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
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Murdoch Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Dural, NSW · Hills District
Peter Dawson & Associates provides legal services in Dural, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Brookwater, QLD · Ipswich
Savannah Legal Barristers & Solicitors provides legal services in Brookwater, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Criminal Law and Immigration & Visas.
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Mildura, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
West Tamworth, NSW · New England & North West
West Tamworth Legal provides legal services in West Tamworth, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Springwood, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
Abraham Legal Services provides legal services in Springwood, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Wingham, NSW · Mid North Coast
Anytime Conveyancing provides legal services in Wingham, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Bowral, NSW · Southern Highlands & Tablelands
Clark McNamara Lawyers provides legal services in Bowral, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Mooloolaba, QLD · Sunshine Coast
Clear Path Family Law Sunshine Coast provides legal services in Mooloolaba, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Narrandera, NSW · Riverina & Murray
Farrell Goode provides legal services in Narrandera, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Ardlethan, NSW · Riverina & Murray
Farrell Goode provides legal services in Ardlethan, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Box Hill, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Gordon Ainger Legal provides legal services in Box Hill, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Cairns City, QLD · Cairns & Far North
Lawweb Pty Ltd provides legal services in Cairns City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Ashgrove, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
Martens Legal provides legal services in Ashgrove, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Fairfield, NSW · Western Sydney
Milena Mijatovich provides legal services in Fairfield, NSW. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Croydon, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Remington Wright & Co provides legal services in Croydon, VIC. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Debt Recovery and Family Law.
Noosa Heads, QLD · Sunshine Coast
Rigby Cooke Lawyers provides legal services in Noosa Heads, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Nuriootpa, SA · Barossa & Adelaide Hills
Riverland Legal & Conveyancing provides legal services in Nuriootpa, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Cobram, VIC · Hume & North East
Taylor & Whitty provides legal services in Cobram, VIC. Listed practice areas include Notary Public & JP Services, Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
South Toowoomba, QLD · Toowoomba & Darling Downs
The Family Law Professionals Toowoomba provides legal services in South Toowoomba, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Mclaren Vale, SA · Adelaide Metro
Thomson & Associates provides legal services in Mclaren Vale, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Murwillumbah, NSW · Northern Rivers
Turner Freeman Lawyers provides legal services in Murwillumbah, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Adelaide, SA · Adelaide CBD
White Berman Ryder - Barristers and Solicitors - Modbury Office provides legal services in Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Planning & Environment.
Modbury, SA · Adelaide Metro
White Berman Ryder - Barristers and Solicitors - Modbury Office provides legal services in Modbury, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Planning & Environment.
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.
