Family & Relationships
Family lawyers advise on separation, parenting arrangements, property division and divorce.
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.
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.
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.
Family Law firms in the directory
2,444 firms
Singleton, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
Aqua Legal & Conveyancing provides legal services in Singleton, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Rooty Hill, NSW · Western Sydney
Hemant Prakash & Associates provides legal services in Rooty Hill, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Criminal Law.
Boronia, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Mackinnon Jacobs Horton & Irving provides legal services in Boronia, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Rowville, VIC · South East Melbourne
Mackinnon Jacobs Horton & Irving provides legal services in Rowville, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Bendigo, VIC · Bendigo & Loddon
OFRM Lawyers provides legal services in Bendigo, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Yarrabilba, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
ACS Legal Solutions provides legal services in Yarrabilba, QLD. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Liverpool, NSW · Western Sydney
Fidus Legal provides legal services in Liverpool, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Family Law.
Brunswick, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Non Stop Legal provides legal services in Brunswick, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Debt Recovery.
Palmwoods, QLD · Sunshine Coast
North Coast Law provides legal services in Palmwoods, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Erina, NSW · Central Coast
Orbell Family Lawyers Central Coast provides legal services in Erina, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Joondalup, WA · Perth North
Oswald Legal provides legal services in Joondalup, WA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Criminal Law and Probate & Estate Administration.
Mclaren Vale, SA · Adelaide Metro
Peter Fisher Lawyers provides legal services in Mclaren Vale, SA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Hove, SA · Adelaide Metro
Peter Fisher Lawyers provides legal services in Hove, SA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Woodside, SA · Barossa & Adelaide Hills
Peter Fisher Lawyers provides legal services in Woodside, SA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Smith Family Law Sunshine provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Burnie, TAS · North West & West Coast
Whitelaw Legal Group provides legal services in Burnie, TAS. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Morningside, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
Australian Law Group provides legal services in Morningside, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Commercial Litigation and Business & Commercial Law.
Hawthorn, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Clancy & Triado provides legal services in Hawthorn, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and De Facto Relationships.
Beverly Hills, NSW · Southern Sydney
First Choice Family Lawyers provides legal services in Beverly Hills, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Wills & Estates.
Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
Hannay Lawyers provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Drink & Drug Driving and Assault & Violent Offences.
Dural, NSW · Hills District
Anderson Boemi Lawyers provides legal services in Dural, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
East Toowoomba, QLD · Toowoomba & Darling Downs
Best Wilson Buckley Family Law provides legal services in East Toowoomba, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Epping, VIC · Northern Melbourne
D & M Lawyers provides legal services in Epping, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Mount Eliza, VIC · Mornington Peninsula
Eliza Legal provides legal services in Mount Eliza, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Understand the next step
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.
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
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.
Most family matters are resolved without a trial. Court becomes necessary when negotiation fails, when there is urgency, or when safety is at risk.
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.
