Our Gold Coast-based family lawyers have been guiding families through the challenges of Separation and Divorce, Child Custody and Parenting Arrangements and Property and Financial Settlements for over 40 years.
We understand the profound impact these life-altering events can have on your family. That’s why for decades, our firm has been committed to supporting families with amicable and positive ways forward. Your well-being remains at the core of our practice.
We partner with JustFund, a family law finance provider. This eases the financial burden of separation and empowers you to achieve a better outcome. JustFund provide a flexible line of credit to individuals going through a separation to pay legal bills and disbursements. We also value efficiency, our online portal allows you to get started anywhere at any time. Click here so we can tailor the family law information you need.
Call us on 07 5526 0499 now to speak with one of our family lawyers!
Our Gold Coast Family Law solicitors provide unwavering support throughout the entire legal process. We offer expert advice and guidance in a range of Family Law matters, including Separation and Divorce, Property and Financial Settlements, Child Arrangements and Parenting Plans, and Binding Financial Agreements.
A Binding Financial Agreement allows a couple to agree in advance on an acceptable division of assets. We can assist with a financial agreement or prenup. Binding Financial Agreements can reduce the stress of a separation and can provide clarity on practical issues that arise such as protecting existing assets or inheritances, ensure that children of previous relationships inherit what’s theirs, preserve family business or property for future generations and avoid disputes about financial matters at the end of a relationship. Our team can talk you through the entire process and guide you to a solution that protects your interests now and in the future.
Property and Financial Settlements encompass a wide range of agreements and are vitally important to ensure the end of the financial relationship between parties. Protect against future claims and ensure certainty in your future. Spousal maintenance, property division, income arrangements and superannuation are all considerations when it comes to Property and Financial Settlements. We’ve sailed countless families through choppy waters. For decades, we’ve deeply understood the profound impact of major life changes. You’ll receive care, empathy and active listening during this process.
The aftermath of a relationship breakdown can be filled with a whirlwind of emotions – frustration, anger, confusion, fear and profound hurt.
We understand the emotional complexity of Divorce and Separation. As your voice of reason, we lay the foundation for the best resolutions, considering the well-being of all parties involved right from the start. We’ll aim to slow down and stop the separation roller coaster, so you can get off and take a breath.
We’ll help you find resolutions outside the courtroom. It saves time and money whilst protecting your children through a difficult moment.
You may not always see eye-to-eye on arrangements and so a Parenting Order may be required. Parenting orders are made by the court and are enforceable. Allow our experience in helping families navigate these complexities to guide you. We’ll enable you to reach agreements that benefit everyone involved.
We’ll deliver outcomes at exceptional value. Our Gold Coast-based family lawyers are without judgement, approachable and experienced.
We pride ourselves on the many amicable outcomes we have delivered. Our dedicated team is passionate, committed and genuine. Your best interests are at the centre of what we do.
We take the time to understand the big picture and draw on extensive life experience to support an outcome that is cost effective with outstanding results. We shed light on the issue, look for the opportunities and come up with fair and reasonable solutions
When you choose us, you’ll get a tailored and personal service that goes beyond the ordinary. We understand the importance of fixed fees where possible and flexibility, with multiple avenues of communication – be it phone, office visits, virtual consultations or online information collection. We try to make the hard things easier.
We partner with JustFund, a family law finance provider. This eases the financial burden of separation and empowers you to achieve a better outcome. JustFund provide a flexible line of credit to individuals going through a separation to pay legal bills and disbursements.
Enjoy genuine conversations with our team. We’ll understand your unique situation. We are your dedicated problem solvers.
During separation and divorce, providing objective guidance and expert legal support with a human lens is paramount. We navigate these personal transitions with care, aiming for resolutions that is fair and equitable. Our goal is to facilitate a process that allows you to move forward with dignity and certainty.
When it comes to property and financial settlements such as superannuation splitting, spousal maintenance and the division of assets & liabilities, we focus on securing fair outcomes. Our strategic approach ensures your assets and financial interests are protected, facilitating agreements that consider both immediate and future needs. We’re committed to finding solutions that safeguard your financial well-being.
Creating child arrangements and parenting plans that prioritise the well-being of your children is at the centre of what we do. We’ll help you create agreements and finalise consent orders that provide stability and support, ensuring they are practical and sustainable. Our approach encourages cooperative parenting, contributing to positive family dynamics post-separation.
Binding financial agreements offer clarity and security around assets and can also cover spousal maintenance in the event a relationship ends. Our binding financial agreement lawyers provide expert advice on the legal requirements and implications of a binding financial agreement, ensuring that all parties fully understand their rights and obligations under the law. We’ll assist in drafting and reviewing these agreements, ensuring they are legally robust and reflect your intentions. Our guidance helps protect your assets and financial future, providing peace of mind in your personal and shared commitments.
Ensuring the well-being and financial stability of your children can be emotional and complex. Our Child Support Lawyers can assist you in navigating the diverse child support matters that arise. Whether you are negotiating a private child support arrangement, need assistance in understanding the administrative assessment and review procedure or need representation for the purpose of making a submission to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal our family lawyers can assist. We also advise in property and spousal maintenance matters and child support consequences of parenting arrangements.
When it comes to child custody and parenting arrangements, our family lawyers provide expert guidance on the intricate legal aspects, helping you understand your rights and options under the law. Making an agreement that reflects the best interests of your child, can take on 3 methods, with these different arrangements, varying in enforceability. Our goal is to negotiate parenting arrangements that encourage cooperation and minimise conflict, we can also support you through litigation if necessary. In cases involving family violence, our team can also connect you with specialised family violence services for support and guidance.
Prenuptial agreements or financial agreements can be a sensitive topic and one fraught with complicated requirements and applications. An Agreement may be appropriate to enable both parties when considering the future benefit of the children of their previous marriages to preserve certain assets or to operate as a release from future spousal maintenance in exchange for a satisfactory property settlement. We provide clear advice on the effect of agreements on your rights and the implications. Where fitting our family lawyers craft clear, legally sound agreements that safeguard your assets and future earnings, promoting transparency and understanding between partners. Our goal is to ensure both parties’ interests are balanced and protected as you embark on life’s journey together.
We provide expert guidance to clients navigating the mediation process, focusing on achieving amicable resolutions. While we don’t host mediations, our role is to prepare you thoroughly, advising on negotiation strategies and legal implications, ensuring you enter mediation informed and confident, ready to secure favourable outcomes.
Throughout your journey, we’re here to nurture and support you, understanding the emotional and practical challenges that come with family law matters.
Our approach is client-focused, providing not only legal assistance but emotional support, ensuring you feel heard and valued every step of the way.
We’re committed to guiding you with empathy and patience, making a potentially stressful process as comforting and clear as possible.
Your well-being is our top priority, ensuring you’re supported in every decision and transition.
Our focus is on helping families find peaceful, amicable resolutions that serve everyone’s best interests, especially when children are involved.
With a track record of supporting thousands of Gold Coast families, we understand the importance of navigating these transitions with care and respect.
Your journey towards a new chapter is our priority, ensuring a process that is as smooth and positive as possible for you and your loved ones.
Navigating complex family dynamics requires not just legal expertise, but a deep understanding of the emotional landscapes involved.
Our team is highly experienced in addressing the intricate challenges that arise within families, ensuring that every solution is tailored to meet the unique needs and sensitivities of your situation.
We’re here to help you manage these dynamics with the utmost care, aiming for outcomes that uphold the well-being and harmony of all family members.
Our unique advantage lies in our ability to leverage cross-disciplinary legal expertise, ensuring comprehensive support during family law matters.
Specialising in commercial law, wills and estates, and conveyancing allows us to offer nuanced advice that considers all aspects of your life affected by separation or divorce.
This holistic approach ensures that every legal outcome supports your broader interests, offering peace of mind that all potential legal implications are thoughtfully addressed.
Ready to get started? Book a consultation with our trusted advisors, and together, and let us do the heavy lifting for you.
Property division during a divorce or separation is governed by the Family Law Act 1975. If the parties have reached an agreement about dividing the property pool, you can document your agreement via Consent Orders or a Financial Agreement in accordance with the Family Law Act 1975. If you and your partner cannot reach an agreement about the property division, you can make an application to the Court for orders.
Consent Orders and Binding Financial Agreements are both ways of settling property and financial matters between parties in a family law dispute. Consent Orders are approved by the court and are more final, while BFAs are private agreements between parties that are not approved by the court and are more flexible. For Consent Orders, the parties must file an application with the court and provide full financial disclosure. The court will then consider the orders and, if they are satisfied that they are fair and reasonable, approve them. For BFAs, parties must obtain independent legal advice and sign the agreement in the presence of their legal practitioner.
By creating a parenting plan which sets out the arrangements for parenting and visitation. The plan should cover issues such as where the children will live, how much time they will spend with each parent, and how major decisions will be made. It’s important to make sure the plan is in the best interests of the children.
If your former partner isn’t following a court order, here’s how we can help you move forward effectively:
Keep a Record of the Breach
Try Open Communication
Seek Guidance from Our Family Lawyers
Take Legal Action to Enforce the Order
Review and Update the Order if Needed
If you’re feeling unsure about what to do next, know that you’re not alone. Our team is here to provide clear advice and help you take the right steps to resolve the issue.
Protecting your financial interests during a separation involves careful planning and proactive steps. Here’s how we can help:
Organise your financial records: Gather documents such as bank statements, tax returns, loan agreements, and superannuation details. A clear picture of your financial situation is essential for fair negotiations.
Secure joint accounts and assets: If you share bank accounts or other financial assets, consider taking steps to prevent unauthorised withdrawals or transactions. We can advise you on how to do this appropriately.
Get personalised legal advice: Our family lawyers can assess your situation and provide advice tailored to your circumstances, ensuring your financial interests are safeguarded during the process.
Understand property and asset division: We’ll help you navigate how assets, debts, and liabilities are divided under Australian family law, ensuring you receive a fair outcome.
Review your will and legal arrangements: If you’ve named your former partner in your will, power of attorney, or insurance policies, we can guide you on updating these documents to reflect your new circumstances.
Consider financial agreements: If appropriate, we can assist in drafting a binding financial agreement to formalise the division of assets and reduce future disputes.
By taking these steps, you can protect your financial position and move forward with greater confidence. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring your rights and assets are protected.
Every family law case is different, and we understand that waiting for an outcome can be stressful. The time it takes depends on what issues need to be resolved, whether both parties can agree, and whether court proceedings are necessary.
If you and your former partner agree on everything, the divorce process is relatively straightforward. Once the application is lodged, a court hearing is scheduled within 8-12 weeks, and the divorce becomes final one month and one day later. In total, a simple divorce takes about four months.
If there are disputes about serving documents or your former partner tries to contest the divorce, this can delay things. We help clients manage these situations so they don’t get stuck in unnecessary delays.
If both parents agree on a parenting plan, we can draft and submit Consent Orders that can be finalised within a few weeks. If there are disagreements, mediation is required before applying to the court, which can take a few months.
If parenting arrangements go to court, the timeline extends significantly. Depending on complexity, it can take 12-24 months or longer for final orders to be made. The court prioritises urgent cases—such as situations involving family violence—but otherwise, delays are common due to the high volume of cases.
If both parties are willing to negotiate, a property settlement can be resolved within a few months through a Binding Financial Agreement or Consent Orders. If there is a dispute, the process can take much longer—12-24 months or more if court proceedings are needed.
A major cause of delay is when one party refuses to provide full financial disclosure. If this happens, we take legal steps to ensure assets aren’t hidden and settlements are fair.
We know that drawn-out legal battles take an emotional and financial toll. While some delays are unavoidable, there are ways to speed things up:
We work closely with our clients to keep things moving and find practical solutions, so they aren’t left waiting for months or years. If you’re unsure about your situation, we’re here to help.
De facto relationships, including same-sex relationships, are treated similarly to marriages under Australian family law. Both are covered by the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), meaning de facto couples have the same rights as married couples when it comes to property settlements, parenting arrangements, and financial support after separation.
To be recognised as de facto, you must have lived together on a genuine domestic basis for at least two years, or have a child together, or have made significant financial or non-financial contributions to the relationship. Unlike married couples, de facto partners do not need to divorce, but they must apply for a property settlement within two years of separation.
If disputes arise, courts assess factors such as shared finances, living arrangements, and public recognition of the relationship. Seeking legal advice early helps ensure your rights are protected, whether you’re married or in a de facto relationship.
The Family Law system prioritises safety and provides legal protections for those experiencing domestic or family violence.
Courts consider family violence when making parenting orders and can restrict an abusive parent’s access to a child if necessary.
Domestic Violence Orders (DVOs) can also be issued to prevent a violent partner from contacting or approaching you. In urgent situations, temporary orders can be granted quickly to ensure immediate protection.
Legal aid, support services, and confidential court processes are available to help victims seek safety without fear of retaliation.
If you are in danger, police and support networks can assist immediately. If you want to learn more about how to protect yourself legally, we can help you understand your options and take the right steps to protect yourself and your family.
Our team of Gold Coast-based lawyers are accessible and approachable. Down-to-earth and practical solutions are at the foundation of what we do. Allow us to simplify the legal process and jargon to provide you with real-world solutions that bring genuine peace of mind.
