Family lawyers advise on separation, parenting arrangements, property division and divorce.
firms
2,444
regions
16
AI-generated editorial image
A family lawyer's early advice shapes everything that follows: what a fair property split looks like for your circumstances, how parenting time is likely to be arranged, and which steps must happen before court. Most matters resolve through negotiation or mediation, with consent orders making the agreement binding.
Why family law matters
Separation affects where children live, the home, super and future finances. Decisions made in the first months, often informally, can shape the final outcome, so early advice avoids costly mistakes.
The Australian context
Family law is federal. The Family Law Act 1975 governs parenting and property for married and most de facto couples, heard by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, except in Western Australia, where the Family Court of WA hears these matters. Parenting disputes usually require family dispute resolution before court.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
West Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.3(73)Google rating from 73 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Hartleys Lawyers provides legal services in West Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Parenting & Child Custody · Divorce & Separation · Wills & Estates · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Criminal Law · Skilled & Business VisasFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.2 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: mandarin
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Newport, VIC · Western Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★4.3(73)Google rating from 73 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Hartleys Lawyers provides legal services in Newport, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Parenting & Child Custody · Divorce & Separation · Wills & Estates · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Criminal Law · Skilled & Business VisasFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★3.4(73)Google rating from 73 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreDomestic Violence & AVOs · Parenting & Child Custody · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Property & Conveyancing · Health & Medical Practitioner Law · Mental Health & Guardianship Tribunal · Mediation & Dispute Resolution
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Surfers Paradise, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(72)Google rating from 72 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Croy Legal provides legal services in Surfers Paradise, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Probate & Estate Administration.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Burwood, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(71)Google rating from 71 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Buckley Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in Burwood, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Business & Commercial Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Property & Conveyancing · Commercial Property & Leasing · Building & Construction · Criminal Law · Residential Tenancy · Partner & Family Visas
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
East Perth, WA · Perth CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(71)Google rating from 71 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Clairs Keeley Lawyers provides legal services in East Perth, WA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Probate & Estate Administration and Family Law.
Wills & Estates+7 moreProbate & Estate Administration · Family Law · Planning & Environment · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mount Gravatt, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(71)Google rating from 71 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Ian W Bartels & Associates Solicitors provides legal services in Mount Gravatt, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreFamily Law · Wills & Estates · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Contract Law · Criminal Law · Divorce & Separation · Traffic Offences
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Pakenham, VIC · South East Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(71)Google rating from 71 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Mepstead Lawyers provides legal services in Pakenham, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Family Law · Criminal Law · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Probate & Estate AdministrationFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Adelaide, SA · Adelaide CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(71)Google rating from 71 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Wadlow Solicitors provides legal services in Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Personal Injury.
Wills & Estates+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Personal Injury · Family Law · Business & Commercial Law · Medical Negligence · Unfair Dismissal · Partner & Family Visas
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Unley, SA · Adelaide Metro
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(70)Google rating from 70 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Lindbloms Lawyers provides legal services in Unley, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Personal Injury.
Wills & Estates+7 moreFamily Law · Personal Injury · Property & Conveyancing · Business & Commercial Law · Medical Negligence · Partner & Family Visas · Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTPFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Forest Lodge, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(70)Google rating from 70 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Macquarie Law Group provides legal services in Forest Lodge, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Health & Medical Practitioner Law · Criminal Law · Employment Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mittagong, NSW · Southern Highlands & Tablelands
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(70)Google rating from 70 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Our Lawyers provides legal services in Mittagong, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(69)Google rating from 69 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Michael Lynch Family Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Parenting & Child Custody · Domestic Violence & AVOs · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mount Gambier, SA · Limestone Coast
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(68)Google rating from 68 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Brite Legal Family Law, Wills and Estate Lawyers provides legal services in Mount Gambier, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Planning & Environment.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mandurah, WA · Perth South
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(68)Google rating from 68 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Coastal Family Law provides legal services in Mandurah, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+5 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Ipswich, QLD · Ipswich
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(68)Google rating from 68 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Heritage Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Ipswich, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Bankstown, NSW · Southern Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(68)Google rating from 68 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
LW Williams & Associates provides legal services in Bankstown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Commercial Litigation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Liverpool, NSW · Western Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(68)Google rating from 68 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Opal Legal provides legal services in Liverpool, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Criminal Law.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Criminal Law · Divorce & Separation · De Facto Relationships · Business & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Building & Construction
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Penrith, NSW · Western Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(67)Google rating from 67 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Complete Legal and Conveyancing provides legal services in Penrith, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Start by separating immediate arrangements from longer-term decisions. A family-law consultation can identify whether parenting, finances, divorce or personal safety requires a separate step, and who should advise on each.
A general family-law engagement should specify which issues it covers rather than promising to resolve every consequence of separation.
How the engagement may progress
01
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
02
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.
03
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning work.
Fees and the scope of 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.
Dates to raise at first contact
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.
Questions to ask a family law adviser
Which issue should be addressed first?
Will you coordinate related property and estate work?
Will you handle parenting, property and divorce together or separately?
How will you communicate with me safely?
What would change the proposed approach or budget?
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
What are consent orders?
Consent orders are an agreement about parenting or property that the court makes into formal, enforceable orders without a hearing. Both parties must agree and sign.
Do I have to go to court?
Most family matters are resolved without a trial. Court becomes necessary when negotiation fails, when there is urgency, or when safety is at risk.
Do I need a lawyer to get divorced?
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.
How long do I have to settle property after separating?
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.
