Guides

How to find the right family lawyer

Cover image for guide.
  • Services
  • Experience
  • Team (will anyone else be working on your case?)
  • Costs and how they charge
  • Payment requirements
  • Approach to family law (and if it aligns with best practice)
  • Specialist accreditation.
  • How much the fees will be
  • When the fees will be due
  • The basis for any variation in the fees
  • Whether you can defer the fee, pay via a payment plan, or a combination of both
  • Paying outright
    If you have the money available, you might choose to pay your legal fees upfront. However, you may want to use your funds for other things, or your money may be tied up in your property settlement. If this is the case, you may be able to seek an interim (short-term) order from the court to be given a lump sum of funds from the property pool prior to the final settlement.
  • Personal loans
    If you decide to borrow money, a personal loan allows you to access the money now and repay it over time. It can be a good option if you don’t have a settlement to worry about and you’re confident you can meet the loan terms. Lenders usually offer loan terms between 1 and 7 years. When getting a personal loan, remember you’ll likely have to pay an up front fee to establish the loan and you’ll need to start making your monthly repayments straight away. You may also be charged penalty fees (say, if you miss a monthly repayment) or an early repayment fee (if you repay the loan in full prior to the end of the loan term).
  • Legal loans
    A legal fee loan is a special type of personal loan designed specifically to help you pay for family law matters. You can usually borrow up to 30% of the expected property settlement, and you don’t need to draw down the full amount upfront. Income is not usually required to be eligible. You can borrow what you need, and you only pay interest on what you use. You’re also not required to make regular repayments – you simply repay the loan in full once you’ve received your property settlement.

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