When facing family law matters or Family Court proceedings, one of the most common concerns we hear is: “How will I afford legal representation?” It’s a valid question. Legal matters can be expensive, and at a time when you’re already dealing with emotional stress and financial uncertainty, the cost of quality legal help can feel overwhelming.

Resolve Conflict is proud to be accredited with JustFund Legal Fee Funding, which means we can offer our clients flexible payment solutions that remove financial barriers to accessing expert family law services.

What Is JustFund Legal Fee Funding?

JustFund provides funding specifically designed for family law matters. Rather than paying all legal fees upfront, which, of course, can be a barrier for many people when considering expert legal services, JustFund allows you to access professional legal services and pays your lawyers as your matter progresses, deferring any payment by you until your matter is finalised. 

JustFund funding can cover:

• Legal fees and disbursements
• Expert reports and assessments
• Court filing fees
• Mediation costs
• Other case-related expenses

The funding is typically repaid from your property settlement or at the conclusion of your matter, meaning you can engage quality legal representation without impacting your immediate cash flow and financial resources.

Why Legal Fee Funding Matters in Family Law

Family law cases present unique financial challenges that make traditional fee arrangements difficult:

Assets Are Often Tied Up
Your money might be in the family home, superannuation, or joint accounts that you can’t easily access during separation or divorce proceedings. You know you’ll have funds after settlement, but you need legal and financial help to get there.

Income Changes Suddenly
Transitioning from dual-income to single-income households creates immediate financial pressure, often right when you need legal help most. Living expenses don’t decrease, but your available income might be cut in half.

Cases Can Be Lengthy
Family Court matters and complex mediations don’t resolve overnight. Legal costs can accumulate over months or even years, making it difficult to budget when you’re already managing a reduced household income.

Timing Is Critical
Delaying legal advice due to cost concerns can actually make your situation more expensive and complicated in the long run. Early intervention and expert guidance often lead to better outcomes and lower overall costs.

Financial Control During Separation
In some situations, one party may control the finances, leaving the other without immediate access to funds for legal representation. Legal fee funding ensures both parties can access quality legal advice regardless of who controls the bank accounts.

How JustFund Accreditation Benefits You

As a JustFund accredited provider, Resolve Conflict can offer our clients:

• Access to flexible payment arrangements where fees are typically paid from your settlement proceeds
• The ability to engage quality legal services without depleting savings or borrowing from family
• Level playing field – ensuring you can afford representation comparable to your former partner’s legal team
• Protection of your interests without compromising on the quality of representation
• Peace of mind knowing financial constraints won’t force you to accept unfavourable settlements

Being accredited means we meet JustFund’s quality standards and have established processes to facilitate funding applications for eligible clients.

The Resolve Conflict Approach: Transparent, Tailored, and Cost-Conscious

Before discussing any funding arrangements, we believe you deserve complete clarity about your options and costs.

We advise you on the different approaches you can take to reach a resolution, including the length of time involved and likely cost, and we work with you to understand what approach will be most suitable for you and your family’s circumstances.

This means:

1. We Map Multiple Pathways

Not every family law matter needs to go to court. We’ll explore mediation and Family Dispute Resolution (FDR), constructive lawyer negotiation,  round table conferences, and court proceedings, explaining the timeframes and costs associated with each approach. Some matters can be resolved in weeks through mediation, FDR, or negotiation, while contested court proceedings might take 12-18 months or longer.

2. We Provide Realistic Cost Estimates

You’ll understand the financial implications of different strategies before committing to any particular path. We explain our fee structure, anticipated disbursements, and provide cost ranges based on various scenarios, from best-case amicable resolution to worst-case contested hearings.

3. We Customise Solutions

Your family’s situation is unique. A high-conflict custody dispute requires different strategies than an amicable property settlement. A matter involving complex business assets needs different expertise than straightforward property division. We tailor our approach and associated costs to your specific needs.

4. We Consider Your Whole Picture

Legal outcomes matter, but so does your financial well-being post-resolution. There’s little point in “winning” in court if the legal costs consume a significant portion of your settlement. We help you make strategic choices that protect both your legal interests and your family’s financial future.

5. We Discuss All Payment Options

Legal fee funding is one option, but not the only one.  Some clients prefer to sell assets, use a mortgage redraw or a mortgage extension or seek assistance from friends and family, and we will discuss all payment options with you fully.

Understanding JustFund Eligibility and Process

While specific eligibility criteria vary based on individual circumstances, JustFund typically considers:

• The merit of your case
• The likely value of your property settlement
• Your ability to repay the funding from settlement proceeds
• The reasonableness of your legal costs

The process is straightforward:

1. Initial consultation with Resolve Conflict – We assess your matter and discuss whether funding might be appropriate
2. Funding application – If suitable, we help facilitate your JustFund application
3. Assessment – JustFund reviews your matter and makes a funding decision
4. Funding agreement – If approved, you’ll understand exactly how much is funded and the repayment terms
5. Legal representation – You proceed with confidence knowing costs are covered
6. Settlement – Funding is repaid from your settlement proceeds

Common Questions About Legal Fee Funding

“How much does JustFund funding cost?”

JustFund charges interest and a setup fee, just the same as Banks do, on any amount you borrow to fund your legal case. You only pay interest on the funding you actually use as opposed to the total amount you elect to borrow, and while the interest rate is higher than a home loan rate, it is significantly lower than a personal loan through a bank or charges on a credit card. We’ll ensure you understand all costs before proceeding with any funding arrangement.

“Will funding affect the outcome of my case?”

No. Legal fee funding is simply a payment arrangement. It doesn’t influence legal strategy, quality of service, or case outcomes. Your lawyer’s duty remains to you and your best interests.

“What if my case settles quickly and I didn’t need much funding?”

That’s actually a good outcome. You only pay for what’s used. If your matter resolves faster than anticipated, the funding amount will be lower and so will the associated costs.

“Is everyone eligible for legal fee funding?”

Not everyone will qualify. JustFund assesses each application individually. Factors that may affect eligibility include the merit of your case, the asset pool available for settlement, and the reasonableness of anticipated legal costs. We can discuss your specific circumstances during the consultation.

“What if I can’t afford any legal fees right now?”

That’s exactly why funding solutions exist. Many of our clients are in similar positions. They have assets but no immediate access to cash. Let’s have a confidential conversation about your situation and explore whether funding or other payment arrangements might work for you.

“Can funding cover everything, or just some costs?”

Funding arrangements vary. Some clients fund all legal costs, others fund only a portion while paying some fees directly. We’ll work with you to structure an arrangement that makes sense for your circumstances. Funding is, however, generally only available for cases that include a property division. Cases that only relate to parenting matters are generally not eligible for funding.

“What if my Ex has already obtained funding through JustFund?”

This will not be an issue, and JustFund has options in place to deal with this situation and provide you with funding, also.

When Legal Fee Funding Makes Sense

Legal fee funding is particularly valuable when:

• You have assets, but a limited cash flow following the separation
• Your former partner has engaged expensive legal representation, and you need equivalent quality
• Your matter is likely to be contested and require extended negotiations, mediation or  court proceedings
• You need expert reports, valuations, or other costly case preparation
• Delaying legal action could result in asset dissipation or unfavourable outcomes
• You want to preserve your savings and emergency funds during an uncertain time

Making the Right Choices at the Right Times

Family law matters are rarely just about legal technicalities. They’re about your children, your home, your financial security, and your future. Making decisions without proper legal guidance can have consequences that last for years—or even generations when children are involved.

With decades of experience in the Family Court system, we’ve seen how crucial timing and informed decision-making are. We’ve witnessed clients who delayed seeking legal advice due to cost concerns, only to face far more expensive and complicated situations later. We’ve also seen how early expert intervention leads to better outcomes, reduced conflict, and lower overall costs.

Access to funding means you don’t have to choose between financial security today and legal protection for tomorrow. It means you can make decisions based on what’s right for your family, not what you can afford this month.

Real-World Impact: Why This Matters

Consider these common scenarios where legal fee funding changes outcomes:

The Primary Caregiver Parent: You’ve been out of the workforce raising children. Your former partner earns substantially more and can easily afford legal representation. Without funding, you might feel pressured to accept inadequate child support or parenting arrangements and an unfair division of your assets simply because you can’t afford to fight for fair outcomes.

The Business Owner: Your assets are tied up in business operations and property. Liquidating assets to pay legal fees would harm the very business you’re trying to protect in the settlement. Funding allows you to preserve business operations while securing proper legal representation.

The Domestic Violence Survivor: You left an abusive relationship with minimal resources. Your former partner is using expensive lawyers to intimidate and control you through the legal system. Funding provides access to equally skilled representation, levelling the playing field and protecting you from further abuse through legal proceedings.

The Blindsided Spouse: Your partner initiated separation unexpectedly and has been planning financially for months. You’re caught off guard, emotionally devastated, and financially unprepared. Funding provides immediate access to legal guidance when you need it most.

Beyond Funding: Our Commitment to Cost-Effective Resolution

While we’re proud to offer JustFund accreditation, we’re equally committed to helping you resolve matters as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

This includes:

• Encouraging  FDR, mediation and negotiation where appropriate. These approaches typically cost a fraction of contested court proceedings
• Front-loading strategic advice to help you make informed decisions early, avoiding costly mistakes
• Efficient case management that respects your budget while protecting your interests
• Transparent weekly billing so you’re never surprised by legal costs
• Regular cost updates keep you informed about  all anticipated future expenditure throughout your matter, so you can make informed decisions before incurring legal costs
• Strategic settlement discussions help you evaluate offers against the cost of continuing negotiation or  litigation

Our goal is not to maximise legal fees – it’s to achieve the best possible outcome for you at the most reasonable cost.

Your Next Step

If cost has been holding you back from seeking legal advice for your family law matter, we encourage you to reach out. During a confidential consultation, we can discuss:

• Your specific situation and legal needs
• The different approaches available to resolve your matter
• Realistic timeframes for each approach
• Estimated costs for different strategies
• Payment options, including legal fee funding through JustFund
• Which pathway forward makes the most sense for your family’s circumstances

Financial constraints shouldn’t determine legal outcomes. With decades of Family Law experience and access to flexible funding solutions, we can help you navigate this challenging time with confidence.

Your family’s future is too important to compromise because of immediate financial pressures.

Ready to explore your options?
Contact Resolve Conflict today for a confidential discussion about your family law matter. We’ll help you understand the pathway forward, anticipated costs, and payment options available to you.

Phone: (03) 9620 0088
Email: info@resolveconflict.com.au
Office: Level 24, 459 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Resolve Conflict – Expert family mediators and Family Court lawyers with decades of experience, guiding Australian families to make the right choices at the right times.

About JustFund

JustFund is Australia’s leading litigation funding provider specialising in family law matters. Their accreditation program ensures clients work with experienced, reputable family lawyers while accessing flexible payment solutions. Learn more about JustFund at justfund.com.au.

About Resolve Conflict

With decades of experience navigating the Family Law system, Resolve Conflict provides expert mediation and legal representation for Australian families facing separation, divorce, and family disputes. Our approach combines legal excellence with practical guidance, helping you reach fair resolutions while minimising conflict and costs. We’re proud to be JustFund accredited, ensuring our clients have access to quality legal services regardless of their immediate financial circumstances.