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Best Family Lawyers in Sunshine Coast

Nine Sunshine Coast 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 Queensland Law Society register.

27 Sunshine Coast firms checked, 9 shortlisted. 7 accredited family law specialists confirmed on the Queensland Law Society register. No firm pays to be listed. Updated October 2026.

Find a firm for your situation
Property with companies, trusts or a farm
Pippa Colman Family Law, Chomley Family Law, Toomey Family Law
Domestic violence alongside family law matters
Omnia Legal, Ferrall & Co. Lawyers, Arrow Law
Caloundra, Birtinya or Buddina
Ferrall & Co. Lawyers, Omnia Legal, Chomley Family Law

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

1. Pippa Colman Family Law

MaroochydoreFamily law only

4.0

60 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Separating couples with complex property, trusts or companies, and parents who want a parenting coordinator after orders are made

  • Offers parenting coordination, a structured process for separated parents that the site says usually runs for 12 to 18 months.
  • Property work includes family companies, trusts, business valuation and superannuation splits.
  • Sarah Quilliam and Joanne Bragg list high net worth and complex property matters as a focus.

Accredited family law specialists (3) Pippa Colman, Sarah Quilliam, Joanne Bragg

(07) 5458 9000 Visit website
Fees
Free initial chat with a solicitor. The firm also runs free information seminars.
Office
19 First Avenue, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The firm works from First Avenue in Maroochydore and has a second office in Townsville. Directors Pippa Colman, Sarah Quilliam, Samantha Bolton and Jessica Popple lead a team of 11 named solicitors. The QLS register lists 12 solicitors at the Maroochydore address.

Children's work includes relocation, child abduction and child protection applications. Hannah McSharer is a senior associate and parenting coordinator. The firm also handles wills and estates.

Also worth knowing

  • Mediation and arbitration are listed as areas of work for the senior lawyers.

Lawyers

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

  • Pippa Colman, DirectorAccredited family law specialist
  • Sarah Quilliam, DirectorAccredited family law specialist
  • Joanne Bragg, Senior Associate, Accredited SpecialistAccredited 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
  • Grandparents' rights

Office

19 First Avenue, Maroochydore QLD 4558

Other details

Other offices
Townsville (Level 2, 280 Flinders Street, South Townsville)

Sources

Back to the shortlist

2. Toomey Family Law

MooloolabaFamily law only

5.0

16 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for High net worth property settlements where both sides want to settle through mediation or collaborative law

  • Leisa Toomey has been a QLS mediator since 2004 and an Independent Children's Lawyer since 2005, as stated on the team page.
  • Sets out a five-phase process for dividing assets, from initial consultation and due diligence through risk assessment and planning to final agreements or court orders.
  • Lists arbitration and collaborative law among its services.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Leisa Toomey

(07) 5406 4000 Visit website
Fees
Free initial consultation.
Office
53 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Toomey Family Law works from Brisbane Road in Mooloolaba and limits its work to relationship matters, with high-value property settlements and mediation at the centre. The QLS register lists three solicitors at the office. Leisa Toomey was admitted in 1998 and was a partner at Schultz Toomey O'Brien Lawyers from 2000 to 2014.

Senior associate Emma Middleton lists complex property settlements, family dispute resolution and parenting arrangements as strengths. Associate Kate Gordon appears in mediations and before the Federal Circuit and Family Court.

Also worth knowing

  • Free initial consultation.

Lawyers

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

  • Leisa Toomey, DirectorAccredited family law specialist
  • Emma Middleton, Senior Associate
  • Kate Gordon, Associate

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Financial agreements
  • De facto relationships
  • Mediation
  • Collaborative law
  • Arbitration

Office

53 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba QLD 4557

Sources

Back to the shortlist

3. Chomley Family Law

BuddinaFamily law only

4.5

61 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Separating couples who want a collaborative process, and families dividing a farm or rural property

  • Has a separate page on property settlements involving farms and rural land.
  • Managing director Micaela Chomley holds a Master of Laws in family law and is a member of the Queensland Association of Collaborative Practitioners.
  • Peter Le Souef is an accredited mediator, and Ioanita Gentles practised as a family law barrister in New Zealand before becoming an accredited mediator in 2017.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Peter Le Souef

(07) 5438 8222 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Noel Burns House (Top Floor), 15/21 Nicklin Way, Buddina QLD 4575
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Micaela Chomley founded the firm in 2016. It practises only in family law from Noel Burns House in Buddina, and the QLS register lists seven solicitors at that office. The team page names the managing director, an accredited specialist, a collaborative family lawyer, two senior associates and a solicitor.

Micaela Chomley's profile says the team aims to resolve disputes through collaborative law, mediation and arbitration where it can. Ioanita Gentles moved to family law in 1991. The firm also lists second opinions, relocation, superannuation and urgent recovery orders.

Established 2016.

Also worth knowing

  • Meeting rooms by appointment in Noosaville and Aspley, and virtual consultations.

Lawyers

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

  • Micaela Chomley, Managing Director
  • Peter Le Souef, Accredited SpecialistAccredited family law specialist
  • Ioanita Gentles, Collaborative Family Lawyer

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Noel Burns House (Top Floor), 15/21 Nicklin Way, Buddina QLD 4575

Other details

Other offices
Noosaville (Noosa Civic Centre, 28 Eenie Creek Road) and Aspley, both by appointment

Sources

Back to the shortlist

4. Freedom Family Law

MaroochydoreFamily law only

4.4

98 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for People who want to see a long-standing accredited specialist quickly, including same-day appointments

  • Free consultation, with same-day appointments offered.
  • The site states it does not ask for trust fund deposits.
  • Aims to return calls, emails and texts within one business day.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Suzanne Stannett

(07) 5475 4021 Visit website
Fees
Free consultation. Same-day appointments available.
Office
9 Plaza Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Freedom Family Law is a small family-law-only practice on Plaza Parade in Maroochydore. The team page names two solicitors, Suzanne Stannett and Caitlin Stannett, with two paralegals. Suzanne Stannett was admitted in 1992.

The firm offers a range of cost and funding options. Work covers parenting orders, property settlements, financial agreements including cohabitation agreements, spousal maintenance, child support, domestic violence orders and divorce.

Also worth knowing

  • Suzanne Stannett has practised only in family law since 2004, has been a QLS mediator since 2006 and completed the Barrister's Practice Course in 2006.

Lawyers

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

  • Suzanne Stannett, CEO/Director & Team Leader (Lawyer)Accredited family law specialist
  • Caitlin Stannett, Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

9 Plaza Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558

Sources

Back to the shortlist

5. Shanahan Family Law

MaroochydoreFamily law only

4.7

62 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Clients who want to talk through their position and likely costs on a free call before committing

  • First step is a free discovery call that covers urgent issues and likely legal costs.
  • Publishes guides to family lawyer costs and divorce costs.
  • Offers a free parenting plan builder on its site.
(07) 5408 4470 Visit website
Fees
Free discovery call. Fees not published.
Office
Suite 315, Level 3, Tower 2, 55 Plaza Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Luke Shanahan founded the firm in 2009 after about ten years at another Queensland firm. It has moved to Suite 315 in Tower 2 of the Kon-Tiki Business Centre in Maroochydore and also lists a by-appointment location in Cleveland. The team page names a principal, three senior lawyers, an associate and two solicitors, and the QLS register lists six family law solicitors at the Kon-Tiki office. The site states 71 years of combined experience.

The firm says it uses resolution-first strategies to keep matters out of court where possible. It handles urgent parenting disputes, recovery and relocation matters and domestic violence.

Established 2009.

Also worth knowing

  • Acts in matters Australia-wide except Western Australia, as stated on the about page.

Lawyers

  • Luke Shanahan, Principal Solicitor
  • Danielle O'Connor, Senior Family Lawyer
  • Jomandie van der Merwe, Senior Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Suite 315, Level 3, Tower 2, 55 Plaza Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558

Other details

Other offices
Cleveland (by appointment only)

Sources

Back to the shortlist

6. Arrow Law

NoosavilleFamily law only

4.4

7 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Northern Sunshine Coast clients, including those dealing with domestic violence alongside parenting or property matters

  • Hannah Arandale lists domestic violence matters as a particular interest, and Morgan O'Rourke brings a background in criminal law, child protection and family law.
  • Offices in Noosaville and Maroochydore.
  • The FAQ says the firm often recommends mediation before court.

Accredited family law specialists (1) Candice Bell

(07) 5430 6622 Visit website
Fees
Not published on the firm's website. Ask for a written estimate.
Office
Suite CA 6-10, 28 Eenie Creek Road, Noosaville QLD 4566
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Arrow Law is a family law practice with an office on Eenie Creek Road in Noosaville and another at the Kon-Tiki Business Centre in Maroochydore. Its site covers separation and divorce, property settlements, parenting arrangements, and family and domestic violence, for clients on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane.

Candice Bell set up the firm and practises across all areas of family law.

Also worth knowing

  • Three solicitors at the Noosaville office on the QLS register.

Lawyers

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

  • Candice Bell, Director and Principal SolicitorAccredited family law specialist
  • Hannah Arandale, Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

  • Divorce
  • Property settlement
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Mediation
  • Family violence

Office

Suite CA 6-10, 28 Eenie Creek Road, Noosaville QLD 4566

Other details

Other offices
Maroochydore (Kon-Tiki Business Centre, Tower 2, Level 2, Suite 206, 55 Plaza Parade)

Sources

Back to the shortlist

7. Noosa & Hinterland Family Lawyers

NoosavilleFamily law only

4.8

41 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Noosa and hinterland families who want to settle by agreement or family dispute resolution before court

  • Managing director Jane McCarthy is a registered family dispute resolution practitioner (since 2017) and a parenting coordinator.
  • Fixed fees for consent orders and divorce applications, and access to JustFund legal finance.
  • Offices in Noosaville and Cooroy.
(07) 5408 4399 Visit website
Fees
Free, obligation-free 45-minute initial consultation.
Office
Unit 2, 44 Mary Street, Noosaville QLD 4566
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

The firm was formed in 2023 when Cooroy Legal Centre merged with McCarthy Family Law in Noosa. It meets clients in Noosaville and Cooroy, and the QLS register lists four family law solicitors across the two offices. Its lawyers also prepare wills and handle estates.

The site says most non-urgent matters are steered toward agreements filed as consent orders or binding agreements. Jane McCarthy holds a Master of Laws with majors in family law and family dispute resolution practice and is a former Legal Aid Queensland panel FDR practitioner. Grace Fahey has practised only in family law since 2012, in Queensland and New South Wales.

Established 2023.

Lawyers

  • Jane McCarthy, Managing Director
  • Grace Fahey

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Unit 2, 44 Mary Street, Noosaville QLD 4566

Other details

Other offices
Cooroy (16 A Maple Street); the about page also mentions Pomona

Sources

Back to the shortlist

9. Ferrall & Co. Lawyers

CaloundraFamily law team in a broader firm

4.7

20 reviews on Google Maps

Checked 10 Oct 2026

Best for Caloundra clients who may qualify for legal aid, or whose family law matter overlaps with domestic violence proceedings

  • Legal Aid Queensland preferred supplier for family law and domestic violence matters.
  • Free 30-minute first consultation, and a published hourly rate of $350.
  • Offers house calls and meetings over coffee as well as office appointments.
(07) 5491 2159 Visit website
Fees
Free 30-minute initial consultation. Hourly rate stated as $350.
Office
Echelon Centre, Level One/65-67 Bulcock St, Caloundra QLD 4551
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources

About the firm

Ferrall & Co. is a Caloundra practice on Bulcock Street that focuses on family law, domestic violence, and criminal and traffic law, with some personal injury work. Rowena Ferrall was admitted in 2004, trained at the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Service in Townsville and opened the firm in 2017.

The firm acts for privately paying clients and for clients funded by Legal Aid Queensland. Its family law pages cover divorce, parenting agreements and consent orders, property settlements, binding financial agreements, and same-sex and de facto relationships.

Established 2017.

Also worth knowing

  • Three solicitors at the Caloundra office on the QLS register.

Lawyers

  • Rowena Ferrall, Legal Practitioner Director
  • Ashleigh Goulden, Senior Associate
  • Kiara Goodfellow, Solicitor

Areas of family law handled

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

Office

Echelon Centre, Level One/65-67 Bulcock St, Caloundra QLD 4551

Sources

Back to the shortlist

Details come from each firm's website and the Queensland Law Society 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 Sunshine Coast firms

We recorded 27 family law firms with offices in Sunshine Coast from Caloundra to Noosa, including Maroochydore and the hinterland, 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 Sunshine Coast office, accredited specialists we could confirm on the Queensland Law Society register, and clear published information about how they work.

Firms were left out for reasons such as:

  • Firms whose website could not be found or read, so details could not be confirmed
  • Full-service or general practice firms where family law is one of many practice areas
  • Firms with no local street address on their site
  • Single-lawyer practices kept as reserves where larger family law teams were available
  • 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 Sunshine Coast team are accredited specialists we could confirm on the Queensland Law Society 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 parenting coordination, farm property, Noosa or Caloundra, 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 Sunshine Coast: courts and free help

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has no registry on the Sunshine Coast. Family law matters for the region are filed through the Commonwealth Courts Portal or the court's Brisbane registry at the Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts, 119 North Quay. The court sits on circuit in Maroochydore, at Cornmeal Parade, but documents cannot be filed there. Legal Aid Queensland duty lawyers attend when it sits. Check your court documents for where your own matter is listed.

Legal Aid Queensland has an office in the M1 Building on Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore, and can fund family dispute resolution conferences for people who qualify. Suncoast Community Legal Service is also in Maroochydore, on The Esplanade. Domestic violence protection orders are dealt with by the Magistrates Court, which sits in Maroochydore, Caloundra, Nambour and Noosa.

Most Sunshine Coast family law firms are in Maroochydore, several of them around the Kon-Tiki Business Centre on Plaza Parade. Others are in Mooloolaba, Buddina, Birtinya and Caloundra to the south, and Noosaville and Cooroy to the north. Accredited family law specialists can be checked on the Queensland Law Society register.

Where matters are heard

  • Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Brisbane registry

    Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts Building, 119 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000

    The court's Queensland registries are Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton. There is no registry on the Sunshine Coast.

  • Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Maroochydore circuit

    Cornmeal Parade, Maroochydore

    Circuit location only. The court states documents cannot be filed at this location; matters to be heard in Maroochydore are filed on the Commonwealth Courts Portal or at the Brisbane registry. Court phone 1300 352 000. Legal Aid Queensland family law duty lawyers attend when the court sits in Maroochydore, and sitting dates vary with the court calendar.

  • Maroochydore Magistrates Court

    Domestic violence protection order applications are filed at a Magistrates Court. The Maroochydore registry phone is (07) 5376 5100. Queensland Courts also lists Magistrates Courts at Caloundra, Nambour and Noosa.

Domestic violence protection orders in Queensland

In Queensland, an application for a domestic violence protection order is filed at a Magistrates Court. You can apply yourself, or a police officer, lawyer, friend or family member can apply for you. Queensland's specialist domestic and family violence courts sit in Beenleigh, Brisbane, Cairns, Mount Isa, Southport and Townsville; the Sunshine Coast is not on that list. Source

Legal Aid, mediation and community legal centres

  • Legal Aid Queensland, Maroochydore office

    Ground floor, M1 Building, Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore QLD 4558

    Phone (07) 5451 6900, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. Legal Information Line 1300 65 11 88. Legal Aid Queensland can fund family dispute resolution conferences on parenting, spousal maintenance or property for people who meet its means and merits tests.

  • Suncoast Community Legal Service

    3, Mayfield House, 29 The Esplanade, Maroochydore QLD 4558

    Community legal service in Maroochydore. The QLS register lists solicitors there practising family law, including a QLS accredited family law specialist. Its own website could not be read, so services and opening hours were not confirmed.

  • Women's Legal Service Queensland (statewide helpline)

    Level 3, 349 Coronation Drive, Milton QLD 4064

    Free statewide helpline giving women in Queensland legal advice, referrals and appointments on domestic and family violence, separation or divorce, parenting and child safety.

Checking a lawyer before you engage them

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

Family lawyers in Sunshine Coast: common questions

Where are family law cases for the Sunshine Coast filed and heard?

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has no Sunshine Coast registry. Matters are filed on the Commonwealth Courts Portal or at the Brisbane registry, Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts, 119 North Quay. The court sits on circuit in Maroochydore, so some hearings take place locally, but documents cannot be filed there. Your court documents will show where your matter is listed.

Is there free family law help on the Sunshine Coast?

Legal Aid Queensland has a Maroochydore office in the M1 Building on Duporth Avenue (phone (07) 5451 6900) and a Legal Information Line on 1300 65 11 88. Its family law duty lawyers attend when the Federal Circuit and Family Court sits in Maroochydore.

Can Legal Aid help with mediation before going to court?

Legal Aid Queensland runs family dispute resolution conferences that can deal with parenting, spousal maintenance and property. Legal aid for a conference is available to people who meet its means and merits tests, and both people can be legally aided. Conferences can be held by video or phone, or at a local office.

Where do I apply for a domestic violence protection order on the Sunshine Coast?

Applications for domestic violence protection orders are filed at a Magistrates Court. Queensland Courts lists Magistrates Courts at Maroochydore, Caloundra, Nambour and Noosa. You can apply yourself, or a police officer, lawyer, friend or family member can apply for you.

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

Search the Queensland Law Society Register of Solicitors. Each solicitor's record shows their practising certificate, firm and any specialist accreditation, and the search can be filtered to accredited specialists in family law by postcode.

General information only, not legal advice.

Family lawyers in other cities: SydneyMelbourneBrisbanePerthAdelaideGold CoastCanberraNewcastleCentral CoastHobartDarwin

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Sources for the local information on this page