Empowering you through your family journey

The first thing you should do after separation is obtain practical legal advice before agreeing to anything significant. This does not mean you need to start a dispute or go to Court. It means you should understand your legal position before decisions are made about children, the home, bank accounts, debts, child support, spousal maintenance, business interests, superannuation, or who remains in the former matrimonial home.

Early advice is particularly important because decisions made immediately after separation can have long-term consequences. For example, informal parenting arrangements may become the pattern relied upon later. Payments made or stopped may affect financial negotiations. Moving out of the home may be appropriate in some cases, but in others it can create practical or evidentiary complications.

Our advice is to get clear guidance before committing to written agreements, signing documents, transferring money, changing care arrangements, or responding to Court material. A short appointment at the beginning can prevent avoidable mistakes, reduce conflict, and help you make informed decisions from a position of strength rather than stress.

No. You do not need to be divorced before you deal with parenting arrangements, property settlement, financial support, superannuation, child support, or arrangements for the family home. Divorce is the legal process that formally ends a marriage. It does not, by itself, divide property, determine parenting arrangements, finalise maintenance issues, or resolve financial obligations between separated spouses.

Many people resolve their parenting and property matters well before they apply for divorce. In fact, it is often sensible to address those issues as early as possible after separation, particularly where there are children, mortgage payments, business interests, family violence concerns, asset protection issues, or uncertainty about who is responsible for expenses.

It is also important to understand that divorce can affect limitation periods. Once a divorce order becomes final, there is generally a limited period to commence property settlement or spousal maintenance proceedings. For de facto relationships, different time limits apply. For that reason, you should not assume that divorce is the first step. In many cases, the more urgent issue is getting advice about children, financial disclosure, preserving assets, and formalising any agreement properly.

Yes. Many family law matters can be resolved without contested Court proceedings, and avoiding Court is often the best outcome where it can be done safely, fairly, and with proper legal protection. We regularly assist clients to resolve matters through negotiation, solicitor-assisted discussions, mediation, Family Dispute Resolution, consent orders, parenting plans, child support agreements, and financial agreements where appropriate.

Avoiding Court does not mean accepting an unfair arrangement or relying on vague informal promises. A good negotiated outcome should be informed by proper disclosure, legal advice, risk assessment, and careful drafting. This is especially important in property matters, because an agreement about assets, liabilities, superannuation or spousal maintenance may not protect you unless it is documented in a legally effective way.

If Court becomes necessary, we will explain why. Sometimes Court is required because the other party refuses to disclose documents, there are unacceptable risks to children, assets are being dissipated, negotiations have failed, or urgent orders are needed. The aim is not to go to Court unnecessarily. The aim is to choose the process that best protects your children, your financial position, and your long-term stability.

After you make an enquiry, we assess the information you provide and identify the main issues requiring attention. This includes whether your matter involves parenting arrangements, property settlement, divorce, family violence, child support, relocation, urgent Court applications, disclosure issues, business or trust structures, spousal maintenance, or enforcement of existing orders.

We also consider urgency. Some matters require immediate action, particularly where there are risks to children, threats to remove a child, family violence concerns, imminent sale or transfer of assets, frozen accounts, pending Court dates, or deadlines for responding to documents. Other matters may be less urgent but still require careful planning before communication is sent to the other party.

You will then be guided about the next appropriate step, including what information to provide before your appointment. This may include Court documents, previous agreements, financial documents, correspondence, intervention orders, child support assessments, or a short chronology of relevant events. Where possible, we match you with the lawyer best suited to the nature and complexity of your matter so your appointment is focused, efficient, and useful from the outset.

Yes. Phone, video and in-person appointments may be available, depending on the nature of your matter and what is most appropriate in the circumstances. Many initial family law appointments can be conducted effectively by phone or video, particularly where the purpose of the appointment is to obtain preliminary advice, understand your options, review correspondence, discuss strategy, or identify the next steps.

However, some matters may be better suited to an in-person conference. This may include complex property matters involving large document reviews, matters requiring detailed preparation for Court, sensitive parenting matters, family violence issues, or circumstances where you feel more comfortable meeting face-to-face. We will help determine the most appropriate appointment format when you enquire.

Regardless of whether your appointment is by phone, video or in person, preparation is important. You should provide relevant documents in advance where possible and make a list of your main questions. The better prepared we are before the appointment, the more targeted the advice can be. Our goal is to ensure you leave the appointment with a clear understanding of your position, your risks, your options, and the immediate steps you should take.

Before your first appointment, it is helpful to gather the key information that allows us to understand your circumstances quickly and give you practical advice. You do not need to have everything perfectly organised, but you should provide enough detail for us to identify the legal issues, the risks, and the best next steps.

For parenting matters, this may include the children's ages, current care arrangements, schooling, health issues, any family violence concerns, previous agreements, intervention orders, and any recent communication between you and the other parent. For property matters, useful information includes a list of assets and liabilities, details of the home, mortgage, bank accounts, superannuation, businesses, trusts, companies, inheritances, loans, tax debts, and any recent transfers or unusual financial activity.

If Court documents, letters from another lawyer, mediation documents, child support assessments or previous orders already exist, provide those before the appointment. A short chronology is also very useful. Include when the relationship started, when you began living together, the date of marriage if applicable, the date of separation, major financial events, and any important parenting events. This helps us give advice that is specific, accurate and commercially sensible.