Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Family lawyers help with separation, divorce, parenting arrangements and dividing property. Most matters settle through negotiation or mediation, with court as the last step.
97 firms
Manly, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Adrian Holmes Law Services provides legal services in Manly, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Manly, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Grover Law provides legal services in Manly, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law.
Dee Why, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Nayel Lawyers provides legal services in Dee Why, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Contract Law and Criminal Law.
Chatswood, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Starlight Legal (Chatswood) provides legal services in Chatswood, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Immigration & Visas and Criminal Law.
Dee Why, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Staunton & Thompson Lawyers provides legal services in Dee Why, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Gladesville, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Vizzone Ruggero Twigg Lawyers provides legal services in Gladesville, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Hornsby, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Watts McCray Lawyers Hornsby provides legal services in Hornsby, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Business & Commercial Law and Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Hornsby, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Caspian Legal provides legal services in Hornsby, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Business & Commercial Law and Partner & Family Visas.
Manly, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in Manly, NSW. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Wills & Estates and Immigration & Visas.
Dundas, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Marriotts Legal Costers provides legal services in Dundas, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Planning & Environment and Business & Commercial Law.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Antunes M C Lawyers & Advocates provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Warren & Warren Incorporating the office of Adrian G Byrne provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Thornleigh, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Tara Jain Solicitors provides legal services in Thornleigh, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Tax Law.
Hornsby, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Francis Legal provides legal services in Hornsby, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Macquarie Park, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Versfeld & Hugo provides legal services in Macquarie Park, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Citizenship and Business & Commercial Law.
Gladesville, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Williams Roncolato Lawyers provides legal services in Gladesville, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Banking & Finance.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Dorter Family Lawyers & Mediators provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Brookvale, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Reid Family Lawyers provides legal services in Brookvale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Seaforth, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Robertson Saxton Osborne Lawyers provides legal services in Seaforth, NSW. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Chatswood, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
IATLawyer provides legal services in Chatswood, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Manly, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Gentles Family Lawyers provides legal services in Manly, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Baker Ryrie Rickards Titmarsh - Parramatta provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Assault & Violent Offences and Traffic Offences.
Lindfield, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Blackman Amanda provides legal services in Lindfield, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Dee Why, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
David Marinic & Associates provides legal services in Dee Why, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Family law in Australia is mostly federal. Parenting and property matters run under the Family Law Act and are heard in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, or the Family Court of Western Australia in WA. A good family lawyer will explain your likely outcome early, push for a negotiated agreement where it's safe to do so, and prepare you properly if a court hearing is needed. Where there is family violence, they can also help you get protection orders from your state's local or magistrates court.
Family breakdown is one of the most common reasons Australians need a lawyer, and decisions made early affect children and finances for years.
Family law is one of the few areas run federally, under the Family Law Act 1975, with separate protection order schemes in each state and a separate Family Court in Western Australia.
Understand the next step
Family matters often involve several decisions at once: living arrangements, children, immediate expenses, property and formally ending a marriage. A useful first consultation separates those issues and identifies what needs attention now. Tell the lawyer about safety concerns and existing orders before arranging discussions involving another person.
This search area brings together North Shore and Northern Beaches centres. For a property purchase, family matter or estate, compare the actual office location rather than assuming every firm is close to your suburb.
For family & relationships, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant NSW experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
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
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.
For parenting disputes, you usually need a certificate from a family dispute resolution practitioner before filing in court, unless an exception applies such as family violence or urgency.