Preparing For Your First Consultation with a Family Lawyer

If you’re looking for a family lawyer in Echuca, Cohuna, Kerang or Swan Hill and surrounds, and you’re unsure what to expect from your first meeting, you’re not alone.

Speaking with a family lawyer is often the start of finding your feet again. When you’re navigating separation, changes in parenting, or financial uncertainty, even making the call can feel overwhelming.

In your first consultation, our job is to make things clearer and help you understand what to do next.

At Joliman Lawyers, our role is simple: to make things clearer, calmer, and more manageable from the very beginning.

Key takeaways

• You don’t need to “have it all together” before your first appointment.
• A few key details help us give clear advice, but you can provide more later.
• The best consults end with a simple plan: what matters most, what to do next, and what can wait.
• Even a rough sense of what you want life to look like on the other side helps guide the conversation.

Start with this: what do you want life to look like on the other side?

Prior to your first appointment, we’ll send you an intake form to complete. This gives us a picture of your situation and allows you to spend your time getting answers — rather than retelling every detail from scratch.

A first consultation with a family lawyer is not an exam.

You’re not expected to walk in with a perfectly organised folder or a timeline worthy of a detective show.

• Listen carefully and ask targeted questions.
• Identify any urgent issues (children, safety, finances, living arrangements).
• Explain your legal pathways in plain English.
• Help you separate emotional noise from real priorities.

When you’re under stress, everything can feel equally urgent. Part of our role is helping you determine what genuinely needs action now — and what can wait.

What your first appointment is really for

Prior to your first appointment, we will send you an intake form to fill in, this will paint us a picture of your situation. Getting that out of the way allows you to focus on getting answers to your questions, rather than us asking you for your story first.

A first consultation isn’t an exam. You’re not expected to walk in with a binder or a timeline worthy of a detective show. 

It’s more like this:

• We’ll listen, ask a few targeted questions, and get a clear picture of what’s going on.
• We’ll flag any urgent issues early (kids, safety, finances, living arrangements).
• We’ll explain the pathways available to you in plain English, including what usually happens next and what choices you have.

And importantly, we’ll help you sort the noise from the real priorities.

When you’re under stress, everything can feel equally urgent. Part of our job is helping you figure out what actually needs action right now.

A few things worth bringing

If you can bring a few basics, it helps us give tailored advice from the start. If you don’t have them yet, that’s okay. We can still begin the conversation and guide you on what to gather next.

The most helpful things are usually:

• Key dates (approximate is fine): when things changed, when you separated, when someone moved out, when parenting arrangements shifted.
• A simple snapshot of the kids’ routine: where they’re living now, school/childcare, and what’s working (and not working).
• A rough outline of finances: income, major assets (home, cars, super), and major debts (mortgage, loans, credit cards).

If you do have documents handy, great. Recent payslips, mortgage statements, bank summaries, or super balances can help. But we’d rather you come in and get support than delay because you’re still chasing paperwork.

We do understand that you’re probably juggling practical realities too, like shift work, farming schedules, long drives, kids’ commitments. We can work around that. The goal is progress, not perfection.

If safety is a concern, you can say that

Some clients worry they’ll be judged, or that raising safety concerns will “make things worse.” 

The reality is: early disclosure helps us protect you and your children.

Even saying:

• “There have been threats.”
• “I don’t feel safe at handovers.”
• “They monitor my messages.”

… is enough for us to start thinking about the safest pathway forward.

If you are unsure what behaviour amounts to family violence, understanding the different forms of family violence can help.

Your safety and your children’s wellbeing will always be the priority.

The questions that will help you leave feeling clearer

People often leave a first consultation with lots of information, but what they really need is direction. These questions help turn information into a plan:

“What should I focus on first?”

When you’re stretched thin, you need priorities, not a long to-do list.

“What are my options from here, and what do you recommend?”

Not every matter needs a court. Not every issue needs to be a fight. This question helps you understand the smartest next step.

“What’s a realistic timeline?”

Even a rough sense of timing can calm the nervous system. Uncertainty is often the hardest part.

“What should I be doing (or not doing) in the meantime?”

This is where practical guidance matters. Communication, boundaries, what to record, and what to avoid. Communication strategies matter. You may find our co-parenting communication tips useful.

“How can we keep costs under control?”

A good local lawyer will be upfront about fees, what can be handled efficiently, and where you can save time (and money).

Supporting your children through separation

Children often show stress in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. If you’re navigating parenting changes, you may find practical guidance in this resource on supporting children during separation.

Family law is not just about legal outcomes — it’s about protecting futures.

Frequently asked questions about seeing a family lawyer in Swan Hill

Do I need to go to court?

Not necessarily. Many matters resolve through negotiation or mediation. Court is sometimes required, but it is not the starting point for most families.

How long does a family law matter take?

Some parenting or property matters resolve in months; others take longer. You’ll leave your consultation with a clearer idea of timing.

Do I have to decide everything straight away?

No. The first step is understanding your options. Decisions can be staged.