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
Tuggerah, NSW · Central Coast
Peters Graeme provides legal services in Tuggerah, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Powers of Attorney & Guardianship.
Cairns City, QLD · Cairns & Far North
RK Law provides legal services in Cairns City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Domestic Violence & AVOs, Criminal Law and Family Law.
Port Douglas, QLD · Cairns & Far North
Robert P Palethorpe provides legal services in Port Douglas, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Townsville City, QLD · Townsville & North Queensland
Rowan Pack provides legal services in Townsville City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
Horsham, VIC · Western District & Wimmera
Saines Lucas Solicitors provides legal services in Horsham, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Workers Compensation.
Warrnambool, VIC · Western District & Wimmera
SD Family Lawyers provides legal services in Warrnambool, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law.
Sunshine, VIC · Western Melbourne
Smith Family Law Sunshine provides legal services in Sunshine, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Busselton, WA · South West
Sou' West Legal Services provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Administrative & Government Law and Wills & Estates.
Torquay, VIC · Geelong & Surf Coast
Torquay Lawyers provides legal services in Torquay, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Building & Construction and Family Law.
Alexandra, VIC · Hume & North East
Williams Hunt provides legal services in Alexandra, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Five Dock, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
A C Dunstan Lawyers provides legal services in Five Dock, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Probate & Estate Administration.
Hurstville, NSW · Southern Sydney
Access Legal Solicitors provides legal services in Hurstville, NSW. Listed practice areas include Domestic Violence & AVOs, Building & Construction and Residential Tenancy.
Port Macquarie, NSW · Mid North Coast
Adero Law provides legal services in Port Macquarie, NSW. Listed practice areas include Class Actions, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Oran Park, NSW · Western Sydney
Anastasia Robinson Family Law provides legal services in Oran Park, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Coburg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Barton Sach Lawyers provides legal services in Coburg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Burwood East, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Bevz Lawyers provides legal services in Burwood East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts.
Lilydale, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Brown & Co Lawyers provides legal services in Lilydale, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Wills & Estates.
Riverstone, NSW · Hills District
Cathers Mulley Kamiya Lawyers provides legal services in Riverstone, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Bella Vista, NSW · Hills District
Chan Horan Lawyers provides legal services in Bella Vista, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Personal Injury.
Nedlands, WA · Perth CBD
Crossing Family Lawyers provides legal services in Nedlands, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Maitland, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
East Coast Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Maitland, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Toorak Gardens, SA · Adelaide Metro
Eastern Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Toorak Gardens, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Kingscliff, NSW · Northern Rivers
Family Law Gold Coast provides legal services in Kingscliff, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Port Macquarie, NSW · Mid North Coast
Gilberts Legal provides legal services in Port Macquarie, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Business & Commercial Law.
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.
