Top10Family Lawyers

Cities

Best Family Lawyers in Melbourne

Ten Melbourne 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 which of its lawyers are accredited family law specialists on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory.

41 Melbourne firms checked, 10 shortlisted. 16 accredited family law specialists confirmed on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory. No firm pays to be listed. Updated October 2026.

Find a firm for your situation
A lawyer who speaks another language
Coote Family Lawyers

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

1. Taussig Cherrie Fildes

Melbourne CBDFamily law only

Fewer than 5 reviews on Google Maps

Best for Property disputes involving companies, trusts and tax, and international property or relocation cases

  • Paul Fildes is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and has practised only in family law since 1988.
  • Three principals are listed as qualified Regulation 67B arbitrators (AIFLAM).
  • Principal Kylie Sanders was a legal associate at the Family Court of Australia, and Principal Kristy Fuge was a Deputy Associate at the Federal Magistrates Court.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Debra Cherrie

(03) 9605 1700 Visit website
Fees
No free initial consultation. Initial consultations may run 60 to 90 minutes. Fees not published.
Office
Level 3, 530 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A family law practice in Lonsdale Street in the Melbourne CBD. The team page names four principals, a consultant, six special counsel, and a group of senior associates, associates and lawyers. Practice areas listed include de facto and same-sex relationships, tax-effective arrangements and child abduction under the Hague Convention.

The firm describes its work as covering negotiation, mediation, family dispute resolution, litigation and arbitration. Its principals' profiles describe a focus on complex financial matters involving companies, trusts and listed entities, plus parenting cases involving relocation and family violence. Paul Fildes is also described as a qualified family law mediator and trained collaborative lawyer.

Established 2000.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Debra Cherrie, PrincipalAccredited family law specialist
  • Paul Fildes, Principal
  • Kristy Fuge, Principal

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Family violence
  • International family law

Office

Level 3, 530 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000

Sources

Back to the shortlist

2. Coote Family Lawyers

CamberwellFamily law only

3.9

50 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Separating couples in Melbourne's east or the Mornington Peninsula, including matters with international elements

  • Three offices: Camberwell, Melbourne CBD and Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula.
  • Partner Gary Yan is qualified in Australia and England, is an IAFL Fellow and speaks Cantonese.
  • Clients receive written rate information, an initial estimate of overall costs and interim statements.

Accredited family law specialists (3) Gillian Coote, Gary Yan, Aisling Clifford

(03) 9804 0035 Visit website
Fees
An initial meeting assesses the situation and proposed course of action. Clients get detailed rate information, an initial cost estimate and a written costs agreement.
Office
Level 1, 971 Burke Road, Camberwell, 3124 Victoria
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Gillian Coote founded the firm in 2002 and has been a Law Institute accredited family law specialist since 1991. The people page lists six partners, a senior consultant (Ian Mawson KC) and a team of lawyers and support staff. The firm also has a wills and estates practice led by an accredited specialist in that area, and offers conveyancing.

Practice areas listed include children's arrangements, property settlements involving company and trust structures, de facto and same-sex relationships, child support and spousal maintenance. Clients sign a written costs agreement, and the costs page says the firm can advise on how to apply for litigation funding.

Established 2002.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Gillian Coote, Founder, Managing Partner and Accredited Specialist in Family LawAccredited family law specialist
  • Gary Yan, Partner and Accredited Specialist in Family LawAccredited family law specialist
  • Aisling Clifford, Partner and Accredited Specialist in Family LawAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • International family law

Office

Level 1, 971 Burke Road, Camberwell, 3124 Victoria

Other details

Other offices
Melbourne CBD (Level 12, 263 William Street) and Mornington Peninsula (1/2-8 Russell Street, Balnarring)
Languages
Cantonese (Gary Yan). The firm states it can arrange translator services for Mandarin-speaking clients.

Sources

Back to the shortlist

3. Forte Family Lawyers

Melbourne CBDFamily law only

4.1

17 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Matters involving international issues, surrogacy, insolvency or arbitration of property disputes

  • Partner Jason Walker is an IAFL Fellow whose practice includes international jurisdiction disputes and child relocation.
  • Partner Jacky Campbell wrote her Master's thesis on bankruptcy and family law and is a trained arbitrator.
  • The site lists surrogacy, bankruptcy and insolvency, and superannuation splitting as practice areas.

Accredited family law specialists (3) Jacky Campbell, Wendy Kayler-Thomson, Jason Walker

(03) 9248 5800 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Level 15, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000 Victoria Australia
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A Melbourne CBD family law firm with five partners, three special counsel and a group of senior associates, associates and lawyers named on the site. Founding partners Jacky Campbell and Wendy Kayler-Thomson joined in 2006. Wendy Kayler-Thomson chaired the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia from 2016 to 2018.

The firm states it aims to settle matters out of court where possible, using negotiation, mediation, family dispute resolution and arbitration, and litigates where needed. Practice pages cover international family law, surrogacy, third-party matters, complex financial structures and family violence.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Jacky Campbell, PartnerAccredited family law specialist
  • Wendy Kayler-Thomson, PartnerAccredited family law specialist
  • Jason Walker, PartnerAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Family violence
  • International family law
  • Surrogacy

Office

Level 15, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000 Victoria Australia

Sources

Back to the shortlist

4. Kennedy Partners

Melbourne CBDFamily law only

4.2

39 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Cross-border parenting and property matters, including Hague Convention child abduction cases

  • Ian Kennedy was President of the International Academy of Family Lawyers from 2008 to 2010.
  • The firm is the Australian sponsor of INCADAT, the international child abduction case database.
  • Olivia Grobtuch worked on Kennon v Spry [2008] HCA 56, a High Court case on discretionary trusts in family law.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Olivia Grobtuch, John Spender

(03) 9618 7300 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Level 29, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A Melbourne CBD family law firm in Collins Street. The people page names 16 lawyers led by founder and Senior Partner Ian Kennedy AM. The firm states it maintains working relationships with firms in the UK, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa for matters with overseas parties or assets.

Services listed include advice, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation in property, spousal maintenance, parenting (including relocation, IVF and surrogacy), financial agreements, international child support and intervention orders. The firm works with accountants, valuers, psychologists and psychiatrists on matters.

Also worth knowing

  • Ian Kennedy AM, Olivia Grobtuch and John Spender are all Fellows of the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Ian Kennedy AM, Senior Partner
  • Olivia Grobtuch, PartnerAccredited family law specialist
  • John Spender, PartnerAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • Family violence
  • International family law
  • Surrogacy

Office

Level 29, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000

Sources

Back to the shortlist

5. Clancy & Triado Family Lawyers

HawthornFamily law only

4.4

47 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients in Melbourne's inner east, including those who need help funding their fees

  • The firm partners with JustFund to offer eligible clients a line of credit for family law fees.
  • Paul Staindl sat on the Accreditation Board for over 10 years and chaired it for six of those years.
  • Georgie Gregory is the immediate past chair of the LIV Accredited Specialisation Advisory Committee.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Kimberly Hunter, Georgie Gregory

(03) 9813 1111 Visit website
Fees
Fees not published. A cost estimate is given after the initial consultation, and rates vary with the lawyer's experience. Monthly invoices, with JustFund funding for eligible clients who can't pay until the matter ends.
Office
610 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A family law practice in Hawthorn. The firm page lists 12 lawyers, led by Managing Director Kimberly Hunter, who joined in 1998 and gained LIV family law accreditation in 1999. She is also a member of the Relationships Australia lawyers' panel that promotes mediation.

Listed practice areas include divorce, de facto and same-sex separation, parenting arrangements, financial settlements including superannuation and trusts, child support, spousal maintenance, mediation, intervention orders and international family law. The firm also does wills and estates. A JustFund partnership lets eligible clients fund fees until a property matter settles.

Over 50 years in practice (firm's figure).

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Kimberly Hunter, Managing DirectorAccredited family law specialist
  • Paul Staindl, Director
  • Georgie Gregory, DirectorAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Family violence
  • International family law

Office

610 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia

Sources

Back to the shortlist

6. Blackwood Family Lawyers

Melbourne CBDFamily law only

4.9

325 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Property and parenting matters where clients want a negotiated result

  • Principal Cassandra Selvaggio was appointed to the LIV Family Law Specialisation Advisory Committee in 2021.
  • Principal profiles mention property matters involving companies, trusts and self-managed super funds.
  • Each lawyer's team entry gives the year they were admitted and how long they have practised in family law.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Cassandra Selvaggio

(03) 8672 5222 Visit website
Fees
The first appointment is not free and usually runs 1 to 1.5 hours, charged on time at hourly rates. A cost estimate is given at that appointment. No legal aid matters.
Office
Level 3, 224 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A Melbourne CBD family law firm in Queen Street. The team page lists 15 people, including two principals, a principal lawyer, a special counsel and the firm's founders. Most entries state the lawyer has practised exclusively in family law since admission.

The firm says most clients reach agreement on parenting matters without going to court, and it helps document agreements as parenting plans, consent orders or binding financial agreements. Principal profiles mention complex property matters involving companies, trusts and self-managed super funds, high-conflict parenting cases and intervention order hearings in the Magistrates' Court.

Also worth knowing

  • The firm sends a list of documents to bring when the first appointment is booked.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Caroline Khoury, Principal
  • Cassandra Selvaggio, PrincipalAccredited family law specialist
  • Mary Young, Principal Lawyer

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Level 3, 224 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Sources

Back to the shortlist

7. Mitchell Family Law

Melbourne CBDFamily law only

4.5

15 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients wanting a small CBD firm where the principal and partner are both accredited specialists

  • Practice pages include surrogacy advice and agreements and Hague Convention matters.
  • An estimate of costs is given at the end of the first meeting and updated as the matter progresses.
  • The firm states much of its focus is on negotiating matters without contested proceedings.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Kate Mitchell, Courtney Sims

(03) 8595 9520 Visit website
Fees
Charged on time at hourly rates based on experience. A cost estimate is given at the end of the first meeting and updated as the matter goes on.
Office
Level 3, 550 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A boutique family law firm in the Melbourne CBD, founded in 2014 by Kate Mitchell after several years as a family law specialist at other Melbourne firms. The team page lists a principal, a partner, an associate, a solicitor and two support staff. The practice manager is the first point of contact for new clients.

Services include divorce applications, parenting matters including relocation and family reports, property settlement and mediation, binding financial agreements, superannuation splitting, bankruptcy, intervention orders and surrogacy. The site links to JustFund, a litigation funding provider.

Established 2014.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Kate Mitchell, Principal / Accredited Family Law SpecialistAccredited family law specialist
  • Courtney Sims, Partner / Accredited Family Law SpecialistAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Family violence
  • International family law
  • Surrogacy

Office

Level 3, 550 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000

Sources

Back to the shortlist

8. Doyle's Family Law & Mediation

HawthornFamily law only

Fewer than 5 reviews on Google Maps

Best for Clients who want to resolve property or parenting disputes through mediation or arbitration, including complex company, trust and tax matters

  • Principal Stephanie Doyle is an AIFLAM qualified arbitrator and mediator, and an accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation Scheme.
  • Practice areas listed include property matters involving company structures, trusts and tax, and setting aside financial agreements.
  • Appointments are offered in Hawthorn, with Lorne available by appointment.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Stephanie Doyle

(03) 8509 3400 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
556 Glenferrie Road Hawthorn 3122
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A family law and mediation practice in Hawthorn led by Stephanie Doyle, who was a partner at a large family law practice before founding the firm. She chairs the LIV Family Law Section Education Work Group and sits on its Family Law Section Executive and Courts Practice Committees. The team page lists 11 lawyers, including special counsel Allison Nicholls and Emily O'Brien.

The firm states it uses negotiation and mediation, with litigation where needed. Listed areas include complex property involving companies, trusts and tax, financial agreements, divorce, spousal maintenance, parenting, same-sex couples, bankruptcy, enforcement and contravention proceedings. The site says it acts for families, individuals, professionals, trustees and beneficiaries, and corporate entities.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Stephanie Doyle, PrincipalAccredited family law specialist
  • Allison Nicholls, Special Counsel
  • Emily O'Brien, Special Counsel

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Arbitration
  • International family law

Office

556 Glenferrie Road Hawthorn 3122

Other details

Other offices
Lorne, by appointment

Sources

Back to the shortlist

9. Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers

ChadstoneFamily law only

5.0

5 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients in Melbourne's south-east who want to deal directly with a senior lawyer at a small practice

  • Jeremy Hogg's practice focuses on complex financial matters, de facto jurisdiction issues and trust, corporate and valuation disputes.
  • Kuppy Nambiar has over 30 years in family law and sat on the LIV Family Law Advisory Committee to the Accreditation Board.
  • The firm offers a no-obligation 15-minute call with one of its senior lawyers.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Jeremy Hogg

(03) 7046 6630 Visit website
Fees
No-obligation 15-minute call with a senior lawyer, then a 60 to 90 minute consultation in Chadstone or online. Fees not published.
Office
Tower One, Level 8, 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone VIC 3148
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A family law practice in Chadstone. The site names two lawyers, and the firm describes itself as intentionally small so clients can speak to their lawyer without being transferred to a junior associate. Kuppy Nambiar has taught family law and ethics at the Leo Cussen Centre for Law, and Jeremy Hogg is a Leo Cussen assessor for the family law unit.

The firm handles divorce and separation, property settlements including trusts and corporate entities, spousal maintenance, parenting arrangements, intervention orders and document drafting such as financial agreements, consent orders, child support agreements and parenting plans. It supports clients at mediation and in court.

Also worth knowing

  • Consultations of 60 to 90 minutes run at the Chadstone office or online.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory on 10 Oct 2026.

  • Kuppy Nambiar, Director
  • Jeremy Hogg, DirectorAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Tower One, Level 8, 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone VIC 3148

Sources

Back to the shortlist

10. Just Family Law

DandenongFamily law only

4.8

92 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients in Dandenong and Melbourne's south-east, including those who want a collaborative law process

  • The firm states its Dandenong office is walking distance from the Family Court.
  • Practice areas include collaborative law, grandparents' rights and loans from parents.
  • The site says the firm can often arrange for fees to be paid at the end from settlement proceeds.
(03) 9793 7888 Visit website
Fees
Free 15-minute phone appointment for eligible clients; contact the firm to check eligibility. Fees not published.
Office
2/37 Princes Hwy Service Rd, Dandenong VIC 3175
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

A family law practice that began in Dandenong in 2000 as Chris Woods & Associates and later took its current name. It has a second office in Chadstone. The about page names three lawyers: Chris Woods and family lawyers David Chalmers and Sally O'Connor.

Listed work covers separation, divorce, property and financial settlements, children's arrangements, domestic violence, collaborative law, pre-nuptial agreements, spousal maintenance, inheritance disputes, business valuations and tax planning in settlements.

Established 2000.

Lawyers

  • Chris Woods, Founder & Principal
  • David Chalmers, Family Lawyer
  • Sally O'Connor, Family Lawyer

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Collaborative law
  • Family violence
  • Grandparents' rights

Office

2/37 Princes Hwy Service Rd, Dandenong VIC 3175

Other details

Other offices
Chadstone (listed as Malvern office): Suite 555, Level 2 UL40/1341 Dandenong Rd

Sources

Back to the shortlist

Details come from each firm's website and the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory, 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 Melbourne firms

We recorded 41 family law firms with offices in Melbourne CBD and greater Melbourne, including Dandenong, then read each firm's own website: team, services, contact and fees pages. 10 made the shortlist. We favoured firms where family law is the main practice, with named family lawyers in the Melbourne office, accredited specialists we could confirm on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory, and clear published information about how they work.

Firms were left out for reasons such as:

  • Firms where no working firm website could be reached
  • A domain that redirected to a different firm
  • A domain showing an unrelated overseas address
  • General practices where family law is one of many areas
  • Firms with one named lawyer or limited published team detail (not shortlisted)

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 Melbourne team are accredited specialists we could confirm on the Law Institute of Victoria specialist directory, 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 arbitration, surrogacy, Hawthorn or Dandenong, 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 Melbourne: courts and free help

Family law cases in Melbourne are filed with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, which has two registries in the area: the Commonwealth Law Courts Building at 305 William Street in the CBD, and Robinson Street in Dandenong. Family violence intervention orders are a separate Victorian process run through the Magistrates' Court.

Victoria Legal Aid has its main office in Bourke Street and a Dandenong office in Mason Street. It runs duty lawyer and support services at both family law registries, and a lawyer-assisted Family Dispute Resolution Service for people with a grant of legal aid. The Melbourne Family Relationship Centre in Collins Street offers family dispute resolution for separating parents.

Most of the firms on this list are in the CBD, around William, Lonsdale, Bourke and Collins streets near the court. Others are in Hawthorn, Camberwell, Chadstone and Dandenong. The Law Institute of Victoria accredits family law specialists, and its directory and the Legal Services Board register can be used to check a lawyer.

Where matters are heard

Family violence intervention orders in Victoria

Family violence intervention orders are made under Victorian law. You apply through the Magistrates' Court of Victoria, or the Children's Court in some cases. An intervention order is legally separate from a parenting order, but when a magistrate makes an order to protect a child they must check for parenting orders and can change or suspend one. Source

Legal Aid, mediation and community legal centres

  • Victoria Legal Aid, Melbourne office

    Level 9, 570 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

    Phone 1300 792 387. Family Dispute Resolution Service offers lawyer-assisted conferences on parenting and property for people with a grant of legal assistance. Family Advocacy and Support Services operate full time at the Melbourne and Dandenong family law registries.

  • Victoria Legal Aid, Dandenong office

    Ground floor, 14 Mason Street, Dandenong VIC 3175

    Phone (03) 9767 7111. Serves the Westernport region.

  • Melbourne Family Relationship Centre (Relationships Australia Victoria)

    Lower Ground Floor, 379 Collins Street, Melbourne

    Phone (03) 8625 3666. Offers information, referrals and family dispute resolution for separating families, including a Family Safety Program for families affected by family violence.

  • Women's Legal Service Victoria

    PO Box 559, Flinders Lane PO 8009 (phone 1800 133 302)

    Free legal help for women and non-binary people on separation after family violence, parenting and intervention orders.

  • Inner Melbourne Community Legal

    2/508 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051

    Helps with legal problems including family law and family violence, under its casework guidelines.

  • Djirra

    292 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067

    Free legal advice and court representation for Aboriginal women experiencing family violence. Phone 1800 354 772.

Checking a lawyer before you engage them

Every solicitor practising in Victoria needs a current practising certificate. You can search the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner Register of Lawyers, which also shows who holds family law specialist accreditation.

Family lawyers in Melbourne: common questions

Where are family law cases heard in Melbourne?

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has registries at the Commonwealth Law Courts Building, 305 William Street, Melbourne, and at 53-55 Robinson Street, Dandenong. Both counters are open 8:45 to 16:30.

Is there free family law help in Melbourne?

Victoria Legal Aid gives free legal advice by phone on 1300 792 387 and at offices including Bourke Street in the CBD and Mason Street in Dandenong. Its Family Advocacy and Support Services run full time at the Melbourne and Dandenong registries for people in family law proceedings affected by family violence. Community legal centres such as Women's Legal Service Victoria also help eligible people.

Do I have to try mediation before going to court over children?

Victoria Legal Aid states that if you want parenting orders you must try family dispute resolution first, except in some situations such as family violence, child abuse or urgency. The Melbourne Family Relationship Centre at 379 Collins Street offers family dispute resolution.

How does a family violence intervention order affect parenting orders in Victoria?

You apply for a family violence intervention order through the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. It is separate from a parenting order, but a magistrate making an order to protect a child must check for parenting orders and can change or suspend one.

What if a child might be taken overseas outside business hours?

The Federal Circuit and Family Court has an urgent after-hours line, 1300 352 000, for cases where there is a real risk of a child being removed from Australia before the next working day.

General information only, not legal advice.

Family lawyers in other cities: SydneyBrisbanePerthAdelaideGold CoastCanberraNewcastleSunshine CoastCentral CoastHobartDarwin

How we select firmsAbout this siteCorrections

Sources for the local information on this page