Eastern Melbourne
Family lawyers help with separation, divorce, parenting arrangements and dividing property. Most matters settle through negotiation or mediation, with court as the last step.
88 firms
Nunawading, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Mahons with Yuncken & Yuncken Lawyers provides legal services in Nunawading, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
NSW · Eastern Melbourne
Mahons with Yuncken & Yuncken Lawyers provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Surrey Hills, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Gavan J Black provides legal services in Surrey Hills, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Probate & Estate Administration and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Ringwood, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Ringwood, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
Camberwell, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Coote Family Lawyers provides legal services in Camberwell, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Divorce & Separation.
Camberwell, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Clancy & Triado provides legal services in Camberwell, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and De Facto Relationships.
HazeLegal provides legal services in Kew, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Box Hill, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Oak Fair Lawyers provides legal services in Box Hill, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Employer Advisory & Industrial Relations.
Doncaster East, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Laino Michael Solicitor provides legal services in Doncaster East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Doncaster, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Luna & Xia Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in Doncaster, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Hawthorn East, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Stopline Pty Ltd provides legal services in Hawthorn East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Fraud & White Collar Crime and Elder Law & Aged Care.
Toorak, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Adrian Abrahams Family Lawyers provides legal services in Toorak, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
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.
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.
South Yarra, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Lewenberg & Lewenberg Solicitors provides legal services in South Yarra, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Vermont South, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Parke Lawyers provides legal services in Vermont South, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Wheelers Hill, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Sapling Lawyers Wheelers Hill provides legal services in Wheelers Hill, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Immigration & Visas.
Mitcham, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Wainwright Ryan Eid provides legal services in Mitcham, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Building & Construction and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Malvern, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Lopes Family Law provides legal services in Malvern, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Ringwood, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Nowicki Carbone provides legal services in Ringwood, VIC. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Public Liability and Family Law.
Ringwood, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Brendan H Hardiman & Associates provides legal services in Ringwood, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Mount Waverley, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Hartleys Lawyers provides legal services in Mount Waverley, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
South Yarra, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Advocat provides legal services in South Yarra, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Divorce & Separation.
Hawthorn East, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Alter Marcel provides legal services in Hawthorn East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Mediation & Dispute Resolution, Litigation & Dispute Resolution 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.
When comparing Box Hill, Ringwood, Glen Waverley and Doncaster firms, look for the practice area that matches the work required. Reviewing a sale contract and handling an existing property dispute are different engagements.
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 Eastern Melbourne. 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.