South West
Family lawyers help with separation, divorce, parenting arrangements and dividing property. Most matters settle through negotiation or mediation, with court as the last step.
25 firms
Cloisters Square, WA · South West
Mint Settlements provides legal services in Cloisters Square, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Strata & Body Corporate and Family Property Settlement.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Clarity Conveyancing provides conveyancing services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Property Settlement and Commercial Property & Leasing.
Busselton, WA · South West
Conveyancing South West provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Agribusiness & Rural Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Bona Fide Law provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Margaret River, WA · South West
Cape to Cape Lawyers Busselton office provides legal services in Margaret River, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
South Bunbury, WA · South West
Rosemary Giles Family Lawyer provides legal services in South Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
South Bunbury, WA · South West
South West Community Legal Centre provides legal services in South Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Eaton, WA · South West
Garvey Chris Lawyer provides legal services in Eaton, WA. Listed practice areas include Notary Public & JP Services, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
Bunbury, WA · South West
DK Family Legal provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law.
Busselton, WA · South West
Sou' West Legal Services provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Administrative & Government Law and Wills & Estates.
Busselton, WA · South West
South West Community Legal Centre provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Taegan Irving Lawyer provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Campbell Young provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Busselton, WA · South West
Cape to Cape Lawyers Busselton office provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Lander Lawyers provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Busselton, WA · South West
Boudica Criminal Law provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Criminal Law, Bail Applications and Assault & Violent Offences.
Busselton, WA · South West
Jonathan Meyer Lawyer provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Busselton, WA · South West
Jonathan Meyer Lawyer provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Busselton, WA · South West
Leeuwin Legal Collective provides legal services in Busselton, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Hammond Legal provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Biddulph & Turley provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Garvey Chris Lawyer provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Notary Public & JP Services, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Peter J Griffin & Co provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Notary Public & JP Services, Workers Compensation and Family Law.
Margaret River, WA · South West
South West Community Legal Centre provides legal services in Margaret River, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
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.
Bunbury, Busselton and Margaret River are separate starting points in the South West. For land or business work, explain whether the issue concerns ownership, a proposed transaction, a lease or an existing dispute.
For family & relationships, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant WA experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside South West. 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.