Family lawyers advise on separation, parenting arrangements, property division and divorce.
firms
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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.
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Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(324)Google rating from 324 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Blackwood Family Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+5 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Parenting & Child Custody · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Partner & Family VisasFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
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Augustine Heights, QLD · Ipswich
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(324)Google rating from 324 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Brookwater Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Augustine Heights, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(312)Google rating from 312 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
DCM Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Building & Construction.
Family Law+7 moreLitigation & Dispute Resolution · Building & Construction · Commercial Litigation · Wills & Estates · Powers of Attorney & Guardianship · Personal Injury · Property & Conveyancing
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Loganholme, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(310)Google rating from 310 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
RHC Solicitors & Conveyancers provides legal services in Loganholme, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+15 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Family Law · Buying or Selling a Business · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts · Planning & Environment · Commercial Property & Leasing · Motor Vehicle Accidents / CTP · Personal Injury · Class Actions · Workers Compensation · Public Liability · Medical Negligence · Military & Veterans Law · TPD & Superannuation Claims
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Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(305)Google rating from 305 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Michael Dwyer Solicitor provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+4 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Business & Commercial LawFree first consult
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Glen Waverley, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(299)Google rating from 299 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Fumens Lawyers 富文律师行 (Melbourne CBD) provides legal services in Glen Waverley, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreFamily Law · Business & Commercial Law · Criminal Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Insolvency & Restructuring · Wills & Estates · Intellectual Property & Trade Marks
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Sydney, NSW · Sydney CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(272)Google rating from 272 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Sun Lawyers 澳大利亚盛晶律师行 provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Notary Public & JP Services and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreNotary Public & JP Services · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Commercial Litigation · Immigration & Visas · Family Law · Insolvency & Restructuring
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Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(269)Google rating from 269 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Nevile & Co. Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Health & Medical Practitioner Law · Partner & Family Visas · Family Law
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Mount Waverley, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(265)Google rating from 265 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Aurelia Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Mount Waverley, VIC. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Partner & Family Visas and Skilled & Business Visas.
Immigration & Visas+7 morePartner & Family Visas · Skilled & Business Visas · Registered Migration Agent (non-lawyer) · Family Law · Business & Commercial Law · Visa Refusals & Tribunal Appeals · Planning & Environment
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Bundall, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(259)Google rating from 259 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Wallace Law Group provides legal services in Bundall, QLD. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution+3 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Family Law · Business & Commercial Law
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Thebarton, SA · Adelaide Metro
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(246)Google rating from 246 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Williams Barristers and Solicitors provides legal services in Thebarton, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Criminal Law and Family Law.
Wills & Estates+7 moreCriminal Law · Family Law · Traffic Offences · Probate & Estate Administration · Partner & Family Visas · Divorce & Separation · Administrative & Government Law
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Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(245)Google rating from 245 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Brooke Winter Solicitors provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Drink & Drug Driving and Assault & Violent Offences.
Criminal Law+7 moreDrink & Drug Driving · Assault & Violent Offences · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Bail Applications · Family Law · Fraud & White Collar Crime · Mediation & Dispute Resolution
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St Kilda, VIC · South East Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(242)Google rating from 242 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
R.E.T Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in St Kilda, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Licensed Conveyancing (non-lawyer) and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreLicensed Conveyancing (non-lawyer) · Family Law · Business & Commercial Law · Commercial Property & Leasing · Planning & Environment · Litigation & Dispute Resolution
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Frankston, VIC · South East Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(241)Google rating from 241 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Allied Lawyers & Conveyancing - Waverley Office provides conveyancing services in Frankston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+5 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Family Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Retirement Villages & Aged Care Contracts
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Geelong, VIC · Geelong & Surf Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(236)Google rating from 236 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Coulter Legal provides legal services in Geelong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Business & Commercial Law · Tax Law · Partner & Family Visas · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Franchising
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Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(235)Google rating from 235 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
OMB Solicitors provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Wills & Estates · Strata & Body Corporate · Partner & Family Visas · Planning & Environment
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Queanbeyan, NSW · Southern Highlands & Tablelands
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(232)Google rating from 232 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
North Herring Lawyers provides legal services in Queanbeyan, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(230)Google rating from 230 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Collective Family Law Group provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+7 moreDivorce & Separation · Property & Conveyancing · Binding Financial Agreements · Parenting & Child Custody · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Mediation & Dispute Resolution
Understand the next step
A practical guide to family law
What to discuss at the first meeting
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.
