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
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Harbourside Legal Services provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Planning & Environment, Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Neutral Bay, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
GJA Conveyancing provides legal services in Neutral Bay, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Pennant Hills, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Blunden Lawyers provides legal services in Pennant Hills, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Mona Vale, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
John Allanson & Associates provides conveyancing services in Mona Vale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Ermington, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Calvin Nelson & Co provides legal services in Ermington, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Lindfield, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Lander & Lander Lawyers provides legal services in Lindfield, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Milsons Point, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Biddulph & Salenger Solicitors provides legal services in Milsons Point, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Newport, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Newport Law provides legal services in Newport, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Probate & Estate Administration.
Dee Why, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Australian Law Group provides legal services in Dee Why, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Personal Injury and Wills & Estates.
Brookvale, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Crowe Will & Co provides legal services in Brookvale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Building & Construction and Strata & Body Corporate.
Frenchs Forest, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Frenchs Forest, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Crows Nest, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Sorensen & Brown provides legal services in Crows Nest, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Business & Commercial Law.
Gordon, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Alexander DW & Co provides legal services in Gordon, NSW. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Building & Construction and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Manly, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Buckley Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in Manly, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Business & Commercial Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Newport, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Bundock Law provides legal services in Newport, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Agribusiness & Rural Law.
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.
Mosman, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Edney Ryan Group provides legal services in Mosman, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Planning & Environment.
Pymble, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Fox & Staniland Lawyers provides legal services in Pymble, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Gloria Family Law provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Gordon, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in Gordon, NSW. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Wills & Estates and Immigration & Visas.
North Curl Curl, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in North Curl Curl, NSW. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Wills & Estates and Immigration & Visas.
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Iconveyancing.com.au provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Planning & Environment.
Brookvale, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Jacqueline Townsend Solicitor provides legal services in Brookvale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Hornsby, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
Miller Noyce provides legal services in Hornsby, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial 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.