Family court lawyers in Melbourne
For more than 40 years, Carew Counsel’s family-run law firm has guided local families through the Victorian family law system with steady, practical advocacy. Our Melbourne lawyers for family court representation will explain your options, prepare strong documents and evidence, and advocate for you from the first meeting to final orders.
Specialist family law firm
We have 40+ years of experience dealing with family law matters.
Client focused
Get the help, guidance, and legal support you need to move forward.
Commendable service
We’re ranked in the top five family law firms in Melbourne.
Open and upfront
We will clearly outline expectations and a quote for legal fees following your initial consultation.
Let our family court lawyers clarify your next steps
Family court work is sensitive and high-stakes. You need clear legal advice and a steady guide through the process. At Carew Counsel, you work with one of the best family court lawyers in Melbourne, backed by a dedicated law team. We listen, explain your options in plain English, and set a plan you can follow.
We are a specialist family practice with experienced family litigators. We have a reputation for thorough preparation and respectful advocacy. Our focus stays on your families best interests and on how each decision touches every aspect of family life. You will receive expert advice that fits the Australian family context and a clear pathway from the first meeting to final orders. Contact us to speak with a member of our team today to see how we can help you.
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How the right lawyer for family court can help
Family court matters can pull you in different directions. We sit with you to understand what is happening, then outline a simple pathway. If safety needs attention, we help you seek protection. If agreement is possible, we guide mediation and draft what is agreed. If a hearing is required, we prepare your case and represent you so that each step is handled properly.
Trust Carew Counsel to resolve your family court matter
We map your priorities, set a clear plan, and manage each step so you can obtain the best possible outcome with steady guidance and minimal stress.
Discuss your case with a family court lawyer in Melbourne
When you seek legal advice, we listen carefully and explain your legal rights in plain English. Our lawyers will help set priorities, outline likely timeframes, and suggest early actions. Our lawyers understand the pressures of court work, so we try to keep the process clear and calm from day one.
We’ll gather the necessary information for your family court matter
Our Melbourne legal team can assist you in preparing affidavits, court documents, relationship timelines, and financial disclosure so your information is accurate and helps to achieve your desired outcome.
If needed, we can represent you in the Melbourne Family Law Court
Our team manages all court-facing requirements, including filings, compliance with directions, and procedural strategy. We appear on your behalf at mentions and hearings, present your case clearly, and pursue interim orders where appropriate.
We’ll do everything we can to resolve your case efficiently
We aim for workable agreements and consent orders wherever possible. Throughout, we keep your child’s best interests at the centre, maintain tight timelines, and communicate clearly so you always know what happens next.
Book a free 15 minute callback
Get started by discussing your situation with a family law expert.
Why choose Carew Counsel for family court representation
Proven advocacy in the family courts
For over 40 years, we have prepared strong evidence, met court timelines, achieved settlements where possible, and appeared confidently when hearings are required.
A family practice that understands families
As a family-run firm, we keep the process respectful and child-focused while supporting you through each step.
A tailored pathway for your case
We map your goals and risks, then design a plan that may include protection, mediation or litigation with clear reasons for every step.
Straightforward communication and costs
Expect plain English updates, action points after meetings, and upfront estimates so there are no surprises.
Client testimonials
We value the clients who share their experience with Carew Counsel; your words shape how we support families in the family courts every day.
"I highly recommend Carew Counsel Solicitors for anyone seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable solicitor for family law matters."
"Carew Counsel team was recommended to me by one of my friends and my case was handled by Keleigh and her team very efficiently, with quick replies, flexibility to change requests and professionally. I am highly recommending them to their future clients and can only thank them with this review for their great work."
"In what was a difficult time to go through, I'm thankful that I had the team at Carew in my corner. I received sound advice all the way through the process and felt proud of the dignified way that my case was being responded to."
"10 Stars! Very happy & relieved that I chose Carew Counsel for a family member in an extremely concerning & complicated Family Court/child protection matter. Highly professional, ethical, respectful, knowledgeable, hardworking, strategic, collaborative, communicative, caring, compassionate & child & family welfare focused. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us protect our little child."
"To the Carew Counsel team. I would like to thank you all for your interest, professionalism, and humanity. You enabled a very stressful process to be handled with diligence and care. I am very grateful to you all for assisting me with this. Most of all, a big thank you to you Jenni Mooney, for your competence, professionalism and humour. Because of you, the process was as least stressful as feasibly possible. My heart goes out to you. Carew Counsel are lucky to have you. All the best to you all."
"10 Stars! Very happy & relieved that I chose Carew Counsel for a family member in an extremely concerning & complicated Family Court/child protection matter. Highly professional, ethical, respectful, knowledeable, hard working, strategic, collaborative, communicative, caring, compassionate & child & family welfare focused. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us protect our little child."
"I would like to thank and acknowledge all the team at Carew Counsel Solicitors for representing me in my recent financial settlement matter. I highly recommend that you engage Carew Counsel Solicitors to represent you in your family law matter."
"Across my two year fight to save my son from serious harm, Alex Carew was there every step of the way. His wisdom, professionalism, empathy, meticulous notes, and steadfast negotiation yielded a result which will protect my son now, and for years to come. I can't recommend him and his firm highly enough."
"To the Carew Counsel team. I would like to thank you all for your interest, professionalism, and humanity. You enabled a very stressful process to be handled with diligence and care. I am very grateful to you all for assisting me with this."
Meet your family court legal team
Our Melbourne office
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s legal and business precinct, Carew Counsel Solicitors provides discreet, professional family law support in a calm and confidential environment.
Why visit our Melbourne office?
- Centrally located for convenient access across metropolitan Melbourne
- Private, professional meeting spaces designed for sensitive conversations
- Direct access to experienced family lawyers and accredited specialists
Visit us
Phone
Call us on 03 9071 3119
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Frequently asked questions
These answers come from our day-to-day work in the family courts. We explain key steps, likely timeframes and common options so you know what to expect and when to speak with us for advice tailored to your case.
A family court lawyer prepares your case and represents you in court while guiding negotiations to reach workable outcomes.
Day to day, we meet with you, gather evidence, draft affidavits, manage disclosure, and correspond with the other side about parenting and property settlement. We set timelines, prepare you for conferences and hearings, and work to resolve family disputes before a judge needs to decide. Where safety is a concern, we advise on options such as a family violence order and build those protections into your case plan. When a hearing is listed, we handle court representation, including preparation, appearances and advocacy at mentions, directions and final hearings.
You are not required to have a lawyer, but having one can make the process clearer, safer and more effective.
Our lawyers help with strategy, drafting affidavits, meeting deadlines and shaping realistic settlement options. We work to resolve family and relationship matters through negotiation and mediation first, so you keep more control over outcomes. If court steps are needed, we provide family advocacy and support, prepare your evidence carefully and represent you at each stage so you understand what is happening and why.
Costs vary by complexity and stage, and we provide upfront and transparent legal costs before you decide on each step.
What affects fees and how we manage them
- Scope and urgency of the matter, including whether there are interim hearings or expert reports
- Volume of disclosure and evidence, and whether parenting, property or both are in issue
- Court events such as mentions, directions and final hearings, and whether counsel is briefed
- Mediation or negotiation time, plus drafting and filing of orders or agreements
How we keep costs clear and controlled
- Written estimates at the start, then updated as the case progresses
- Clear scopes for each stage, with what we will do and what we need from you
- Practical tips to reduce time, like organised documents and concise instructions
- A settlement first approach to avoid unnecessary court time, wherever appropriate
Since the 2021 reform, they have formed one court called the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia with two divisions. Division 1, often called the family law court, deals with the most complex matters and appeals. Division 2, often called the Federal Circuit Court, is the starting point for most cases and manages the majority of day-to-day listings.
How the pathway usually works
- You apply to the court by filing an application with supporting documents.
- The case is managed through directions hearings that set what needs to happen and by when.
- Interim hearings can set temporary parenting or financial arrangements while the case continues.
- Most matters are steered to mediation or negotiation before any trial.
- If a settlement is not reached, a final hearing is listed. In limited situations, a matter may be transferred between divisions, for example, when it becomes unusually complex or urgent.
Look for accredited family law experience, clear communication and precise drafting that helps you achieve the best outcome.
What to look for:
- Proven court advocacy, with examples of mentions, interim hearings and final hearings they have run.
- A settlement-first approach to mediation, with a plan for litigation if agreement is not possible.
- Drafting that holds up in practice, including clear orders and workable timeframes.
- Straightforward communication, action points after meetings, and regular updates.
- Estimates that are explained in advance, with how costs will be monitored as the matter progresses.
- A broader team of legal experts that works together. Our Melbourne divorce lawyers coordinate with our litigators so your divorce steps and court work stay aligned.
Family court resources
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