Family lawyers help with separation, divorce, parenting arrangements and dividing property. Most matters settle through negotiation or mediation, with court as the last step.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(6)Google rating from 6 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Justice Family Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+7 moreParenting & Child Custody · Property & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Family Property Settlement · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Binding Financial Agreements6 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: mandarin, vietnamese, arabic, hindi, punjabi
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
New on GoogleOnly 2 Google reviews so far, not enough for a reliable rating
Mulvany T J & Co provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
Business & Commercial Law+6 moreWills & Estates · Property & Conveyancing · Family Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Surrogacy & Adoption · Litigation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
New on GoogleOnly 1 Google review so far, not enough for a reliable rating
Belleli King & Associates provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreFamily Law · Wills & Estates · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Divorce & Separation · Parenting & Child Custody · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Probate & Estate AdministrationFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.7 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: french, german, greek, malay, polish, tamil
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(365)Google rating from 365 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Criminal Law.
Family Law+7 moreWills & Estates · Criminal Law · Immigration & Visas · Drink & Drug Driving · Employment Law · Traffic Offences · Business & Commercial Law
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(297)Google rating from 297 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Deirdre Black Lawyer provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Business & Commercial Law and Banking & Finance.
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(284)Google rating from 284 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Markotich Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Bail Applications and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(193)Google rating from 193 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Nowicki Carbone provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Public Liability and Family Law.
Medical Negligence+7 morePublic Liability · Family Law · Product Liability · Wills & Estates · Class Actions · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Personal InjuryNo win, no fee
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(56)Google rating from 56 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Shamac Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
Family Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Criminal Law · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Divorce & Separation · Probate & Estate AdministrationFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(39)Google rating from 39 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Schetzer Constantinou provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+7 moreDivorce & Separation · Property & Conveyancing · Parenting & Child Custody · Domestic Violence & AVOs · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Binding Financial Agreements · Litigation & Dispute Resolution
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(36)Google rating from 36 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Sayer Jones provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Family Law+7 moreParenting & Child Custody · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption · Domestic Violence & AVOs
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(15)Google rating from 15 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Kozarov Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Criminal Law.
Family Law+7 moreDomestic Violence & AVOs · Criminal Law · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Partner & Family Visas · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Divorce & SeparationFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
★★★★★★★★★★3.0(14)Google rating from 14 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Rigby Cooke Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+3 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Family Law · Wills & Estates
Barry Nilsson provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Wills & Estates.
Family Law+7 moreHealth & Medical Practitioner Law · Wills & Estates · Property & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Workers Compensation · Business & Commercial Law
Dribbin & Brown Criminal Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Bail Applications and Drink & Drug Driving.
Criminal Law+7 moreBail Applications · Drink & Drug Driving · Assault & Violent Offences · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Fraud & White Collar Crime · Traffic Offences · Firearms & Licensing MattersFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Freeman Family Law provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Gable Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Franchising and Property & Conveyancing.
Business & Commercial Law+7 moreFranchising · Property & Conveyancing · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Buying or Selling a Business · Intellectual Property & Trade Marks · Commercial Property & Leasing · Corporate Law & M&A
Hercules Constan provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreDivorce & Separation · Parenting & Child Custody · Binding Financial Agreements · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Property & Conveyancing · Family Property Settlement · Mediation & Dispute Resolution2 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: italian
Lovegrove & Cotton Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Building & Construction, Planning & Environment and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Building & Construction+7 morePlanning & Environment · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Strata & Body Corporate · Corporate Law & M&A · Property & Conveyancing · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Class Actions2 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: japanese
Oxen Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+6 moreParenting & Child Custody · Property & Conveyancing · Divorce & Separation · Family Property Settlement · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Litigation & Dispute Resolution2 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: vietnamese
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.
Why family law matters
Family breakdown is one of the most common reasons Australians need a lawyer, and decisions made early affect children and finances for years.
The Australian context
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
A practical guide to family & relationships in Melbourne CBD
Choosing the right kind of assistance
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.
Working with a firm in Melbourne CBD
A Melbourne CBD search can be useful for comparing teams with different specialisations. Ask who will do the work and who will supervise it, especially when a firm has several practice departments.
For family & relationships, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant VIC experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Melbourne CBD. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
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 & relationships adviser
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
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.
Is mediation compulsory?
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.
