Property & family lawyers
Sydney, NSW
Buying, selling, separating or planning ahead — explained in plain English, at a fixed fee wherever we can.
Chapter one
We keep to the matters that shape a household: the home, the family, the estate — and the lease on the shop downstairs.
Buying or selling a house, unit or vacant land anywhere in NSW, including auction and off-the-plan purchases.
From $1,650 · sample fixed fee
Wills, enduring powers of attorney and guardianship, and steady help for executors after a death in the family.
Wills from $450 · sample
Separation, parenting arrangements and property settlements, with a steady preference for agreement over court where it is safe.
First meeting $330 · sample
Retail and commercial leases for small businesses and landlords — read before you sign, not after.
Reviews from $880 · sample
Chapter two
We tell you what happens next, what it will cost and what we need from you — before you have to ask.
Conveyancing, wills and lease reviews are quoted as a fixed fee before we start. If the job changes, we tell you first.
The person you meet at the first appointment is the person who settles your purchase or finalises your agreement.
Every letter opens with a short summary: what it means, and whether you need to do anything.
Meet us in Balmain, by video or on the phone — weekdays until 5.30pm, with Saturday mornings kept for contract reviews before auction.
Chapter three · Conveyancing
Six stages of a typical NSW residential sale — what you do, what we do, and the paperwork you'll see at each one.
Choose a stage — or use the arrow keys, or Previous and Next.
General information only, not legal advice. Timeframes and figures reflect typical NSW residential practice and can differ in your contract.
Chapter four
Quoted before we begin, confirmed in writing, and held unless the job itself changes.
A written quotebefore any work starts
Your lawyer's direct linenot a switchboard
Calls & emailsincluded in the fee
Disbursements at costitemised in your quote
Sample pricesFor a fictional firm, in AUD including GST. Searches, registration fees and transfer duty are extra and passed on at cost.
Chapter five
If you're buying a home in NSW there's usually a cooling-off period of 5 business days after exchange. You can withdraw in that window, but you forfeit 0.25% of the purchase price. There's no cooling-off when you buy at auction, and sellers don't get one.
It's a certificate from your lawyer that waives the cooling-off period — sometimes requested when a seller wants certainty before auction day. We only sign one after explaining exactly what you give up.
The standard NSW contract commonly sets settlement 42 days after exchange, but it can be shorter or longer by agreement. Off-the-plan purchases follow their own timetable.
Transfer duty (stamp duty) is due within 3 months of exchange in NSW, and most buyers pay it at settlement. We include an estimate in your quote and arrange the payment.
Many families reach agreement without a hearing — through negotiation or mediation — and formalise it with consent orders. Strict time limits apply to property claims after a divorce or the end of a de facto relationship, so it's worth getting advice early.
Weekday appointments run until 5.30pm, video meetings can start a little later by arrangement, and Saturday mornings are kept for contract reviews before auction.
General information only, not legal advice. If you or your children are unsafe, call 000.
Chapter six
Tell us a little about the matter and we'll suggest a time that suits — in chambers, by video or by phone.