Our First Meeting With You
Our lawyers will meet with you for an initial consultation. Our lawyers ask that you set aside approximately 1.5 hours for this initial consultation, allowing us to provide the necessary advice and to ensure you have ample opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
During this initial consultation, our lawyers will provide you with legal advice relevant to your matter, discuss your concerns and objectives, and guide you on your unique circumstances. We want you to feel informed and educated when you leave your initial meeting with us.
Topics we will cover during our first meeting include:
Your time limitations and the reasons they are important
The financial, non-financial and parenting and homemaker contributions of both you and your former partner
The effect of any family violence to which you may have been subjected or exposed to during your relationship and the impact this may have had on contributions
Whether there has been, as a result of decisions made during the relationship, an ability for one party to have a greater earning capacity than the other
Whether one party’s earning capacity has been or will be affected by ongoing commitments to support children and the impact that has on the ability to obtain and maintain gainful employment
What is the level of financial support being paid for the children of the relationship and what are the care arrangements for your children
What joint decision making means
What the Court considers when deciding children’s care arrangements and whether an equal time arrangement is appropriate or in their best interests
Our lawyers will often give you “homework” during stages of your matter. Where you can undertake tasks and provide instructions and information requested by your lawyer, you are ensuring timely work performance and minimising your legal fees.
Our aim is to have you leave your consultation feeling more confident and armed with the information to assist you in making the decisions required as part of the separation process.