Dedicated, outcome focused family lawyers

Move forward with optimism

When you work with Emera Family Law, you’ll have a steady hand beside you at every step. We combine compassion with pragmatism and support you with honesty, care, and clear advice. Our focus is on resolution, not conflict, to help you navigate uncertainty, find clarity, and move forward confidently.

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Property Settlement

Negotiating and finalising the division of assets, commonly called property settlement, can happen at any time after separation and the law is almost the same whether you’re married or separating from your de facto partner.

There are time limits that do apply so it’s important to get advice early to protect your interests.

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Children and Parenting

Often, separated parents are able to engage in child-focused discussions and agree on post-separation parenting arrangements without the assistance of lawyers. But, for a variety of reasons, this is not always possible.

Our experienced family lawyers can assist you with disputes about who the children will live with, how time spent with the children is negotiated, major decisions about your child’s health and education, relocation disputes and a range of other issues that may arise after separation.

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Family Violence and Intervention Orders

Intervention Orders are orders made by a court for the personal protection of a person and/or child. They restrict another person from doing certain things like contacting, coming to a person’s home or place of education or work, or committing family or domestic violence.

Family violence and Family Violence Intervention Orders are relevant to parenting orders sought or already made in the Family Law Courts. If there are allegations of family violence and/or allegations of breaching any orders, the Family Law Courts are required to consider these in determining what is in the children’s best interests.

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LGBTIQA+ and family law

Emera Family Law assists the rainbow community with legal issues related to family law, including parenting matters and property settlements. We have experience and expertise with matters involving donor agreements and surrogacy arrangements.

People planning on having a child or children by donor insemination (known or unknown) either at home or at a clinic, by in vitro fertilization (IVF) or surrogacy should be aware of the legal issues around parentage and should seek legal advice early on in their family planning journey.

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Mediation and out-of-court settlements

At Emera Family Law, our aim is to keep your matter out of the Court system and, wherever possible, to negotiate the terms of your separation. This reduces stress and anxiety, is often a faster process and also reduces your family law costs.

There are a number of options for out-of-court negotiation and settlement of your family law matter. These include direct negotiation with your ex-partner, lawyer-assisted negotiation, mediation (including Family Dispute Resolution) and a collaborative law approach to your dispute.

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Divorce lawyers

Obtaining a divorce is the legal end to a marriage. Crucially, divorce does not finalise any parenting arrangements or property settlement, and this is a separate process. Unlike sorting out parenting and property matters, you can’t apply for a divorce until you have been separated for 12 months.

The divorce process is relatively straightforward and in fact, many people don’t engage lawyers to do their divorce unless there’s some complexity to their matter.

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See what our clients say about us

We're very proud of the work we do and the way we do it. It’s important for us to always maintain our philosophy of focusing on solutions not arguments and looking after our clients' best interests. We believe we’re achieving that because many of our clients tell us how they felt about working with us.

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Latest Articles

When my ex gets a new partner, can this affect our property settlement?

When my ex gets a new partner, can this affect our property settlement?

Separation often brings about a range of emotional and financial challenges. One question that commonly arises is whether an ex-partner’s new relationship can impact how property is divided after separation or divorce.
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Can I change my child’s surname after separation?

Can I change my child’s surname after separation?

Changing a child’s surname following separation can be a relatively easy and straightforward process when both parents agree however, it can become significantly more complicated when one parent withholds their consent to the child’s surname being changed.
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A guide to child support assessments

A guide to child support assessments

When going through a separation or divorce involving children, an important thing to consider is the issue of child support.
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How is wastage dealt with in family law property settlements?

How is wastage dealt with in family law property settlements?

Amendments to the Family Law Act in June 2025 saw the addition of new factors that the Court is to consider when assessing the current and future circumstances of parties in determining how to divide property interests - the effect of any material wastage of property or financial resources, caused intentionally or recklessly by either or both parties to the relationship.
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