The 5 Best Firms with Probate Lawyers in Melbourne for Stress-Free Estate Help
Grief doesn’t pause for paperwork. That’s the painful reality of probate matters.
Even while you’re still processing the loss, the courts, assets, documents, and estate requirements won’t wait unless you have someone who can guide the process clearly and handle the legal details properly.
This guide features the best probate lawyers in Melbourne for families who need more than legal forms; they need steady support during one of life’s heaviest moments.
How much does a probate lawyer cost in Melbourne?
Hiring a probate lawyer in Melbourne typically costs between $2,000 and $3,500, which includes Goods and Services Tax (GST), plus extra mandatory Supreme Court of Victoria disbursements.
1. Robinson Gill Lawyers
Website: https://www.robinsongill.com.au/expertise/wills/probate/
Address: Level 3, 990 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Contact: 03 9890 3321
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 am–5:15 pm
For complicated estate matters, Robinson Gill Lawyers is the go-to. They’re especially helpful when probate isn’t the only issue on the table and things start overlapping with family, business, or injury law.
That way, you don’t have to hire a separate attorney or business consultant.
I like that their team includes several LIV Accredited Specialists, so you’re not just getting general advice. If an estate gets tangled up in a separation or corporate asset division, they have people who can look at the bigger picture.
Their team also speaks multiple languages, including Chinese and Greek, so more families can feel properly understood.
Just a disclaimer: some clients mentioned long case timelines that stretched for years, and communication can occasionally slow down when you’re waiting for updates.
The probate team was so kind and understanding
I highly recommend the team at Robinson Gill, When I was in need of a Will, they were incredible with helping. The Probate team was so kind and understanding as I had no idea what I was doing. They were prompt at responding to all my questions and sensitive to the situation. Everything went smoothly and I couldn’t have been more happy with the service.
- Nicole Furman | Google Review
Friendly and helpful during this very stressful and emotional period
I would like to thank Carol for all her work regarding my uncles estate. She has been professional, friendly and helpful during this very stressful and emotional period. I would recommend Carol and the probate team without hesitation. Mary Ryan
- Mary Ryan | Google Review
2. Spirit Legal
Website: https://spiritlegal.com.au/
Address: Office 3, 8 Selandra Boulevard, Clyde North
Contact: (03) 5272 7789
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am–5:00 pm
If you’re trying to keep the costs from getting out of hand, consider calling Spirit Legal. Their starting rate is only $1,300, which already makes the whole process feel more manageable.
I also like that they have a price-beat guarantee. If you bring them an official probate quote, they’ll try to lower it by 10%, a pretty helpful perk when legal fees start adding up.
When I called their office about a complex estate situation, I loved how flexible they were. They even offered an after-hours consultation over the weekend, which I didn’t expect.
Beyond that, they try to negotiate with financial institutions first so families might be able to skip probate altogether.
The only thing to keep in mind is the filing fee. If Supreme Court fees go over $1,000, you’ll have to cover that yourself.
Ensure our outcome was both seamless and favorable
Caroline was excellent. She is very diligent, a great communicator who went over and above to ensure our outcome was both seamless and favorable. She is very experienced and knowledgeable on Estate Planning, Wills and Probate Law.
We would highly recommend her to family, friends and to anyone else requiring legal professional services in Wills Probate and Estate Planning.
- Sharon Salter | Google Review
Everything was explained in plain English
Caroline is fabulous. We lost mum suddenly and though there was a will it wasnt entirely straight forward…and we had no idea about probate selling the house etc. Everything was explained in plain English and was easy to understand. She was incredibly patient with my stupid questions and everything was done when it was promised and all costs were clearly spelled out up front. Made my life so easy . Couldn’t recommend highly enough.
- Scott Fraser | Google Review
3. Australian Probate Centre
Website: https://www.australianprobatecentre.com.au/
Address: Level 10, 440 Collins Street
Contact: 1300 720 706
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am–5:00 pm
I like how straightforward the Australian Probate Centre is; they focus only on probate applications and letters of administration, so the process doesn’t feel scattered.
That approach is especially helpful if you’re worried about filing mistakes with the Supreme Court. They know where applications usually get delayed, making things less stressful.
I also appreciate that they offer a free initial consultation. It gives you a chance to understand the whole process first without feeling pressured to commit right away.
Their fixed-fee setup is another plus. You don’t have to worry about surprise hourly bills, and the team explains the requirements in plain language instead of heavy legal terms.
That said, you still need to budget for extras. Property valuations, courier fees, and asset searches are billed separately, so the final amount can rise if the estate is more complicated.
I’m very happy with the service that was provided
I’d like to give a big shout-out to Evelyn at Australian Probate Centre for the help she provided in sorting out Probate for my Dad’s estate, as well as the Transmission Application for his property. Evelyn was very professional and responsive and I’m very happy with the service that was provided. The overall costs were very reasonable in my view
- Matthew Pearson | Google Review
Make the process as easy as possible for both myself and my family
Facing the task of obtaining Probate for my late mother was a daunting task. l was fortunate that l googled and as a result had a phone call from Evelyn Chire. Evelyn was extremely patient and went out of her way to make the process as easy as possible for both myself and my family. Evelyn was friendly and relayed information that was easy to understand….she went above and beyond making the whole process easy. I highly recommend Evelyn who continues to assist me in other matter’s. Thank you Evelyn 😊
- Lori Anderson | Google Review
4. Matthies Lawyers
Website: https://www.matthieslawyers.com.au/
Address: Level 3, 44 Caroline Street, South Yarra
Contact: (03) 8692 2517
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Matthies Lawyers is one of those firms you’d keep in mind when an estate dispute is too sensitive to rush into court. They lean toward careful mediation first, which I appreciate because family-related conflicts can already be draining enough.
A close friend hired James Matthies, the founder, and what she liked most was dealing with him directly from start to finish. Since he’s been practicing law since 2005, that steady guidance felt really reassuring.
I also like that they’re willing to talk through options early, even before you’re fully ready to start the application.
The only thing to watch is communication around extra legal tasks, since one client felt those didn’t quite meet expectations.
The probate process was an excellent experience
Working with James and Toni at Matties Lawyers during the probate process was an excellent experience. They guided me through the entire process during a very challenging time, unswerving all my questions and insuring I understood the legal obligations as an executor. I would not hesitate to recommend them.
- M B | Google Review
Assisted with documents in an extremely timely manner
The team at Matthies have always been concise, clear and outlined all relevant information in plain English, assisted with documents in an extremely timely manner and been a pleasure to have on side. Highly recommend!
- Mark Goss | Google Review
5. Hicks Oakley Chessell Williams Lawyers – Melbourne CBD
Website: https://www.hocw.com.au/
Address: Level 18, 461 Bourke Street
Contact: 03 9629 7411
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:45 am–5:15 pm
Another strong pick for established legal help is Hicks Oakley Chessell Williams Lawyers. They’ve been around for over 60 years, so there’s a real sense of stability here.
I like that their team includes multiple LIV Accredited Specialists in wills and estates. That’s reassuring if you want your documents handled carefully from the start.
And if your estate involves family trusts or business succession, their larger team can handle those extra details smoothly.
Hicks Oakley Chessell Williams Lawyers may not be the warmest choice, though. Their traditional large-firm setup can feel less personal, and one long-term client even mentioned that the general service quality dipped during a lengthy engagement.