Separation Lawyers Assisting With The Entire Separation Process

At O’Loan Family Law, we understand that divorce is often challenging and emotional for everyone involved, but it does not have to be. We have divorce and separation lawyers who will guide you every step of the way in your family law matters. We are a family law firm located in St Leonards, offering flexible fee structures and services to assist you with making the process as quick and fair as possible.

 

What You Stand To Gain When You Use Our Separation Lawyers in Sydney

We are a specialist Family Law firm resolving parenting issues, child support, property settlements, financial support, and finalising your settlement. We can also help with de facto relationships if you find yourself separating or require advice about entering into one. If you have been in a brief relationship and your ex-partner wants to claim against you financially, we can assist with determining the claim’s legitimacy and either disclaim the allegation or negotiate a fair settlement.

  • We endeavour to find alternative options to appearing in court; it is beneficial to all parties if a resolution can be met amicably, it is also a lot less costly. However, should appearing in court be unavoidable, our advocacy skills second to none. Our solicitors regularly appear in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
  • If you have reached an agreement on how to divide your property and parenting arrangements, we can provide you with a formal agreement known as Consent Orders which we will file at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on your behalf.
  • Another service we offer Collaborative Practice for when you want an out-of-court settlement and both parties wish to remain amicable and reach an agreement based on their needs, wants and wishes.

 

What You Can Expect From O’Loan Family Law

Separating can be traumatic and stressful, and the results from Googling “separation lawyers near me” can throw you into a panic with all the options and legal terms. We are here to lessen the stress as much as possible and provide you with the quickest and best resolution that suits your circumstances during this emotional time. We follow a few steps to ensure we find the right pathway forward for all parties involved during the family breakdown. Our family law experts will provide you with advice in plain language with a strong focus on quality to ensure you get the favourable outcome.

  • We set up a complimentary 15-minute introductory call with you to introduce our firm and obtain the basic information of your legal matter. 
  • The initial consultation is held with our principal to obtain background information, focus on parenting and property matters, provide advice, highlight important issues, and, if necessary, refer you to professionals such as child experts. After that, we will work out your unique strategy.
  • Throughout the process, we will keep you informed of the status of your matter, work alongside you and provide support. We will endeavor to help you settle out of court, but should the court be inevitable; we will represent you and continue to negotiate to avoid the court deciding your future.

 

What Client Says

“Bronwyn O’Loan provided me with timely, concise and valuable information to help me settle my marriage breakdown in an amazingly short time. I highly recommend her services as I couldn’t have done this without her assistance.”

– Chris from North Sydney 

 

“This was a worrying time for me & it was great to have you in my team. I appreciate all the effort that you and your team put into this settlement and advice along the way.”

– Bruce from Bonnells Bay

 

Separation FAQs

Separation involves leaving apart from each other, which can be unilaterally decided or initiated by one spouse. 

The process of separating in Australia takes around 6 months. This includes filing for divorce, getting divorced, and then dividing up assets and debts. However, some couples may be able to settle things outside of court. If you want to avoid going through a lengthy legal battle, you should consider mediation.

A divorce involves the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage which requires the two parties which involves 12-month separation. It is possible to be separated if you are living under one roof if certain criteria are met. It is important to obtain legal advice if this is your situation. Unfortunately, if you have experienced family violence, you will still need to be separated from your spouse for at least 12 months. 

A divorce does not determine parenting arrangements for children or arrangements about property. Our motivated family lawyers also have a wealth of experience in Child Support matters which will need to be considered following your divorce proceedings. 

In order to apply for a divorce, you and your spouse must be: 

  • An Australian citizen, or 
  • live in Australia and regard Australia as your permanent home, 
  • or ordinarily live in Australia and have lived here for at least 12 months before the divorce application. 

Parties that have been married for less than two years will need to attend counselling with a family counsellor and file a counselling certificate in order to get divorced. Otherwise, the parties could get permission from the court to apply for a divorce without the certificate. 

An application for divorce can occur through a sole application or a joint application. If you and your spouse are joint applicants or if there is no children under the age of 18, you will not be required to attend the divorce hearing. 

If you are a sole applicant and there is a child under 18, you will be required to attend the divorce hearing. 

Separation affects your superannuation when you separate from your spouse. The amount of money you receive depends upon how long you were married to your partner, whether you had children while together, and how much you contributed during your marriage. If you separated after having children, then you may be entitled to less money. As super accounts are generally locked away until retirement, they are often overlooked when couples divorce preference of more readily accessible assets. 

 

About O’Loan Family Law’s Separation Lawyers

Our divorce lawyers have extensive experience to provide expert advice, handling property settlements, parenting arrangements, consent orders, de facto relationships, and child support agreements. Should you be separating on amicable terms but need assistance with the legalities to formalise your separation agreement, we offer an Assisted DIY Separation service.

If you are separating, you need our dedicated family lawyers in Sydney on your side to receive the appropriate legal advice for your family law proceeding; contact us to book your complimentary introductory call.

We’re expertly placed to help you with your de facto relationship matter. Organise a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.