Tony Hargreaves & Partners Criminal Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Partner & Family Visas, Criminal Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Moe, VIC · Gippsland
Tyler Tipping and Woods provides legal services in Moe, VIC. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
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.