Initial Consultations

What is an Initial Consultation?

The first consultation is often the most important meeting you will have with us. Our Principal and Accredited Family Law Specialist, Lisa Wagner, endeavours to meet all clients during the first meeting, whether the meeting is with her alone, or with a member of our highly qualified team of specialist family lawyers.

During your first consultation, we will guide you through the Family Law process, with a view to providing clarity, knowledge and peace of mind about the process you are about to embark upon. We understand that the breakdown of a relationship can be daunting and emotional, and sometimes financially complex, and we appreciate that you are likely to require practical guidance as to the best way to navigate through these issues. We endeavour to ensure that at the conclusion of your initial consultation, you have a clear understanding of the Family Law process and the steps ahead towards you achieving a positive resolution.

As part of our initial consultation, we will obtain as much of the necessary information from you as possible to enable us to form an opinion as to your specific personal circumstances and requirements having regard to the relevant provisions of the Family Law Act 1975 and related legislation.

If you require assistance in relation to a financial matter (property settlement, child support, spouse maintenance) we will take a detailed history of the relationship, including financial contributions and non-financial contributions such as homemaking and parenting contributions, made by each party to the relationship. We appreciate that you may not have all the details and information to hand during this first meeting, and we are able to assist you obtain that information so we can provide advice on your likely rights and obligations under the Family Law Act 1975 and related legislation.

If you require advice about parenting issues, we will obtain details in relation to the children’s care arrangements during the course of the relationship, as well as the current arrangements, and guide you through the various options available to achieving the best possible care arrangement for the future care of your children based on our expertise and specialist knowledge in Family Law.

At the end of the first consultation, we provide you with specialist advice on your rights and obligations under the Family Law Act 1975 and associated legislation. We will also inform you of all the options available to you and recommend a course of action and strategy to assist you to achieve your desired outcome.

As we understand that your time is valuable, we recommend that all of our clients prepare a list of any questions or issues to be discussed during the first conference, as well as bringing with them any relevant documentation.

The Firm was founded by Lisa Wagner, a Law Society of NSW Accredited Family Law Specialist with 30 years’ experience in all aspects of Family Law matters. Lisa and her team specialise exclusively in Family Law and related matters.

Doolan Wagner Family Lawyers is committed to providing expert advice on all Family Law matters to ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations following the breakdown of a marriage or de facto relationship.

Our services extend to all areas including the North Shore, Sydney CBD, the Eastern Suburbs, Western Sydney, South Sydney, regional New South Wales, interstate and in overseas jurisdictions.