Some law firms offer a 30 minute “free” first interview for Family Law matters. In our experience 30 minutes is not enough time to do your matter proper justice.
30-minute interview:
- May not allow you to provide your full instructions. (I.e. to tell your full and proper story).
- May not allow a solicitor to provide you with detailed legal advice as to your percentage entitlements and/or the living arrangements with respect to children.
- May not allow a solicitor to provide you with detailed and varied options to resolve your matter.
- May not allow a solicitor to develop an appropriate action plan for the resolution of your matter.
- May not allow a solicitor to answer all of your pressing questions, including queries regarding costs
At Tonkin Legal Group, we offer a FIXED FEE first conference for $450 (inclusive of GST).
This meeting can last for up to 2 hours and is obligation free.
This gives you certainty about price and peace of mind. After this conference you will have a clear picture of “where you stand”.
We:
- Are experts in Family law and have 3 Family Law Accredited Specialists.
- Have extensive expertise in all areas of Family Law, including complex property settlements, parenting disputes, Intervention Orders and Child Support.
What does our Fixed Fee first conference include?
Our fixed fee reduced price conference process commences when you arrange an appointment with one of our Family Law solicitors. We confirm the process:
- Begins with our support staff obtaining some basic information from you, at the time the appointment is made.
- We will then forward to you (prior to you scheduled appointment) a “first conference pack” via confidential email. The pack includes a photo and details regarding the solicitor you are scheduled to see, an Information Sheet (to obtain some more details regarding your matter), and a Table of Assets and Liabilities (to obtain information regarding your relationship assets and liabilities).
- It is preferable that these documents are returned prior to your appointment, so our solicitors can immediately tackle the issues you are confronted with at the first conference. If it is not possible to complete the documents prior to your appointment, then your solicitor can assist you in completing them at your appointment.
- During your appointment we will cover the following issues:
- Obtain your detailed instructions (your story).
- Explain to you the legal process, and the various options available for you to resolve your matter including mediation, collaboration, negotiation, round-table conferences arbitration, and if necessary, making an Application to Court (noting we believe going to Court should be a last resort).
- Assess where you stand legally in property (i.e. your potential % entitlements) and/or parenting matters (what time each party will spend with the child/ren).
- Prepare an Action Plan, that will move you towards an overall resolution.
- Provide you with information regarding costs.
- We also encourage clients to bring along a list of questions that may be concerning them and to attend with a family member/s or friend/s if they wish.
At the conclusion of our first conference, you will have a much clearer picture as to where you stand legally and how we can proceed.
When you are ready to proceed beyond the first conference, we can provide you with a detailed cost estimate for any further legal work to be done on your behalf.
In our experience, it would be impossible to cover the above issues in a 30-minute interview.
