Federal Circuit and Family Court fee scales

Family law matters

 Commonwealth
SolicitorStage 1B
Litigation intervention mediation or court ordered mediation conducted by Legal Aid NSW
Attendance at mediation, per hour, to maximum 4 hours$165
(PF02)
Stage 1C
Court based mediation conference conducted by Judicial Registrar
 
Preparation$165
(PF110)
Attendance at mediation, per hour, to maximum 4 hours$165
(PF110)
An additional hour may be available in exceptional circumstances that extend the mediation time$165
(PF110)
Stage 2A
Initiating court proceedings up to conclusion of directions hearings
 
Taking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$1,485
(PF27)
Additional preparation allowance for property matters$330
(PF27)

Stage 2B
Initiating court proceedings up to conclusion of directions hearings, including application for interim relief filed at the same time
Taking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$1,485
(PF2)
Appearance at defended interim hearing, per hour to maximum 5 hours$165
(PF2)
Drafting Notice of child abuse, family violence or risk$165
(PF2)
Additional preparation allowance for property matters$330
(PF2)
Stage 2C
Interim or summary hearing as a discrete event
Taking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$990
(PF31)
Appearance at defended interim hearing, per hour to maximum 5 hours$165
(PF31)
Stage 2D
Up to conclusion of conciliation conference (if any)
File management, taking instructions, court appearance, consent orders$660
(PF28)
Stage 2E
Application for recovery order where there is an existing court order
Taking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$495
(PF30)
Court appearance, per hour, to maximum 5 hours$165
(PF30)
Stage 3
Preparation for hearing
Taking instructions, interviewing witnesses, preparing documents including affidavits, preparing client for family or expert report process, issuing subpoenae, preparing trial documents, preparing and delivering brief to counsel, reading family or expert report, conference with counsel, preparing and filing consent ordersBy negotiation
(PF32, PF32A)
Stage 4A
Final hearing
Court appearance, per hour$165
(PF33, PF33A)
Stage 4B
Taking judgment
 
Taking judgment and explaining orders, if judgment listed on a separate day$165
(PF91)
Stage 5A
Full Court appeal
All work up to and including the hearing of the appeal to the Full Court$1,650
(PF92)
Stage 5B
Single judge appeal
All work up to and including the hearing of the appeal to a single judge$1,980
(PF93)
Solicitor advocateFinal hearingWhere the hearing is more than one day and raises complex issues Court appearance, per hour $248
(PF34)
CounselFinal hearingFirst day fee, including preparation, conferences and appearance at hearing$1,320
(PF15)
Appearance at subsequent days, per day$1,062
(PF16)
Case outline documentPreparation, per hour to maximum 2 hours$165
(PD24)
Other appearance work or chamber workAppearance or preparation work, per hour$165
(PD26)
Full Court appealAll inclusive fee including preparation, conferences and hearing$2,376
(PF47)

 Commonwealth
SolicitorLess adversarial trialTo cover intake stage and all work up to the listing of the matter for hearing including taking instructions, advice and assistance in the preparation of consent and questionnaire documents, all preparation for and initial appearance in the Less Adversarial Trial, negotiation, preparing and filing consent orders$990
MagellanTaking instructions, advice and assistance in the preparation of court documents, preparation for and all appearances in the Magellan Program up to the listing of the matter for final hearing, negotiation, preparing and filing consent orders – where funding was approved prior to the matter entering the Magellan Program$660
(MG01)
Taking instructions, advice and assistance in the preparation of court documents, preparation for and all appearances in the Magellan Program up to the listing of the matter for final hearing, negotiation, preparing and filing consent orders – where funding was not approved prior to the matter entering the Magellan Program$1,320
(MG02)
Change of venue applicationTaking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$330
(PF1)
DivorceWith no children under 18, lump sum fee$495
(PF51)
With children under 18, lump sum fee$660
(PF52)
Enforcement / contravention proceedingsTaking instructions for application or response and for affidavits, communications, preparing court documents, attending to filing and service, all court appearances including directions hearings and mentions, preparing and filing consent orders$660
(PF53)
Court appearance at defended contravention / enforcement hearing, per hour to maximum 5 hours$165
(PF53)
Child support declaration under s 106A or 107 of the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989All work up to and including appearance at the directions hearing following the release of parentage testing results$660
(PF54)
Consent orders (where there is no existing funding approval for mediation or court proceedings)Lump sum fee$495
(PF58)
Agency

Instruct agent, for up to three appearances, per hour to maximum 3 hours

The principal is to pay the agent from their lump sum fee

$165
(PF63)

 Commonwealth
SolicitorICL Stage 1
Mediation at Legal Aid NSW
Attendance at mediation, per hour, to a maximum of 4 hours$165
(PF35)
Preparing consent orders$165
(PF35)
Court based mediation convened by a Judicial RegistrarPreparation for mediation$165
(PF41)
Attendance at mediation, per hour, to a maximum of 4 hours$165
(PF41)
An additional hour may be available in exceptional circumstances that extend the mediation time$165
(PF41)
ICL Stage 2A
From directions hearing until listing of matter for hearing
Where an order is made at directions hearing for work up to and including the listing of the matter for hearing, including meeting with children$2,310
(PF36)
ICL Stage 2B
Interim hearing as a discrete event
Preparation $990
(PF44)
Court appearance at defended interim hearing, per hour to maximum 5 hours$165
(PF44)
ICL Stage 2C
Application to court for appointment of a single expert witness under Division 7.1.2
All work including court appearance associated with the application$330
(PF18)
ICL Stage 3A
To eve of hearing
All appearances, preparation etc to eve of hearing, including meeting with children$1,815
(PF37)
ICL Stage 4A
Final hearing
Court appearance, per hour$165
(PF38, PF38C, PF38D)
ICL Stage 4B
Taking judgment
Taking judgment, if judgment listed on a separate day$165
(PF91)
ICL Stage 5
Full Court appeal
All work up to and including the hearing of the appeal to the Full Court$1,980  
(PF48)
Solicitor advocateFinal hearingWhere the hearing is more than one day and raises complex issues Court appearance, per hour $248
(PF39)
CounselFinal hearingFirst day fee, including preparation, conferences and appearance at first day of hearing$1,320
(PF15)
Appearance at subsequent days of hearing, per day$1,062
(PF16C)
Case outline documentPreparation, per hour to maximum 2 hours$165
(PD24)
Other appearance work or chamber workAppearance or preparation work, per hour$165
(PD26)
Full Court appealAll inclusive fee including preparation, conferences and hearing$2,376
(PF47)

Date last published: 1 July 2024