Collier Family Lawyers Cairns

Need a Family Lawyer in Cairns? And looking to keep your issue out of costly court proceedings – so that you’ll settle your dispute as quickly and as affordably as possible?

As a Family law attorney, Nardine Collier has practiced for over 26+ years and is an accredited specialist in divorce & family law, and has successfully resolved hundreds of cases (focusing on fairly dividing property, divorce and children’s matters).

We know that money is tight, and that you want the best legal advice possible. This is why we offer affordable rates and flexible payment options.

Our services:

• Family law attorney
• Family Law Specialist
• Divorce Lawyer Cairns
• Cairns Family Lawyers
• Arrangements for Children
• Separation & Divorce
• DIY Divorce
• Division of assets
• Mediation
• Arbitration
• E-Consulting
• Advice

We look forward to speaking to you today.

Collier Family Lawyers Cairns Frequently Asked Questions.

When should I contact a Family Lawyer? The sooner the better! We have people contact even us before they have separated for advice as to what they can do to start protecting assets in case it all goes pear shaped; or just to find out what they need to do. The sooner you get the advice you need, the sooner you can start getting on with what needs to be done to sort out your family law matters. We will discuss your situation with you and give you a checklist of things to think about and attend to in order to streamline the process as much as possible

Do I really need a Family lawyer? Can’t I just do it myself? You may be tempted not to get legal advice because you think it is expensive or not really necessary. In the same way you wouldn’t think of building a house unless you had the expertise to do so, you run the risk of getting it wrong if you don’t get legal advice. This could be a costly mistake!

You really do need to know whether you are on the right track with what you think you are entitled to and what might be done if you end up before a judge. You need to pick your battles sometimes and not waste time and money arguing about something you are just not going to get. With a property settlement you will need to know the process to working it all out and what you are entitled to. You need to know what legal steps have to be taken, and how to go about it.

Every case is different and just because your mate got a certain outcome doesn’t mean you will. There is also a lot of information out there and just like a medical issue you really shouldn’t self diagnose from Dr Google!! It is worth it, to outlay what is really only a small sum in the scheme of things, to get some good advice to get you started.

Can I save money on my legal fees? How do I cope with fees? YES! In the lawyer world, our time is your money. Most lawyers charge according to the time they spend in your file. This means, the more time your lawyer spends on your file, the more it costs you.

At Collier Family Law, we know that money is tight and you want the best value for money. This is why we will suggest to you that you can do some of the legwork yourself – as this will reduce your fees.

For example, you can write out your story – you might find it therapeutic! If it is a property matter, you can get together all your financial records and prepare them to give to us. We also have an automated letter of instruction which you fill in, and it gives us the background we need from you to give you advice. You doing this yourself will save at least an hour of time.

As another great time saver I regularly have my clients fill in documents in draft for me to check over; or make their own enquiries where they can – for example, getting three quotes from a valuer. The more you can do, the less I need to, which reduces your fees.

Remember also – your Cairns family lawyers MUST give you a proper estimate of fees at the start of your engagement with them, and keep giving you further estimates throughout the life of your file. If this isn’t covered with you at the first appointment, ask why.

Is a consent order an easy process?
Yes it really is quite a simple process. The hard part is usually reaching the agreement in the first place! But once you’ve done that, filling in an application for consent orders is reasonably straightforward. There are two places where the ‘do it yourself’ person comes unstuck. Firstly there are a couple of sections in the form that are not as straightforward as other parts of the form and might require some legal advice. The second is that the application for consent orders must be accompanied by minutes of order where you set out the orders you want the court to make. This is the part that does require some legal expertise in order to make sure the orders are worded correctly and you don’t miss things out.

Our service areas:

• Edmonton
• Bently Park
• Mount Sheridan
• Earlville
• Manunda
• Cairns City
• Edge Hill
• Wharf Street, Cairns QLD 4870
• Spence Street, Cairns QLD 4870
• Lake Street, Cairns QLD 4870
• Bunda Street, Cairns QLD 4870