Top10Family Lawyers

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Best Family Lawyers in Darwin

Seven Darwin family law firms, compared for divorce, property settlements and parenting matters.

For each firm you'll see who would handle your matter, the kind of work it suits, how it charges where that's published, and the lawyers named on its website.

25 Darwin firms checked, 7 shortlisted. No firm pays to be listed. Updated October 2026.

Find a firm for your situation
Fixed fees or published first appointment costs
Duggan Family Lawyers, Hunt & Hunt Lawyers, Ward Keller
Regional clients, Palmerston or phone and video
Darwin Family Law, Ward Keller, Bowen Lawyers, Duggan Family Lawyers
Property with rural land, a business or a trust
AFL Withnalls Lawyers, Darwin Family Law

Grouped by what each firm publishes about its work. Most firms handle all common family law matters.

1. Darwin Family Law

Darwin CityFamily law only

5.0

14 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Property and parenting matters, including complex property and high-conflict parenting cases, for clients in Darwin and across the Territory

  • Partner Tessa Czislowski is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and an AIFLAM accredited mediator.
  • Works with clients in Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Tennant Creek by phone, Teams and Zoom.
  • Tessa Czislowski sits on the Law Society NT Family Law Committee and is a Commissioner of the NT Legal Aid Commission.
(08) 8946 1666 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Level 3/9 Cavenagh St, Darwin City NT 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The firm was set up in 2013 as a family law practice and now also handles wills and estates, conveyancing and criminal law. Its family law work covers parenting disputes, relocation, property division including superannuation, business and trust assets, spousal maintenance, divorce, and domestic and personal violence orders, acting for applicants and respondents.

Julian Barry's profile states he has practised family law exclusively for over 17 years, including matters under the Care and Protection of Children Act. Tessa Czislowski joined in July 2022 after 13 years in private practice and handles complex property and high-conflict parenting matters, with a preference for negotiated or mediated outcomes. Mediation and family dispute resolution for property and parenting matters are offered in-house.

Established 2013.

Also worth knowing

  • Julian Barry holds a Master of Applied Law (Family Law).

Lawyers

  • Julian Barry, Director / Partner
  • Tessa Czislowski, Director / Partner

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Mediation
  • Family violence

Office

Level 3/9 Cavenagh St, Darwin City NT 0800

Sources

Back to the shortlist

2. Duggan Family Lawyers

Darwin CityFamily law only

Fewer than 5 reviews on Google Maps

Best for Parenting, property and divorce matters, with published first appointment fees including Legal Aid referral appointments

  • Publishes three first appointment options: a Legal Aid referral appointment at no charge, a Law Society First Interview Scheme appointment for $99, or a private appointment for $200.
  • Acts for protected persons and defendants in domestic violence matters.
  • Director Michelle Duggan has practised only in family law since 2017 and was admitted in the NT in December 2014.
(08) 8981 9539 Visit website
Fees
Legal Aid referral appointment of up to 60 minutes at no charge (a Legal Aid referral letter is needed). Law Society First Interview Scheme appointment of up to 30 minutes for $99 including GST. Private initial appointment of up to one hour for $200 including GST.
Office
20/18 Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin NT
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Duggan Family Lawyers describes itself as a boutique family law firm in central Darwin advising clients across the Northern Territory. Its areas of law are family law (parenting plans and consent orders, property settlements, divorce, child support and court proceedings), wills, and domestic violence matters for protected persons or defendants.

Michelle Duggan grew up in Katherine, studied at Charles Darwin University and has given free legal advice at Darwin Community Legal Service since 2015 and Top End Women's Legal Service since 2018. Her stated focus is resolving matters quickly and amicably where possible. Claudia Da Silva Vidigal was admitted in the NT in May 2024 and works in family law and domestic violence matters.

Also worth knowing

  • Phone or video appointments if the office stairs are a problem. After-hours appointments on request.

Lawyers

  • Michelle Duggan, Director
  • Claudia Da Silva Vidigal, Lawyer

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • Family violence

Office

20/18 Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin NT

Sources

Back to the shortlist

3. AFL Withnalls Lawyers

Darwin CityFamily law only

3.4

13 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Separation, parenting and property matters, including rural property settlements and high net worth or complex financial matters

  • Areas of practice listed include rural property settlement and high net worth divorce and complex matters.
  • Describes itself as a medium-sized family law firm in Darwin, partnered with Australian Family Lawyers.
  • Junior Solicitor Cici Wang is fluent in English and Mandarin.
(08) 8941 1896 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
22 Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin NT 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The family law page lists separation, divorce, parenting and care arrangements, child support, spousal maintenance, property settlement, high net worth divorce, binding financial agreements and postnuptial agreements. The site states the Darwin team handles separation, parenting and property matters across the NT. The site menu also lists wills and estates and criminal law.

Huia Edwards was admitted in February 2021, worked on parenting, property and family violence matters in Newcastle, and is completing a Master of Applied Family Law. James Tighello holds a Bachelor of Laws from Deakin University. Cici Wang was admitted in the NT in July 2025 and works on parenting, property and divorce matters. The team page also lists a legal support team leader and support staff.

Also worth knowing

  • Three lawyers are named on the team page, and two of them state they have practised only family law.

Lawyers

  • Huia Edwards, Associate
  • James Tighello, Solicitor
  • Cici Wang, Junior Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements

Office

22 Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin NT 0800

Other details

Languages
Mandarin

Sources

Back to the shortlist

4. Hunt & Hunt Lawyers

Darwin CityFamily law team in a broader firm

4.4

17 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Parenting, property and divorce matters, starting with a fixed-price first advice session by phone or in person

  • First advice session is a fixed $330 including GST, for up to an hour, by phone or in person.
  • Hiliary Thornberry holds a Masters in Applied Law (Family Law) and is accredited as an Independent Children's Lawyer.
  • Hiliary Thornberry and Sabine Hudson volunteer as legal advisers at Top End Women's Legal Service.
(08) 8924 2600 Visit website
Fees
First advice session at a fixed $330 including GST, for up to an hour of oral advice.
Office
Level 2, 13 Cavanagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The Darwin firm began as Elston & Gilchrist in 1988 and took the Hunt & Hunt name in 1997. It also works in wills and estates, employment, conveyancing and litigation. Its family law page lists divorce, property settlements and consent orders, parenting plans and consent orders, paternity testing, child support agreements, and court proceedings for parenting or property matters.

Hiliary Thornberry was admitted in NSW in 2017, practised in Tamworth and the ACT, and joined in April 2021. Her work is mainly divorce, parenting and property, plus DVO matters. Sabine Hudson was admitted in the NT in February 2025 and practises mainly in family law. Chris Osborne joined in 1995, became a partner in the Darwin office in 2000, and advises across several areas including family law.

Established 1988.

Also worth knowing

  • Three family lawyers are named on the family law page: Director Chris Osborne, Senior Associate Hiliary Thornberry and Solicitor Sabine Hudson.

Lawyers

  • Chris Osborne, Director
  • Hiliary Thornberry, Senior Associate
  • Sabine Hudson, Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • Family violence

Office

Level 2, 13 Cavanagh Street, Darwin City NT 0800

Other details

Other offices
Part of the Hunt & Hunt network of offices around Australia

Sources

Back to the shortlist

5. Ward Keller

Darwin CityFamily law team in a broader firm

4.4

63 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients who want fixed fees for family law work, and people in Palmerston or regional areas who need phone or video appointments

  • The firm states it offers fixed fees for all family law matters.
  • Accepts referrals from the NT Legal Aid Commission and helps clients apply for Legal Aid.
  • Family lawyers are based in Darwin and Alice Springs and visit the Palmerston and Katherine offices.
(08) 8946 2999 Visit website
Fees
Fixed fees for preparing consent orders once you and your former partner have reached agreement. Other fees not published.
Office
Level 7/22 Mitchell St, Darwin NT 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Ward Keller is a general practice formed in Darwin in 1963, with offices in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs. Its family law practice covers parenting matters, child support agreements, property settlements, consent orders and divorce. New clients can give background details online before the first meeting.

The family law page names Michael Penman, Michelle Jeffrey, James Bowyer and Samuel Pulsford. Michelle Jeffrey, a partner based in Darwin, was admitted in Victoria in 2013 and joined the firm in 2023. James Bowyer, an associate, was admitted in the NT in May 2021 and works in family and criminal law. The firm states it promotes negotiation, mediation and arbitration.

Established 1963.

Also worth knowing

  • Partner Michelle Jeffrey works mainly on property and parenting matters and family violence orders, and practised in Victoria and New South Wales before moving to Darwin in 2023.

Lawyers

  • Michelle Jeffrey, Partner
  • James Bowyer, Associate

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Mediation

Office

Level 7/22 Mitchell St, Darwin NT 0800

Other details

Other offices
Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs (lawyers visit the Palmerston and Katherine offices for family law)

Sources

Back to the shortlist

6. Maleys Barristers & Solicitors

Darwin CityFamily law team in a broader firm

4.1

27 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Separation, parenting and property matters where an early resolution conference is preferred, with court representation if needed

  • Dana Kenna's profile describes a preference for early resolution conferences to reduce conflict and cost.
  • The family law page states the firm handles relocation disputes and urgent protective orders in contested proceedings.
  • Family law services listed include family violence orders, consent orders and financial agreements.
(08) 8981 2266 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
17 Cavenagh St, Darwin, NT, 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Maleys is a Darwin firm working since 1995 across criminal law, traffic, migration, conveyancing, wills and family law. The family law page lists separation and divorce, parenting arrangements, child support, family violence orders, mediation and dispute resolution, consent orders and financial agreements, and mentions relocation disputes and urgent protective orders. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Dana Kenna works on parenting arrangements, property settlements and child support. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Deakin University and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from ANU. Sephyr Cooper's profile describes current work in commercial litigation, family law and estate matters.

Also worth knowing

  • Two lawyers are listed as Civil & Family Lawyers: Dana Kenna and Sephyr Cooper.

Lawyers

  • Dana Kenna, Civil & Family Lawyer
  • Sephyr Cooper, Civil & Family Lawyer

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • Mediation
  • Family violence

Office

17 Cavenagh St, Darwin, NT, 0800

Sources

Back to the shortlist

7. Bowen Lawyers

Darwin CityFamily law only

Fewer than 5 reviews on Google Maps

Best for Parents, grandparents and carers who want a sole practitioner focused on family law and resolving matters outside court where possible

  • Sole practitioner since November 2004 who previously practised only family law at Cecil Black from 2001 to 2004.
  • Nationally accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner who has assisted with mediation since 2006.
  • Acts in domestic violence matters in the Local Court, both initiating and defending.
(08) 8941 8848 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
4 Manton Street, Darwin NT, 0800
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Bowen Lawyers is a sole practice in Darwin. Its listed areas are family law, mediation, consent orders, financial agreements, Advance Personal Plans, and wills and estates. Family law services listed are parenting plans and orders, property settlements, domestic violence, divorce, financial agreements, and spousal and child support. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm, with Saturday appointments by arrangement.

The principal was admitted to the Supreme Court of the NT in March 2000, worked in commercial law at De Silva Hebron, then practised only family law at Cecil Black from 2001 to 2004 before starting her own practice. She volunteered with Darwin Community Legal Service from 1996 to 2019 and sits on the Law Society NT Legal Practice committee.

Also worth knowing

  • Telephone conferences for rural and remote clients. Saturday appointments by arrangement.

Lawyers

  • Marguerite Bowen, Sole practitioner

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • Mediation
  • Family violence

Office

4 Manton Street, Darwin NT, 0800

Sources

Back to the shortlist

Details come from each firm's website and the relevant law society list, checked October 2026. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't affect the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

How we selected these Darwin firms

We recorded 25 family law firms with offices in Darwin and Palmerston, then read each firm's own website: team, services, contact and fees pages. 7 made the shortlist. We favoured firms where family law is the main practice, with named family lawyers in the Darwin office, accredited specialists we could confirm on the relevant law society list, and clear published information about how they work.

Firms were left out for reasons such as:

  • Firms with no physical office in the Northern Territory
  • A firm whose Darwin office has closed
  • Broader firms where family law is one of many areas and no family lawyer is named
  • Firms with no family law practice
  • A firm whose named lawyers do not appear on the Law Society NT list of current practitioners
  • Firm sites that could not be read or that block automated checks
  • Firms with no website found
  • An announced office with no address or named lawyers

How the order was set

The numbers are an editorial order, not a score. We weighed the same criteria together: firms come earlier where family law is the firm's whole practice, where more of the Darwin team are accredited specialists we could confirm on the relevant law society list, and where the firm publishes clear information about who you would deal with and how it charges. We also kept variety on the list, so firms with a particular focus or location, such as mediation, Legal Aid referrals, Palmerston or phone and video for regional clients, are included even with smaller teams.

Firms close to each other in the order aren't meaningfully different, and a lower number doesn't mean a firm is a worse choice for your matter. The right firm depends on the kind of matter you have. Google ratings don't affect the order, and no firm has paid to be listed or placed. Read the full method.

Family law in Darwin: courts and free help

Family law cases for Darwin and Palmerston are filed at the Federal Circuit and Family Court registry in the Supreme Court Building on State Square. Domestic violence orders are a separate NT process heard in the Darwin Local Court on Cavenagh Street.

Free help is available from the NT Legal Aid Commission, which has offices in Cavenagh Street and at the Goyder Centre in Palmerston, a duty lawyer at the family courts and a Territory-wide family dispute resolution service. Top End Women's Legal Service, the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service and NAAJA also give family law help. The Family Relationship Centre run by Relationships Australia NT is in Shepherd Street.

Darwin has a small private family law market. The seven firms listed here all have offices in central Darwin: four practise mainly in family law and three are broader firms with named family lawyers. Ward Keller states its family lawyers visit its Palmerston office. Three of the firms state that they advise regional and remote clients by phone or video.

Where matters are heard

  • Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Darwin registry

    Level 2 (Registry services on Ground floor), Supreme Court Building, State Square, Darwin

    Family law registry for Darwin and Palmerston. Registry open 9am to 4pm, phone enquiries 8.30am to 5pm on 1300 720 980. Divorce hearing attendance or adjournment requests go through the registry by email.

  • Darwin Local Court

    Cnr Cavenagh and Bennett Streets, Darwin

    Domestic violence order cases are heard here. Free lawyers are available for protected persons (DVLS) and for respondents (REALS, Mondays and Fridays).

Domestic violence orders and finding a lawyer in the NT

Domestic violence orders are made under NT law in the Local Court. The Domestic Violence Legal Service (1st Floor, Nichols Place, cnr Cavenagh and Bennett Streets, phone 08 8999 7977) helps people in Darwin and Palmerston apply for, change or remove an order, with a duty lawyer at Darwin Local Court DV lists. The Law Society NT runs a legal referral line on 08 8981 5104 and a First Interview Scheme for an initial 30-minute consultation with a lawyer. Source

Legal Aid, mediation and community legal centres

Checking a lawyer before you engage them

Every solicitor practising in Northern Territory needs a current practising certificate. You can search the Law Society Northern Territory, Current NT Legal Practitioners (lists current as at 9 October 2026), which also shows who holds family law specialist accreditation.

Family lawyers in Darwin: common questions

Where are family law cases heard in Darwin?

At the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in the Supreme Court Building, State Square, Darwin. Registry services are on the ground floor and the registry is open 9am to 4pm. Phone enquiries go to 1300 720 980.

Is there free family law help in Darwin or Palmerston?

Yes. The NT Legal Aid Commission helpline is 1800 019 343, and the first advice session is free. It has offices at 9-11 Cavenagh Street, Darwin and the Goyder Centre, Palmerston. Top End Women's Legal Service, the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service and NAAJA also give family law help.

Is there a duty lawyer at the Darwin family courts?

Yes. The Family Law Duty Service at the Darwin Family Courts, Level 1, Supreme Court Building, can give advice and help with a family law matter on the day. Phone 1800 019 343.

Where can I get family mediation in Darwin?

Relationships Australia NT runs the Family Relationship Centre at 5 Shepherd Street, Darwin (1300 364 277), with family law counselling and family dispute resolution. Legal Aid NT also runs a Territory-wide Family Dispute Resolution Service.

Are there accredited family law specialists in the NT?

We found no family law specialist accreditation scheme run by the Law Society Northern Territory. All NT lawyers must hold a practising certificate, and the Law Society NT publishes lists of current NT legal practitioners.

General information only, not legal advice.

Family lawyers in other cities: SydneyMelbourneBrisbanePerthAdelaideGold CoastCanberraNewcastleSunshine CoastCentral CoastHobart

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