Your trusted family law, divorce law & estate planning lawyers
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.
Advocating for you and your family
With more than 40 years of practice behind us, we have grown to become one of Victoria’s leading and most respected family law firms. Since our inception, we have made it our mission to implement best practices in all areas of our firm, going above and beyond to provide clients with the best possible service.
Our goal is to help you reach a resolution in your family law matter in the most timely and cost-effective way possible. Unlike many other solicitors, we’re 100% client-focused and put you and your family’s needs first. On the surface, we’re legal experts, but underneath that, we’re a caring team of people, passionate about helping you and your family navigate this life-changing event.
Our awards and memberships
Our family law services
Areas our family lawyers specialise in
Our solution-focused process
We help take the pain out of difficult situations
When navigating such a challenging time, you need someone by your side who considers your needs and genuinely cares about helping you achieve the best outcome. That’s where we step in. With one of our best family lawyers representing you, we will:
- We make the process straightforward and stress-free
- Aim to reach a quick, cost-effective resolution
- Use jargon-free language to explain the process
- Show empathy and respect at all times
- Available to answer your questions
Client testimonials
Our reviews are a testament to how much we care about our clients and strive to achieve the best possible outcome.
"I highly recommend Carew Counsel Solicitors for anyone seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable solicitor for family law matters. Madison Ogilvie excelled in her communication, ensuring I was kept informed every step of the way. Although it got stressful, Madison's professionalism was top-notch."
"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. I would certainly recommend Madison and the team at Carew for their professionalism, experience, integrity and dedicated service."
"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 Alex Carew & 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."
Wills and estates
Dealing with the legalities after the passing of a loved one can be stressful and overwhelming for all involved.
We can help carry the load by:
- Assisting with disputes
- Inheritance protection
- Executor assistance
- Probates in a compassionate and solution-focused manner
Book a free 15 minute callback
Get started by discussing your situation with a family law expert.
Why choose Carew Counsel
Client-focused outcomes
We go the extra mile to deliver client satisfaction, offering clear communication and a mandate to cut unnecessary costs.
Proven history of success
We’re one of the most respected family law firms in Victoria and have 40+ years of experience helping clients reach resolutions.
Effective strategies
Our leading family lawyers and accredited family law specialists are experts in their field, creating custom roadmaps for optimal results.
Open & transparent
There are no hidden fees or nasty surprises when you choose us - we’re upfront about pricing, the process, and potential outcomes.
Meet our team
Frequently asked questions
Browse our most commonly asked questions relating to family law matters and the services we provide
Once you engage our services, the general process we follow is:
- Send a letter to the other party letting them know that Carew Counsel is acting on your behalf
- Initiate fact-finding to determine the asset pool and any other requirements
- Put in an offer or await an offer from the other party
- If amicable, the matter can typically be resolved in a matter of months
- If not, the next step is a more formalised mediation to try and reach a resolution
- If unresolved, the next step is to go to family court, where the judge will make a decision - however, this is rare and our family lawyers do everything they can to prevent things from entering this stage
The specific process varies between matters. For example, family law disputes may be more complex and require additional steps compared to an amicable separation with no children involved. Our legal team will map out a more detailed process tailored to your family matter following your consultation.
Unfortunately, we don’t offer payment plans or instalments. We do, however, provide an upfront estimate after your initial consultation that you can review before agreeing to ongoing services.
Depending on the nature of your family matter, you may be asked to bring the following to your consultation:
- Any legal documents related to your family situation, such as family court orders, separation agreements, or any existing legal agreements
- Financial documents
- Communication records, such as emails or text messages
- Timeline of events
- Questions you want to ask
After your initial telephone consultation, we’ll let you know if you need to bring anything along to your next appointment.
The total length of time depends on a number of variables including some outside of our control, such as waiting to hear from the other party.
However, our professional family lawyers have a firm understanding of the law and aim to move you through the process as quickly as possible so you can reach a resolution sooner. If the situation can be resolved amicably, the entire process may only take a few months. Mediations and hearings will take longer to resolve, but only around one in 10 cases go to a final hearing. We can talk more about timeframes once we have a better understanding of your personal circumstances and family law matters.
Not at all - in relation to separation, the Family Law Act covers those in de facto relationships (including same sex relationships) as well as those who are married.
Family lawyers also handle a range of legal matters outside of marriage and divorce, including separation, child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and more. Whether you are married, in a domestic partnership, or facing legal concerns within a family context, an experienced family lawyer can provide guidance and the right legal advice. If you have specific concerns or questions about your situation, consulting with family law solicitors can help you understand your rights and plan a clear path forward towards a fair and equitable outcome.
The cost of family law services varies from case to case, depending on:
- The services you require
- The lawyer’s experience
- How complex your family law matters are
- Whether the firm charges hourly or offers fixed rates
At Carew Counsel, we provide a fixed fee for most cases after your initial consultation. For more complex matters, we’ll provide an estimate based on the desired outcome which we will discuss with you upfront before you engage our services. Every situation is unique which is why we recommend booking a consultation to get a more accurate breakdown of legal costs.
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