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
Ipswich, QLD · Ipswich
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(105)Google rating from 105 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Millwater Tyrrell Law provides legal services in Ipswich, QLD. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Business & Commercial Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Family Law · Wills & Estates · Criminal Law · Parenting & Child Custody · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Hamilton, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(104)Google rating from 104 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Newcastle Legal provides legal services in Hamilton, NSW. Listed practice areas include Partner & Family Visas, Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Partner & Family Visas+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Business & Commercial Law · Family Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Assault & Violent Offences · Contested Wills & Family Provision
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Ipswich, QLD · Ipswich
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(103)Google rating from 103 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Brett Smith & Co Solicitors provides legal services in Ipswich, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Family Law+4 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Wills & Estates · Criminal Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Hawthorn, SA · Adelaide Metro
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(103)Google rating from 103 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Matti Lamb & Associates provides legal services in Hawthorn, SA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Sports & Entertainment Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Personal Injury · Partner & Family Visas · Business & Commercial Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Clayfield, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(103)Google rating from 103 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
The Real Estate Lawyer provides legal services in Clayfield, QLD. Listed practice areas include Building & Construction, Partner & Family Visas and Wills & Estates.
Building & Construction+7 morePartner & Family Visas · Wills & Estates · Family Law · Property & Conveyancing · Competition & Consumer Law · Business & Commercial Law · Immigration & Visas
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Maroochydore, QLD · Sunshine Coast
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Smith Criminal Law Sunshine Coast provides legal services in Maroochydore, QLD. Listed practice areas include Traffic Offences, Criminal Law and Drug Offences.
Traffic Offences+7 moreCriminal Law · Drug Offences · Fraud & White Collar Crime · Assault & Violent Offences · Family Law · Drink & Drug Driving · Domestic Violence & AVOs
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Southport, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(102)Google rating from 102 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Stone Group Lawyers Gold Coast provides legal services in Southport, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Family Law · Franchising · Divorce & Separation · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Wills & Estates · Employment LawFree first consult
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Bankstown, NSW · Southern Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(101)Google rating from 101 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Abbas Jacobs Lawyers provides legal services in Bankstown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Personal Injury.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Personal Injury · Criminal Law · Insolvency & Restructuring · Family Law · Banking & Finance · Public Liability
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Coburg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(101)Google rating from 101 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Adami Duque Lawyers provides legal services in Coburg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+5 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Family Law · Planning & Environment
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Springfield Central, QLD · Ipswich
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(100)Google rating from 100 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Stanford Legal provides legal services in Springfield Central, 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
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(99)Google rating from 99 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Melbourne Law Offices provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Immigration & Visas.
Wills & Estates+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Immigration & Visas · Probate & Estate Administration · Family Law · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Class Actions · Partner & Family Visas
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(98)Google rating from 98 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Aitken Partners provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Partner & Family Visas and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 morePartner & Family Visas · Wills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Tax Law · Debt Recovery
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Maroochydore, QLD · Sunshine Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(98)Google rating from 98 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Freedom Family Law provides legal services in Maroochydore, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Maroochydore, QLD · Sunshine Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(98)Google rating from 98 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
LEAD Conveyancing Sunshine Coast provides conveyancing services in Maroochydore, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Strata & Body Corporate and Building & Construction.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreStrata & Body Corporate · Building & Construction · Fraud & White Collar Crime · Family Law · Planning & Environment · Divorce & Separation
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mackay, QLD · Mackay & Whitsundays
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(97)Google rating from 97 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Harvey Legal provides legal services in Mackay, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Criminal Law · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Commercial Litigation · Business & Commercial Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Williams Landing, VIC · Western Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(97)Google rating from 97 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
KPM Lawyers provides legal services in Williams Landing, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreFamily Law · Business & Commercial Law · Criminal Law · Divorce & Separation · Wills & Estates · Probate & Estate Administration · Domestic Violence & AVOs
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Bankstown, NSW · Southern Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(96)Google rating from 96 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Kammoun Sukari Lawyers provides legal services in Bankstown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Criminal Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreFamily Law · Criminal Law · Business & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Employment Law · Commercial Property & Leasing · Building & Construction
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Dickson, ACT · Canberra
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(96)Google rating from 96 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Legal Guru Pty Ltd provides legal services in Dickson, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Immigration & Visas.
Property & Conveyancing+4 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Immigration & Visas · Family Law · Partner & Family Visas
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.
