Our Melbourne same-sex and LGBTIQ+ lawyers provide clear, structured advice to guide you through the separation process, helping you understand your position and move forward with certainty from the outset.
We advise same-sex married and de facto couples on separation, property, and parenting. This includes legal parentage, donor and surrogacy arrangements, and your rights under Australian law. You receive clear guidance in a respectful, inclusive environment.
From financial agreements to parenting arrangements, we help you formalise outcomes that reflect your family’s needs and your goals. Our focus is on practical solutions, reducing conflict and protecting your position, with clear pathways to binding agreements and broader family law support where needed.
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Practical, clear advice across all areas of family law, from first questions to final resolution.
Clear guidance through separation, protecting your rights and helping you plan your next chapter.
Strategic advice to secure a fair division of assets and protect what matters most to you.
Practical solutions focused on your children’s best interests while reducing conflict.
Advice on financial support obligations so you understand your entitlements clearly.
Compassionate legal support to keep you and your family safe, with urgent intervention orders when you need them most.
Understanding your rights in a de facto relationship, whether separating or protecting what you’ve built together.
20+ years combined family law experience. You speak to senior lawyers from your very first call.
Why choose us
We’re not transactional lawyers — we aim to be another branch of your support network.
Exclusive focus on family law means better outcomes — no generalists here.
Clear advice, honest costs, no surprises — from your very first call.
59 Koornang Road — a real local office for Melbourne's south-east families.
We aim to get you out of the legal system as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Getting started
Three simple steps to getting expert family lawyers on your side.
01
Meet our Carnegie team, discuss your situation and explore your options — no obligation, no jargon.
02
We match you with the right lawyer and build a tailored plan around your goals and circumstances.
03
We guide you to a fair outcome so you can move ahead with clarity and confidence.
You don’t have to manage separation without guidance. Speak with our same-sex and LGBTIQ+ lawyers for thoughtful advice and a clear path toward resolving property and parenting matters.
No. Same-sex married couples follow the same process under the Family Law Act 1975. You must be separated for at least 12 months before applying. The Court does not treat applications differently based on gender or sexual orientation.
Parenting decisions are based on the child’s best interests, not the parents’ gender. The Court considers safety, each parent’s relationship with the child, capacity to provide care, and the need for stability and appropriate arrangements moving forward.
Same-sex de facto couples generally have the same rights as married couples under the Family Law Act 1975. This includes property settlement and spousal maintenance, usually where the relationship lasted at least two years or meets recognised exceptions.
There is no automatic 50/50 split. The Court assesses contributions, future needs, care of children and overall fairness. Property can include assets, liabilities and superannuation, with outcomes tailored to the specific circumstances of the relationship.
Often yes, but it depends on legal parentage. This may be determined by birth registration, adoption, or assisted reproduction laws. Where both are recognised as parents, each can have rights and responsibilities in parenting decisions. Get in touch with our Melbourne family lawyers for advice on your situation today.
Based in Carnegie. We see clients in person or online, whichever suits you.
