Need an Accredited Specialist Family Lawyer for assistance with your separation or divorce?

At Doolan Wagner Family Lawyers our team of divorce lawyers have helped countless numbers of people from the Forestville area (and the areas immediately surrounding it) through their separation and divorce for over twenty years. Because of their level of exposure each family lawyer in our team understands the unique factors affecting Forestville families and how those factors impact upon our client’s ability to make decisions regarding their family law issues.

So what are some of those concerns?

1. Worrying about finances in the lead-up to and/or following a separation…
   – That their individual income alone will not be enough to support themselves and/or their dependents;
   – That they will not cope with supporting two households on the family’s current level of income;
   – That they will be forced to move away from the local area to lower cost accommodation; and
   – That they will have significant legal fees following their separation.
2. Worrying about the effect a separation will have on children of the relationship. We often hear our client’s say “I don’t want my separation to adversely affect my children” or “I still want my child to have a relationship with me and my ex”.
3. Thinking that lawyers “live in legal land” and:
   – won’t understand the specific family dynamic;
   – won’t appreciate the motivators of each of the parties;
   – will judge the family; and
   – their involvement in the matter will only make things worse.

Many of our clients have reported to us over the course of their matters that they had initially thought that they should avoid seeing a family lawyer because it is costly and were afraid that our involvement would exacerbate the problem but were surprised to find that they wished they had obtained proper legal advice about their divorce and separation sooner. This is because family lawyers, especially specialist family lawyers, can advise you on your rights and responsibilities, the real options available to you to settle your matter, the range of outcomes you can expect and can also explain how “family law” works in Australia to dispel many of your anxieties which may be based on misunderstandings or misinformation.

Any good family lawyer will tell you that the majority of matters are resolved by way of agreement without the need to go to Court but that being able to reach an agreement will depend on many things including the parties’ ability to negotiate (and compromise) with one another, the parties’ personalities, and the timing of the negotiations following the breakdown of the relationship.

A family law expert can give you useful advice in relation to the best negotiation strategy to reach agreement with your former spouse as well as the cheapest and most effective way to document the terms of any settlement you reach.

We have found that after receiving family law advice from us many of our clients have been able to negotiate a settlement with their former partner directly and our role has been restricted to drafting settlement documents (such as Consent Orders, a Binding Financial Agreement or a Binding Child Support Agreement).

Getting timely specialist family law advice, even prior to separating, is the best way to limit the burden, worry and cost of dealing with lengthy family law disputes and best position you to resolve your matter in the most optimal way for you and your family. There are wise and effective ways (and not-so-wise or effective ways) to deal with a separation and our legal advice comes from years of experience in dealing with couples who are in the midst of a relationship breakdown.

Why you should let the experts at Doolan Wagner Family Lawyers help you with your family law matter…

1. We are a very affordable expert family law firm. As a specialist boutique family law firm we have much lower overheads than many of our competitors. This allows us to pass on those savings to our clients by offering a very reasonable fixed rate initial consultation fee and maintaining significantly more affordable hourly charge-out rates over the length of your matter.
2. We are Accredited Family Law Specialists and are best placed to negotiate the better outcome for you and your family in the most cost-effective and appropriately focused way.
3. Whilst you may have dealt with a general practice lawyer for a variety of legal matters in the past, we believe that family law matters are best dealt with by family law experts. This is because expert family lawyers will work more efficiently on your file, will understand your real concerns faster, can provide swift and precise advice (in accordance with the current law and precedent)… specialist family law advice is therefore more likely to represent very good value for money.
4. We will always listen to you because we know that by taking the time to get to know you, your family and your personal circumstances we can provide you with the most appropriate advice and guidance as you negotiate the difficult new terrain of your separation and/or divorce.
5. We have largely “seen it all before” and approach all of our client’s matters (and their traditions and customs) in a non-judgmental way. We know that all families, and indeed separations, are unique. We will offer you useful suggestions to compliment your family’s situation and we will try to reduce the issues in dispute and make your separation more amicable. We recognise that the less “legal” involvement we need to have in your domestic relationships, the more money you can save and the easier your separation will be for you and your family.
6. We understand that going to court can be a daunting, drawn-out and very expensive exercise. Accordingly we are committed to resolving your matter using alternative dispute resolution methods wherever possible. We will often recommend our client’s attend private mediation or participate in informal negotiations prior to engaging in the court process.
7. Even so, we recognise that sometimes parties cannot resolve outstanding issues without engaging in the Court process and obtaining intervention or assistance from the Court. We have a strong reputation for providing blue-ribbon Court representation in both the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court and are very well placed to assist you in either Court with all your family law needs.
8. We will do everything we can to get the best outcome for you and your family, both in relation to parenting matters and financial settlements. To us, you and your family matter and accordingly we will always act with you and your family’s best interests foremost in mind – that is our promise to you.

Our Services:

• Divorces, including separation under one roof
• Parenting, including parenting plans and Consent Orders
• Property/Financial Settlements, including superannuation splitting, spouse maintenance and child support
• De facto Relationship matters

Separation is one of the toughest experiences a person can go through regardless as to how long you have been contemplating going down that path or the extent the relationship has deteriorated. Making the decision to separate is a major commitment in a person’s life which will really affect the whole family. Getting professional help and practical legal advice will certainly benefit you as you make your way through the separation process. So please call us on 9437 0010 to take the first step in your separation towards a secure and positive future.

These posts are only intended as an overview or comment on current issues that may interest you and are not legal advice. If there are any matters that you would like us to advise you on, then please contact us.