HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

How to hire a family law solicitor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A family law solicitor in Ireland costs €150–€400 per hour, typically around €250. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a family law solicitor in five steps

  1. Are you on the Roll of Solicitors, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — prenuptial Agreements — A family law solicitor can draft and review prenuptial agreements to protect assets before marriage.
  2. How does their experience change the price?An expert spots in minutes what takes somebody else an hour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does complexity of the case change the price?No two bespoke jobs take the same time, so quotes run higher. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does geographical location change the price?Coming to your door is a convenience you pay for. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Financial Settlements — family law solicitors provide guidance on financial settlements during divorce, including spousal support and division of property — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a family law solicitor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

the Roll of Solicitors

A person must be on the Roll AND hold a current practising certificate. Being qualified is not the same as being entitled to practise. Restricted to solicitor holding a current practising certificate: acting as a solicitor; conveyancing and the drawing of certain documents for reward; describing oneself as a solicitor.

Search the Roll of Solicitors for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. lawsociety.ie →

Costs in writing

A legal practitioner must provide a written statement of costs (a section 150 notice) as soon as practicable after taking instructions. If no written costs notice arrives, ask for it before anything else happens. It is the document every later argument about fees depends on.

Ask for the notice before you instruct anyone, and keep it: it is the document any later dispute about the bill is read against.

Insurance

Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you on the Roll of Solicitors, and what is your number?”

A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — prenuptial Agreements — A family law solicitor can draft and review prenuptial agreements to protect assets before marriage.

“How does their experience change the price?”

A good answer: An expert spots in minutes what takes somebody else an hour. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does complexity of the case change the price?”

A good answer: No two bespoke jobs take the same time, so quotes run higher. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does geographical location change the price?”

A good answer: Coming to your door is a convenience you pay for. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Financial Settlements — family law solicitors provide guidance on financial settlements during divorce, including spousal support and division of property — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a family law solicitor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice — child Custody Arrangements — solicitors help parents establish child custody agreements that are in the best interest of the child.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the family law solicitor starts, and an itemised invoice after — divorce Proceedings — A family law solicitor assists clients in navigating the complexities of divorce, including the filing of petitions and negotiations regarding asset division.

Getting the quote right

  • Their experience — an expert spots in minutes what takes somebody else an hour.
  • Complexity of the case — no two bespoke jobs take the same time, so quotes run higher.
  • Geographical location — coming to your door is a convenience you pay for.
  • Amount of time spent on your matters — a half day and a full day are not twice the price.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They are not on the Roll of Solicitors, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
  • They will not talk about it: their experience — an expert spots in minutes what takes somebody else an hour
  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the case — no two bespoke jobs take the same time, so quotes run higher
  • They will not talk about it: geographical location — coming to your door is a convenience you pay for
  • A price for the family law solicitor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
LOW
€150
TYPICAL
€250
HIGH
€400

What a family law solicitor costs: €150–€400 per hour

Most family law solicitors quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Divorce proceedings and Child custody arrangements each carry their own band. Family Law Solicitor price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Family law solicitors near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.

  1. Look firstTheir experience — an expert spots in minutes what takes somebody else an hour — that is what the family law solicitor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneComplexity of the case — no two bespoke jobs take the same time, so quotes run higher — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfGeographical location — coming to your door is a convenience you pay for — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherAmount of time spent on your matters — a half day and a full day are not twice the price — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the family law solicitor is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, court fees — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given.

Divorce Proceedings
A family law solicitor assists clients in navigating the complexities of divorce, including the filing of petitions and negotiations regarding asset division.
Child Custody Arrangements
Solicitors help parents establish child custody agreements that are in the best interest of the child.
Financial Settlements
Family law solicitors provide guidance on financial settlements during divorce, including spousal support and division of property.
Prenuptial Agreements
A family law solicitor can draft and review prenuptial agreements to protect assets before marriage.
Domestic Violence Cases
Provides legal support and protection for individuals facing domestic abuse, including obtaining restraining orders.
the Roll of Solicitors
The Roll of Solicitors — the list you can search before you book, and the thing a family law solicitor either is on or is not.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — prenuptial Agreements — A family law solicitor can draft and review prenuptial agreements to protect assets before marriage, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the family law solicitor has gone.
Test what was doneFinancial Settlements — family law solicitors provide guidance on financial settlements during divorce, including spousal support and division of property — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. child Custody Arrangements — solicitors help parents establish child custody agreements that are in the best interest of the child — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a family law solicitor's card means something — divorce Proceedings — A family law solicitor assists clients in navigating the complexities of divorce, including the filing of petitions and negotiations regarding asset division.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itReport it to the Roll of Solicitors.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a family law solicitor: questions people ask

The cost of hiring a family law solicitor can vary based on their experience, the complexity of the case, and the geographical location. Additional factors include the solicitor's reputation and whether the case requires extensive court appearances.

The duration of a family law case can vary significantly based on its complexity and the responsiveness of both parties. Simple matters may be resolved in a few months, while more contentious cases can take a year or longer.

For family law matters, it is advisable to hire a solicitor who specialises in family law, as they will have the specific knowledge and experience to navigate the nuances of family-related legal issues effectively. Family Law Solicitors should be qualified and registered with relevant legal bodies.

Many family law solicitors offer emergency consultations, but availability may vary. It’s best to check with individual solicitors regarding their capacity for same-day appointments.

Yes, many family law solicitors can assist with multiple related services, such as divorce, custody, and financial settlements, often streamlining the process for clients. It's important to consider the emotional impact of family law proceedings; professional support can help.

Family law solicitors typically do not handle criminal matters or non-family related civil disputes. Their focus is on issues like divorce, custody, and financial settlements.

MORE GUIDES

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Family law solicitors near you

Family law solicitors in DublinFamily law solicitors in CorkFamily law solicitors in GalwayFamily law solicitors in LimerickAll family law solicitors on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Law Society of Ireland — find a solicitor
  2. Legal Services Regulatory Authority
  3. Legal Services Regulation Act 2015
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  5. Revenue — LAWYERS/SOLICITORS SERVICES (LEGAL SERVICES) — Standard rate
  6. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  7. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only