EAS LEGAL

How we help and protect you at every stage of your matter

A guide to how EAS LEGAL supports you, from your first contact with us through to a fair resolution.

1. How we help, and the outcome we want for you

This guide explains how EAS LEGAL helps you through your family law matter, from your first contact with us to a resolved outcome. We do more than act on the legal side of your case. We carry you through it, and we protect your wellbeing the whole way.

The outcome we want for you is simple. We want you to come through your matter with less stress, a faster settlement, a fair and just agreement, and arrangements that put your children first. Everything we do is aimed at those four things.

To get you there, we help you in five clear ways.

1. Relief. From the moment you engage us, the weight of your matter shifts onto our shoulders. You are no longer facing the other side alone.
2. Protection. No letter from the other side reaches you until we have read and analysed it first, and we always explain it and recommend a clear way forward.
3. Less stress. At every step you receive options or a recommendation, so you are never left guessing what happens next or what it means.
4. Proactive safeguarding. We watch for traps, pressure tactics, and attempts at manipulation from the other side, and we move first to close them off before they cause you harm.
5. Expert negotiation. We negotiate using combined family law, accounting, and mediation experience, kept current with the law, so you are placed in the strongest position and the risk of a costs order against you is reduced.

It all begins with a case assessment, a paid session of $500 plus GST. The rest of this guide explains why it is the most valuable first step you can take, and why it pays to take it now.

2. The worries you may be carrying, and how we solve them

Most people come to us feeling stressed, uncertain, and worn down. You are not alone, and these worries are exactly what we are here to take off your shoulders.

What you may be worried about	How EAS LEGAL helps
I do not know where I stand or what I am entitled to.	We map your full position and likely entitlement in your case assessment, so you have clarity from day one.
The other side keeps pressuring me and I feel manipulated.	We step in as your buffer. Nothing reaches you without our analysis, and we shut unfair tactics down early.
I am scared the other side will hide money or move assets.	We lock in full financial disclosure early, so the picture is clear and far harder to manipulate.
Every letter from them fills me with dread.	We read and explain every letter before you see it, and we tell you exactly what to do next.
I am worried this will drag on for years and cost a fortune.	We push for early disclosure and early settlement, and we use a smart offer to protect you on costs.
I am worried about my children.	We keep arrangements focused on your children and work to settle calmly, because drawn out conflict hurts them most.
I cannot carry this stress on top of everything else.	We carry the weight, the deadlines, and the hard conversations for you.

3. Why it pays to act now, and not wait

Family law matters rarely improve by waiting. Acting early protects you in several real and practical ways.

1. Strict time limits apply. Under section 44 of the Family Law Act, married couples generally have only 12 months from the date their divorce becomes final to start a property claim, and de facto couples generally have only 2 years from the end of the relationship. If you miss the window, you usually need the other side’s consent or the court’s permission, and that is never guaranteed.
2. Assets can disappear. The longer you wait, the more time the other side has to move, spend, or hide money before everything is properly disclosed. Acting now helps us lock in the financial picture while it is still clear.
3. The other side may get ahead of you. If they take advice and act first, you can be left on the back foot. Acting now keeps you in control of the timing and the strategy.
4. Delay adds cost and stress. Matters that drift become more complex, more expensive, and more draining. Early action is almost always cheaper and calmer.
5. Your children carry the strain of conflict. Prolonged uncertainty and tension are hardest on children. Resolving things sooner protects them.
6. Cost protection works best early. The sooner we have disclosure and can make a sensible offer, the sooner your protection on costs is in place.

This is exactly why your case assessment should be your next step now, not later. It is the fastest way to understand your position, protect yourself, and start moving toward a resolution. Waiting only narrows your options and hands the advantage to the other side.

4. Your journey at a glance

Stage	How we help	What you receive	How we protect you
1. First contact	We respond warmly, take the pressure off, and book your case assessment	A clear next step and a sense of relief	We take charge of your matter straight away
2. Case assessment ($500 + GST)	We learn your situation in full and map out your matter	A clear plan for your case	We spot risks and pressure points before they affect you
3. Your roadmap	We sort the finances, isolate the real issues, and ground your position in the law	A clear picture of where you stand and where you are heading	We screen everything that comes from the other side
4. Family Resolution Program	We negotiate and mediate to settle your matter early	A genuine chance to settle calmly and fairly	We act as your buffer and your strategist
5. Settlement and costs protection	We calculate your entitlement and make a smart offer	A fair settlement and protection on your costs	We work to shield you from cost exposure

5. Stage 1: Your first contact and booking your case assessment

Your first call with us sets the tone for everything that follows. You may be stressed, frightened, and unsure of what to do, so our first job is simple. We turn that worry into a clear next step.

If we miss your call, you will hear a calm and reassuring message, and we call you back as soon as we can. When we speak with you, we listen, we acknowledge how hard your situation is, and we explain that the next step is a case assessment so we can understand your matter properly before giving you advice.

We then book your assessment and confirm the fee of $500 plus GST. From that point, you are in capable hands.

6. Stage 2: Your case assessment, the foundation of everything

The case assessment is where we earn your trust and build the plan that the rest of your matter rests on. It is not a quick chat. It is careful, genuine work. During your assessment we:

1. Gather your information in full, including your relationship history, your finances, your parenting arrangements where relevant, and any safety concerns.
2. Check for conflicts so your matter is handled cleanly and properly.
3. Map your matter against the current law and identify the real issues, the strengths, and the risks.
4. Plan how we will negotiate with the other side, including the steps we will take and the leverage available to you.
5. Line our approach up with how a court would decide your matter, so your position is credible and hard for the other side to dismiss.
6. Build your journey, setting out the road ahead so you can see the whole path rather than a single step.

You leave with a clear plan you can hold onto. That is the difference between feeling lost and feeling in control, and it is what sets us apart from a firm that simply opens a file and reacts.

7. Stage 3: Building your roadmap

Once we understand your situation, we build your plan in a careful order. This is where our background in both law and accounting works hardest for you.

7.1 We get the full financial picture on the table

We start by getting full and honest financial disclosure from both sides. Since changes to the Family Law Act that began on 10 June 2025, the duty to share a full financial position is written clearly into the law. Once everything is on the table, your matter can be sorted out on clear facts rather than guesswork, which usually means a faster and calmer result for you.

7.2 We work out what is fair

We identify and value everything you both own and owe. The law sets out clear steps for dividing property. We work out the full pool, look at what each of you contributed, consider your needs going forward including the financial effect of any family violence where it applies, and make sure the result is just and fair. Our accounting experience means the numbers we put forward are tested and they stand up.

7.3 We narrow the dispute to what really matters

In many matters, once the finances are clear, the only real question left is contribution, meaning who put in what. We set this out plainly and prepare it carefully for you. When the dispute comes down to one clear point, agreement becomes far easier to reach.

7.4 We ground your position in the law

We frame your position so it reflects the way a court would actually approach your matter. When the other side can see that your position holds up against the law, they understand where you are coming from and why settling is in their interest too. This is even more powerful in mediation, where a well grounded position carries the room.

8. Stage 4: Settling early through our Family Resolution Program

Our Family Resolution Program is our structured path to an early and dignified settlement. It uses skilled, even handed mediation to keep both sides moving toward agreement rather than conflict, and it keeps the focus on your children where children are involved.

Three things shape how we help you here.

1. We negotiate from strength, not anger. We keep emotion out of the legal argument and put a well prepared case forward on your behalf. This is one of the clearest advantages you gain over trying to manage the matter yourself.
2. We use the settlement rules to your advantage. The court rules require parties in property matters to exchange at least one genuine offer of settlement, usually within 28 days of a mediation or conciliation conference. We treat that as a real opportunity, not a formality.
3. We resolve early where it is safe and fair. Settling early is better for you financially, and it is far better for your wellbeing and your family.

9. Stage 5: Protecting you on costs

This is where careful preparation turns into real protection for you.

In family law, the general rule is that each side pays their own legal costs. There are important exceptions. The court must take into account any written offer to settle that a party has made, and a party who refuses to comply with court orders, including disclosure, can be exposed to costs. We use these rules to protect you.

One of the strongest tools is a Calderbank offer, which is a settlement offer made on a without prejudice basis while you keep the right to show it to the court on the question of costs. The idea goes back to the English case of Calderbank v Calderbank in 1975 and has been part of Australian family law ever since.

Here is how we use it for you.

A well prepared offer protects you either way. The final decision on costs always rests with the court, so we treat this as a strong protection rather than a guarantee, but it puts you in the best possible position.

10. How we look after your wellbeing throughout

This is not a separate stage. It runs through everything we do, and it is the heart of how we help you.

We screen every letter before you see it, and we never pass one on without explaining what it means and recommending a response. We watch for pressure tactics and shut them down early. We give you a clear recommendation at every decision point so you are never left to carry the uncertainty alone. Where your safety is a concern, we treat it as a priority and build it into your strategy.

We support you with honesty and care. We are your legal team and your strategist, not a replacement for the personal support you may also need. Where that wider support would help, we will say so and help you find it. Your wellbeing matters to us as much as your result.

11. Fees

Item	Fee
Case assessment	$500 plus GST
Hourly rate (all matters)	$500 including GST

Fees for the stages beyond your case assessment are set out in our fee schedule and are quoted per stage, because it is not known at the start which stages your matter will need.

12. The outcome we want for you

Everything in this journey is built to get you through this with your wellbeing and your future intact. We want you to come out of your matter with:

The sooner we begin, the sooner you feel that relief. Book your case assessment now and let us take the first step with you.

This guide is general information about how we work and is not legal advice. Time limits and entitlements depend on your circumstances, so please contact us for advice about your own situation.