Are you searching for divorce lawyers in Sydney? One of the main questions on your mind is likely to be how much it is going to cost you. Divorce lawyers in Sydney are notorious for being quite expensive after all. The legal profession has a reputation for demanding high fees and understandably a lot of people feel anxious about maintaining their budget when trying to find reliable divorce lawyers in Sydney. Understanding what the costs are likely to be can help to alleviate some of the anxiety about hiring someone, and can also help you to avoid paying too much. Read our guide below on how much New South Wales legal representatives are likely to cost you. 


Basic costs

Most divorce lawyers in Sydney will generally have an hourly rate of between $250 and $450 an hour, depending on their skills and experience. When undergoing a separation and legal divorce you should expect that it will likely cost you at a minimum a few hours if your situation is relatively simple. A few hours from divorce lawyers in Sydney can usually cover basic advice or the filing of the paperwork. If your situation is more complicated or contentious, however, then it could end up costing you a lot more. Child custody issues especially can get very expensive and you may end up spending thousands more if you can’t reach an agreement on the issue with your ex-partner. 


Different payment types

There are a number of different cost structures that divorce lawyers in Sydney may use, here are the ones you’re most likely to come across.

Flat Fee

Flat fees generally mean that you will pay your divorce lawyers in Sydney an agreed-upon amount for their services. Flat fees are usually implemented when only simple services are involved, such as when you don’t need much more than a filing or some simple advice. Flat fees generally depend on the services you require and the firm you’re planning to work with.

Hourly rate

Some legal representatives will charge an hourly rate. In this case, the cost you are left with at the end will depend on how much work is required during your separation. Your legal representative will be able to give you a good indication of what kind of timings you can expect and how long things are likely to take. If things change or become more complicated later on down the line however, things could become more expensive. In many cases when being charged hourly rates it can be less expensive to hire a more experienced legal representative as they can get things done more quickly. If you’re concerned about costs, ask your chosen legal representative to check in with you regularly to help you keep track of costs.

Retainers

Some New South Wales legal representatives will ask for payments upfront before they will begin work This usually involves paying a set amount into a trust which they will invoice from. Funds may need to be replenished if they run out.

Contingency fees

Contingency fees basically mean that you will only pay your legal representative if they ‘win’ your case. This is generally not used by divorce lawyers in Sydney because ‘winning’ is not usually the goal. 


Why are they so expensive?

Legal practitioners have many years of experience and education. The fee structure that they charge reflects all the experience that they have and their expertise. Whilst they can be costly they can also make the process of managing issues like separations much smoother and less stressful to go through and deal with.