South East 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.
121 firms
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
PRD Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Partner & Family Visas.
Thomastown, VIC · South East Melbourne
Warna Legal provides legal services in Thomastown, VIC. Listed practice areas include Notary Public & JP Services, Business & Commercial Law and Immigration & Visas.
Elwood, VIC · South East Melbourne
Make It Yours Conveyancing provides legal services in Elwood, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Partner & Family Visas.
Cheltenham, VIC · South East Melbourne
Strongmark Legal provides legal services in Cheltenham, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Dribbin & Brown Criminal Lawyers provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Bail Applications and Drink & Drug Driving.
Bentleigh, VIC · South East Melbourne
Anuja Baker Legal Services provides legal services in Bentleigh, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Just Family Law - Family Lawyers Dandenong provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Frankston, VIC · South East Melbourne
Victoria Legal Aid provides legal services in Frankston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Parenting & Child Custody.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Gale Family Law provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Port Melbourne, VIC · South East Melbourne
Six Days Legal provides legal services in Port Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Commercial Property & Leasing.
Albert Park, VIC · South East Melbourne
Peter Murphy & Associates provides legal services in Albert Park, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Notary Public & JP Services.
Frankston, VIC · South East Melbourne
James Dowsley & Associates provides legal services in Frankston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Drink & Drug Driving and Bail Applications.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Nowicki Carbone provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Public Liability and Family Law.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Go To Court Lawyers Woolloongabba provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Drink & Drug Driving, Wills & Estates and Immigration & Visas.
Clayton, VIC · South East Melbourne
Portelli & Co provides legal services in Clayton, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Dandenong, VIC · South East Melbourne
Hall G H Barrister & Solicitor provides legal services in Dandenong, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Personal Injury and Property & Conveyancing.
Narre Warren, VIC · South East Melbourne
Silk Legal provides legal services in Narre Warren, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Parenting & Child Custody.
Berwick, VIC · South East Melbourne
We Care Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Berwick, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Clyde North, VIC · South East Melbourne
Amanpreet Kaur provides legal services in Clyde North, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
St Kilda, VIC · South East Melbourne
Simon English Lawyers provides legal services in St Kilda, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Defamation.
Rowville, VIC · South East Melbourne
JH Legal provides legal services in Rowville, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Ross Higgins provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Powers of Attorney & Guardianship.
Bentleigh East, VIC · South East Melbourne
Nowicki Carbone provides legal services in Bentleigh East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Medical Negligence, Public Liability and Family Law.
Bentleigh East, VIC · South East Melbourne
Hamilton Thomas Lawyers provides legal services in Bentleigh East, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
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.
Dandenong, Frankston, Cranbourne and Moorabbin span a broad search area. A firm’s suburb, meeting options and experience with your matter are more informative than the South East Melbourne label 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 South East 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.