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Best Family Lawyers in Newcastle

Nine Newcastle 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 Society of NSW register.

32 Newcastle firms checked, 9 shortlisted. 13 accredited family law specialists confirmed on the Law Society of NSW register. No firm pays to be listed. Updated October 2026.

Find a firm for your situation
Clients with a grant of legal aid
The Family Law Co.
Surrogacy, adoption or donor agreements
The Family Law Co.

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

1. Delaney Roberts Family Lawyers

NewcastleFamily law only

4.9

164 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Property settlements involving businesses, professional practices, trusts or self-managed super funds

  • First appointment is a 90-minute meeting with a family lawyer for a $660 fixed fee including GST, in person or by phone or video.
  • Publishes fixed fees for divorce applications: $2,500 for a joint application and $1,800 for a sole application.
  • Focuses on professionals, business owners and people with complex asset pools, including medical practices, family trusts and business interests, according to the firm.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Monique Allan, Clare McAteer

(02) 4075 2737 Visit website
Fees
90-minute initial appointment for a $660 fixed fee (incl GST). The firm states it does not take Legal Aid family law matters.
Office
Telstra Civic, Suite 1, Level 2, 317 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Delaney Roberts works only in family law from offices on Hunter Street, Newcastle and Pitt Street, Sydney. The firm's staff list names 10 solicitors in Newcastle, led by Managing Partner Anna Roberts, who was admitted in 2005 and holds a Master's degree in Applied Family Law.

It also handles parenting matters such as relocation and recovery of children.

Also worth knowing

  • Works with outside accountants, valuers and financial planners on property matters.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Anna Roberts, Managing Partner
  • Monique Allan, Special Counsel and Accredited Specialist (Family Law)Accredited family law specialist
  • Clare McAteer, Special Counsel and Accredited Specialist (Family Law)Accredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Telstra Civic, Suite 1, Level 2, 317 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

Other details

Other offices
Sydney (370 Pitt Street)

Sources

Back to the shortlist

2. Gillard Family Lawyers

NewcastleFamily law only

4.9

21 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Parenting and property matters where a fixed-fee first meeting and in-house mediation are wanted

  • Michelle Gillard is a family dispute resolution practitioner who can issue section 60I certificates.
  • Publishes mediation fees: $1,750 plus GST for a half day and $2,750 plus GST for a full day.
  • First consultations are a fixed fee from $330, face to face or by video.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Michelle Gillard, Luke Shearston

(02) 4910 0740 Visit website
Fees
Fixed-fee initial consultation from $330, face to face or by video, with no set time limit. The firm does not offer free 15-minute consultations.
Office
Unit 24, 1 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Gillard Family Lawyers is a family law practice on Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle. The team page lists 11 people. Michelle Gillard has worked almost only in family law since admission in 2010 and acts as an Independent Children's Lawyer. Luke Shearston spent nearly 10 years in the community legal sector as a family law and duty solicitor at the Newcastle court before joining in 2018.

Michelle Gillard runs mediations from the firm's own rooms on Hunter Street, Newcastle West. The firm sends a questionnaire before the first meeting, gives cost estimates for each stage of a matter, and acts as town agent for other firms at the Newcastle court.

Also worth knowing

  • Works with litigation funders for clients who cannot pay fees upfront.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Michelle Gillard, Director, Accredited Specialist in Family LawAccredited family law specialist
  • Luke Shearston, Special Counsel, 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
  • Mediation
  • Grandparents' rights

Office

Unit 24, 1 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle NSW 2300

Other details

Other offices
Mediation rooms at 735 Hunter Street, Newcastle West

Sources

Back to the shortlist

3. The Family Law Co.

NewcastleFamily law only

4.5

31 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients with a grant of legal aid, collaborative practice, and surrogacy or adoption matters

  • Takes clients with a grant of legal aid and helps lodge legal aid applications.
  • Publishes fees, including a free 15-minute phone discussion and divorce from $1,500 including GST plus the court filing fee.
  • Principal Carla Giles is a family dispute resolution practitioner and a collaborative practitioner and coach.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Sacha Mastras

(02) 4081 0855 Visit website
Fees
Free 15-minute phone discussion for new clients. Initial consultation from $385 incl GST (1 to 1.5 hours plus a letter of advice), or from $75 incl GST for clients receiving Legal Aid. Divorce from $1,500 and consent orders from $2,200 incl GST. JustFund funding available.
Office
37 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The Family Law Co. practises only in family law from Bolton Street, Newcastle, with a Maitland office by appointment and an office in Narrabri. The about page names four solicitors. The firm uses cloud-based systems and states it acts for clients across regional NSW and interstate.

The firm offers collaborative practice from its Newcastle and Maitland offices. Junior solicitors work under senior supervision through the firm's MentorPath program, which the firm says keeps costs down. The firm also acts as town agent at the Newcastle courts.

Also worth knowing

  • Sacha Mastras has a stated interest in surrogacy, adoption and donor agreements.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Carla Giles, Principal Solicitor, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Collaborative Practitioner and Coach
  • Sacha Mastras, Senior Solicitor, Accredited SpecialistAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Mediation
  • Collaborative law
  • Surrogacy

Office

37 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

Other details

Other offices
Maitland (14 Bulwer Street, by appointment) and Narrabri

Sources

Back to the shortlist

4. Hebblewhite Lawyers

NewcastleFamily law only

4.9

79 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Court-based parenting and property matters, with a team that includes former judges' associates

  • Principal Angela Hebblewhite spent over nine years as a judge's associate in the Federal Magistrates Court.
  • Consultant Kate Chegwidden was also an associate at the Federal Circuit and Family Court, and acted for a party in the High Court case Masson v Parsons in 2019.
  • The practice manager has a background in forensic accounting for family law business valuations.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Jessica Fordham

(02) 4022 8730 Visit website
Fees
The firm charges a first consultation fee, and states you can call for a quick chat first. Fee amount not published.
Office
24 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Hebblewhite Lawyers is a family law firm on Bolton Street, Newcastle, with offices in Maitland and Forster. The team page lists seven solicitors, plus paralegals and support staff. Angela Hebblewhite started the firm in 2021.

Lawyers on the team list experience in international and interstate relocation cases, property matters involving trusts and companies, and work as Independent Legal Representatives in the Children's Court. The firm offers mediation support and helps formalise parenting plans and consent orders.

Established 2021.

Also worth knowing

  • Phone and video appointments are available from all three offices.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Angela Hebblewhite, Principal Solicitor
  • Jessica Fordham, Senior Associate Solicitor (Accredited Specialist in Family Law)Accredited family law specialist
  • Kate Chegwidden, Consultant

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Financial agreements
  • Mediation

Office

24 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

Other details

Other offices
Maitland (Level 1/14 Bulwer St) and Forster

Sources

Back to the shortlist

5. Mullane Lindsay

NewcastleFamily law team in a broader firm

4.3

16 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Property and parenting matters for clients who also need business or estate advice from the same firm

  • Ashleigh John is a former President of the Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners' Association and taught Family Law Practice at the University of Newcastle for five years.
  • The same firm has business, estate planning and property teams.
  • Lawyers attend family dispute resolution with clients and formalise agreements as parenting plans, financial agreements or consent orders.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Catherine Williams, Ashleigh John

(02) 4928 7300 Visit website
Fees
The firm states it starts with a confidential conversation, and offers an online questionnaire.
Office
Level 3, 418 to 422 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Mullane Lindsay is a full-service firm with its head office on Hunter Street in the Newcastle CBD. Its family law group covers separation, parenting, property, financial agreements and child support. The group is led by two accredited specialists: Catherine Williams, the practice group leader, and Ashleigh John, who joined the firm in 2007 and is now Managing Director.

The firm states most matters are settled by negotiation or family dispute resolution, with court as a last resort. Ashleigh John has chaired the Greater Newcastle Family Law Pathways Network. Clients with business, trust or estate issues can be referred to the firm's other practice groups.

Established 1976.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Catherine Williams, Practice Group Leader and NSW Law Society Accredited Specialist, Family LawAccredited family law specialist
  • Ashleigh John, Managing Director and NSW Law Society Accredited Specialist, Family LawAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • Financial agreements
  • Mediation

Office

Level 3, 418 to 422 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

Sources

Back to the shortlist

6. Powe & White Family Lawyers

MaitlandFamily law team in a broader firm

3.5

13 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Maitland and lower Hunter clients who want a family law firm close to home

  • Gives each client a fee estimate at the first consultation, and fees can be paid in instalments or from settlement proceeds.
  • Christopher White holds a Master of Laws (Family Law) and is a former President of the Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association.
  • Acts for clients across Maitland, Newcastle, Port Stephens, the Central Coast and the Mid North Coast, according to the firm.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Christopher White

(02) 4936 6399 Visit website
Fees
A fee estimate is given during the initial consultation. No consultation fee is published.
Office
7B/500 High Street, Maitland NSW 2320
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Powe & White Family Lawyers works from High Street, Maitland. The team page lists a solicitor director, an associate solicitor and two licensed conveyancers. The firm also offers conveyancing and estate planning.

Matters are first approached through negotiation or mediation, with court proceedings where needed. The firm explains fees at the start and accounts for fees at regular stages, with payment options including regular trust deposits or payment from a property settlement.

Also worth knowing

  • Covers marriage, de facto and same-sex relationships.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Christopher White, Solicitor Director, Accredited Specialist (Family Law)Accredited family law specialist
  • Sarah Tate, Associate Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation

Office

7B/500 High Street, Maitland NSW 2320

Sources

Back to the shortlist

7. Baker Love Lawyers

WallsendFamily law team in a broader firm

4.6

125 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients near Wallsend, and property matters involving companies, trusts or super funds

  • The firm is accredited with JustFund, which can lend legal fees repaid from a property settlement.
  • Its family lawyers list property work involving companies, trusts, and defined benefit and self-managed super.
  • Hayden Carr holds a Master of Applied Family Law and lists experience in urgent recovery applications.

Accredited family law specialists (2) Matthew Carney, Hayden Carr

(02) 4944 3322 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
30 Dan Rees Street, Wallsend NSW 2287
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Baker Love Lawyers is a full-service firm in Wallsend. It traces its history to an office opened in Market Street, Newcastle in 1875, and consolidated into one Wallsend office in 2008. Its family law team covers property settlements, parenting disputes, de facto relationships, divorce, spousal maintenance and child support.

The two family lawyers' profiles also list parenting matters involving family violence or relocation. The firm states it uses negotiation and mediation where appropriate and runs matters to hearing when needed.

Established 1875.

Also worth knowing

  • Located in Wallsend with free parking, according to the firm.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Matthew Carney, DirectorAccredited family law specialist
  • Hayden Carr, Senior Associate, 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
  • Mediation

Office

30 Dan Rees Street, Wallsend NSW 2287

Sources

Back to the shortlist

8. Turnbull Hill Lawyers

CharlestownFamily law team in a broader firm

4.4

101 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Lake Macquarie clients, and property settlements involving trusts or self-managed super

  • Offers a fixed-fee online divorce application service for uncontested divorces.
  • Fees are charged by the hour with upfront cost estimates, and the firm is accredited with JustFund.
  • Jennifer Sorrenson's profile lists property matters with self-managed super funds, defined benefit super, family and unit trusts, and business structures.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Jennifer Sorrenson

(02) 4904 8000 Visit website
Fees
Hourly rates with upfront cost estimates. Fixed fee for uncontested online divorce applications.
Office
Level 1, 29 Smith Street, Charlestown NSW 2290
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Turnbull Hill Lawyers is a general practice firm with its head office in Charlestown, an office in East Maitland and one in Sydney. Its family and de facto law team is led by Jennifer Sorrenson, who has worked in family law since 2012, became an accredited specialist in 2021 and a partner in 2025.

She also handles financial agreements and litigation involving multiple parties. The firm states it aims for early separation agreements and represents clients in court when needed.

Established 1969.

Also worth knowing

  • Head office is in Charlestown, with a second Hunter office in East Maitland.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Jennifer Sorrenson, 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

Office

Level 1, 29 Smith Street, Charlestown NSW 2290

Other details

Other offices
East Maitland (11 Mitchell Drive) and Sydney

Sources

Back to the shortlist

9. Kekeff & Associates Solicitors

NewcastleFamily law team in a broader firm

Fewer than 5 reviews on Google Maps

Best for Property disputes involving companies, businesses or trusts, with a principal who also mediates

  • Zora Kekeff has been a registered family dispute resolution provider since 2008 and is a Law Society of NSW accredited mediator.
  • Zora Kekeff has been a trained arbitrator since May 2023.
  • Zora Kekeff was admitted in 1992 with family law as her principal area, and has been a Law Society of NSW councillor since 2009.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Zora Kekeff

(02) 4927 1994 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Fourth Floor, 16A Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Kekeff & Associates is a Bolton Street practice led by Zora Kekeff, principal since 2005. Family law is the main area of work, with property settlements involving complex business structures, companies and trusts listed first. The firm also does wills, conveyancing and commercial leases.

The firm states it aims to settle matters out of court where possible and prepares cases for court when needed.

Also worth knowing

  • Office is near the Newcastle family law courts on Bolton Street.

Lawyers

Specialist status checked on the Law Society of NSW register on 11 Oct 2026.

  • Zora Kekeff, Solicitor, Accredited Specialist Family LawAccredited family law specialist

Areas of family law handled

  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Child support
  • Mediation

Office

Fourth Floor, 16A Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

Sources

Back to the shortlist

Details come from each firm's website and the Law Society of NSW register, 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 Newcastle firms

We recorded 32 family law firms with offices in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the lower Hunter, including Maitland, then read each firm's own website: team, services, contact and fees pages. 9 made the shortlist. We favoured firms where family law is the main practice, with named family lawyers in the Newcastle office, accredited specialists we could confirm on the Law Society of NSW register, and clear published information about how they work.

Firms were left out for reasons such as:

  • Firms with no accredited family law specialist found on the register
  • Firms where family law is one of several unrelated services
  • Firms whose sites could not be reached or were under maintenance
  • Firms with no local street address found
  • Commercial firms with no Newcastle family law team
  • Legal Aid and community legal centres (listed under local help instead)

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 Newcastle team are accredited specialists we could confirm on the Law Society of NSW register, 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 fixed fees, collaborative practice, Maitland or Lake Macquarie, 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 Newcastle: courts and free help

Family law cases in Newcastle are filed and heard at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia's Newcastle registry at 61 Bolton Street. The court lists Legal Aid NSW duty solicitors and Hunter Community Legal Centre on Level 4 of the building.

Legal Aid NSW has a civil and family law office on Bolton Street. Its Family Dispute Resolution Service runs mediation where one party has legal aid, and its duty solicitors give free family law advice at the registry to people without a lawyer. Hunter Community Legal Centre also gives family law help by appointment.

Six of the firms below are in central Newcastle (postcode 2300), five of them on Bolton Street or Hunter Street. One is in Wallsend, one is in Charlestown in Lake Macquarie, and one is in Maitland. Two of the CBD firms also have Maitland offices. Each accredited specialist named was checked on the Law Society of NSW Register of Solicitors.

Where matters are heard

  • Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Newcastle registry

    61 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

    Newcastle is a family law registry of the court. The court's Newcastle page lists Legal Aid NSW duty solicitors on Level 4 (free family law advice for people without a lawyer, in person, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm) and Hunter Community Legal Centre on Level 4 by appointment. The street address is from the court's own contact list in its 2020-21 annual report; the current location page does not show a street address.

  • Local Court of NSW

    Legal Aid NSW states parenting orders can be made by the Local Court of NSW as well as the Federal Circuit and Family Court. Hunter CLC runs AVO duty services at the Newcastle, Maitland, Belmont and Raymond Terrace local courts.

AVOs and family law orders in NSW

Apprehended violence orders are made under NSW law. Parenting orders can be made by the Local Court of NSW and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Where a parenting order and an AVO say different things, the parenting order overrides the AVO. When applying for parenting orders you must tell the court about any AVOs. Source

Legal Aid, mediation and community legal centres

  • Legal Aid NSW, Newcastle (Civil and Family law)

    Level 2, 51-55 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

    Civil and family law office. Phone (02) 4929 5445.

  • Legal Aid NSW Family Dispute Resolution Service

    Statewide, generally online

    Mediation for family law disputes where you or the other party has a grant of legal aid. Legal Aid does not charge anyone who attends. Apply through LawAccess on 1300 888 529.

  • Legal Aid NSW family law duty lawyers

    Level 4, Newcastle registry, 61 Bolton Street, Newcastle

    Duty lawyers at family law court locations when the court is sitting. Free, and you do not need to qualify for legal aid. Duty lawyer phone 1800 551 589.

  • Hunter Community Legal Centre

    19 Queen Street, Cooks Hill NSW 2300

    Family law help by appointment, including at the Newcastle registry (Level 4). Phone (02) 4040 9120 or 1800 650 073, as listed on the court's Newcastle page.

  • Women's Legal Service NSW

    PO Box 206, Lidcombe NSW 1825 (statewide phone service)

    Legal help line 02 8745 6988, weekdays 9am to 4.30pm. Covers family and domestic violence.

Checking a lawyer before you engage them

Every solicitor practising in New South Wales needs a current practising certificate. You can search the Law Society of NSW Register of Solicitors, which also shows who holds family law specialist accreditation.

Family lawyers in Newcastle: common questions

Where are family law cases heard in Newcastle?

Newcastle has its own Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia registry at 61 Bolton Street. Parenting orders can also be made by the Local Court of NSW.

Is there free family law help in Newcastle?

Legal Aid NSW has a civil and family law office at Level 2, 51-55 Bolton Street (02 4929 5445). At the Newcastle registry, Legal Aid NSW duty solicitors on Level 4 give free family law advice to people without a lawyer, Monday to Friday. Hunter Community Legal Centre also gives family law help by appointment on (02) 4040 9120 or 1800 650 073.

Can I get mediation before going to court in Newcastle?

Legal Aid NSW lists Family Relationship Centres, the Family Relationship Advice Line (1800 050 321), its own mediation service and private mediators. Legal Aid mediation is available where you or the other party has a legal aid grant, is mostly held online, and Legal Aid does not charge anyone who attends.

What happens if I go to the Newcastle Family Court without a lawyer?

Legal Aid NSW duty lawyers can give advice on the day, ask the court for an adjournment so you can get legal advice, help with documents and urgent applications, and speak for you in court. Seeing a duty lawyer is free and you do not need to qualify for legal aid. They can only give limited help on the day, so get advice well before a hearing. At Newcastle they are on Level 4.

How do I check if a Newcastle lawyer is an accredited family law specialist?

The Law Society of NSW runs a Specialist Accreditation Scheme that includes family law. Its Register of Solicitors lets you search by name, region and accredited specialist area.

General information only, not legal advice.

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