Northern 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.
96 firms
Mill Park, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Plato Legal provides legal services in Mill Park, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Wills & Estates.
Coburg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Bridge & Bloom Legal provides legal services in Coburg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Broadmeadows, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Victoria Law Firm and Associates provides legal services in Broadmeadows, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law.
Coburg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Barton Sach Lawyers provides legal services in Coburg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Epping, VIC · Northern Melbourne
JHV LAWYERS provides legal services in Epping, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Traffic Offences.
Preston, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Mark M.Morgan provides legal services in Preston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Heidelberg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Hartleys Lawyers provides legal services in Heidelberg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Essendon, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Hughes Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Essendon, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Somerton, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Justice First Legal provides legal services in Somerton, VIC. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Family Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Northcote, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Northcote Conveyancing provides legal services in Northcote, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Preston, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Pearsons Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in Preston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Divorce & Separation.
Northcote, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Glenferrie Conveyancing Pty Ltd provides conveyancing services in Northcote, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Licensed Conveyancing (non-lawyer).
Craigieburn, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Reliance Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Craigieburn, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Reservoir, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Lawyers of Preston provides legal services in Reservoir, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Family Law.
Brunswick, VIC · Northern Melbourne
DWN Lawyers provides legal services in Brunswick, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Divorce & Separation.
Gisborne, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Macedon Ranges Family Law provides legal services in Gisborne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Powers of Attorney & Guardianship.
Heidelberg, NSW · Northern Melbourne
Doug Parker & Associates Lawyers provides legal services in Heidelberg, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Divorce & Separation.
South Morang, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Mahons with Yuncken & Yuncken Lawyers provides legal services in South Morang, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Preston, VIC · Northern Melbourne
DWN Lawyers provides legal services in Preston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Divorce & Separation.
Thornbury, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Novatsis & Alexander Solicitors provides legal services in Thornbury, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Epping, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Nowicki Carbone provides legal services in Epping, VIC. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Public Liability and Family Law.
Coburg, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in Coburg, VIC. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Wills & Estates and Immigration & Visas.
Reservoir, VIC · Northern Melbourne
De Maria & Associates provides legal services in Reservoir, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Brunswick, VIC · Northern Melbourne
Randles, Cooper & Co provides legal services in Brunswick, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation.
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.
Preston, Broadmeadows, Epping and Heidelberg cover different parts of Northern Melbourne. For family, housing or employment matters, start with the exact issue and any documents already received rather than choosing by distance alone.
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 Northern 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.