Q&A Lawyer Feature written by LY Intern Ashley Stratford and co-authored with Family Lawyer Dimi Karangelis from Aspire Lawyers
It can sometimes be difficult for clients to know what to bring to a family law appointment.
However, in this article, Family Law Specialist Dimi Karangelis from Aspire Lawyers outlines the “must haves” you should prepare before you have your first consultation with your family lawyer.
While, at a first appointment it is not necessary to have everything (sometimes you might not be 100% certain you require legal support), it is a good idea to keep in mind that some or all of this information may be asked of you later down the track.
Client Checklist
- Contact details for the other party
- Contact details for any lawyers
- Details of the relationship with the other party (i.e., a chronology of events) including –
- Living arrangements
- Date of separation
- Date of marriage
- Date of divorce and certificate if applicable
- Details of any children of this relationship (or any of past relationships)
- Living arrangements
- Any property, particularly shared
- Current employment and income status
- Bank statements
- Health
- Shared assets (i.e. property, shares, motor vehicles, super etc)
- Any payments, inheritance, or lump-sums during the relationship
- Any contributions made during the life of the relationship (i.e., improvements to the home)
- Who was the main ‘breadwinner’?
- What assets each party entered the relationship with
For many family law matters, clients will often have to engage in a ‘full and frank disclosure of documents’.
This means that clients will often have to trade each other’s documents.
Therefore, any client thinking of consulting a family lawyer should have the above in mind.
If you are unsure of whether you need to see a family lawyer, the best thing to do is see one for an initial appointment and go from there.
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This Q&A Lawyer Feature post does not constitute legal advice or a legal opinion on any matter discussed and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and practice in this area.
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