Key points
- You can ask for a lawyer in Sydney today. Call 1800 577 015 at any hour: the free line gives general legal information straight away, and a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in New South Wales is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person. Urgent requests are taken at any hour; how soon the lawyer can see you depends on who is free, so a particular time cannot be promised.
- What lawyers cost in Sydney: firms that publish their rates list hourly rates from $250 plus GST for a junior lawyer to $800 plus GST for the most senior, and fixed fees of $2,000 to $4,000 plus GST for a Local Court guilty plea; some criminal firms offer a free first appointment (read on the firms' own websites, 22 October 2026). Our consultation is $295 for 60 minutes, and the lawyer tells you what any further work would cost before you commit.
- Free legal help in Sydney: LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; a Legal Aid NSW duty lawyer at every Local Court on the day (arrive at least an hour before your case); and the Legal Aid NSW Youth Hotline on 1800 10 18 10 for under-18s, which runs 24 hours from Friday morning to Sunday midnight.
- Due in court? Every Sydney court, with its address, phone number and registry hours, is listed below, checked on 22 October 2026. Burwood Local Court is closed until 14 December 2026 and its cases are heard at John Maddison Tower in the city; Penrith's Local Court moves to Parramatta from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027.
- In danger now: call 000. Domestic or family violence: the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 and 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, both free and 24 hours.
Go To Court Lawyers arranges 60-minute consultations with New South Wales lawyers for a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person, with requests taken at any hour on 1800 577 015, and its free legal information line answers 24 hours a day.
Sydney Practice Areas
Our Sydney lawyers cover all major areas of law. Select your area for local information, court details and immediate help.
Lawyers in Sydney
Go To Court Lawyers is a national legal service, running since 2010, that connects people with lawyers who practise in their state. In Sydney and across New South Wales that means lawyers who practise in NSW and appear in the courts listed below. Call 1800 577 015 at any hour and Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information about your situation and takes your details. Jen is not a lawyer and does not give legal advice about your case. If you want advice, request a consultation on the call or at the booking page: your request goes to lawyers in our network who practise in your area of law and location, the first to accept it contacts you to set a time, and our team steps in if nobody does. The consultation is 60 minutes for a fixed $295, by phone, by video, or in person where the lawyer you are matched with offers it. In the twelve months to October 2026, people in New South Wales came to us most often about criminal charges (360 matters), family law (309), civil disputes (252), traffic offences (161), domestic violence (126), wills and estates (82), employment (80), compensation (75), property (72) and drink driving (63).Local Courts in Sydney
Checked against the Local Court, District Court, Supreme Court, NCAT and Federal Circuit and Family Court websites on 22 October 2026. Where your matter is heard depends on the charge or the amount in dispute; the court named on your paperwork is the one to go to.
| Court | What it hears | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downing Centre Local Court | Criminal and traffic matters in the city. The building reopened in December 2025 after the June 2025 flood | Level 4, Downing Centre, 143-147 Liverpool Street, Sydney | 1300 679 272 | Registry 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday; phones 8:30am to 4:30pm |
| Central Local Court | Criminal cases only | 98 Liverpool Street, Sydney | 1300 679 272 | Registry 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday |
| Sydney Civil Registry, Local and District Courts | Civil claims: up to $100,000 in the Local Court (small claims up to $20,000), and up to $1,250,000 in the District Court | Level 4, John Maddison Tower, 86 Goulburn Street, Sydney | 1300 679 272 | Registry 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday |
| District Court of NSW, Sydney | Serious criminal charges, and civil claims up to $1,250,000 (or more if the parties consent) | Registries: Level 4, John Maddison Tower, 86-90 Goulburn Street; criminal registry also at Level 3, Downing Centre, 143-147 Liverpool Street | 1300 679 272 | 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday |
| Supreme Court of NSW | The most serious criminal cases, the largest civil claims, and appeals | Law Courts Building (Queens Square), 184 Phillip Street, Sydney; registry on level 5 | 1300 679 272; urgent after hours (02) 9230 8025 | Phone enquiries in business hours |
| Children's Courts | Offences alleged against young people under 18, and care and protection cases | Parramatta Children's Court, 2 George Street, Parramatta; Surry Hills Children's Court, 66-78 Albion Street, Surry Hills | Parramatta (02) 8688 1888; Surry Hills (02) 8667 2100 | Registries 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday |
| Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Sydney and Parramatta | Family law: divorce, separation, children and property. Also federal matters such as migration and bankruptcy | Lionel Bowen Building, 97-99 Goulburn Street, Sydney; Garfield Barwick Commonwealth Law Courts Building, 1-3 George Street, Parramatta | 1300 352 000 | Counter 8:45am to 4:30pm; phones 8:30am to 5pm |
| NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) | Consumer, tenancy, strata and home building disputes, guardianship, and reviews of government decisions | Consumer and Commercial Division: Level 14, Civic Tower, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney | 1300 006 228 | 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday |
| Parramatta Local and District Court | The same matters as the city courts, for Western Sydney | 12 George Street, Parramatta | 1300 679 272 | Registry 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday |
| Suburban Local Courts | Criminal charges, traffic offences, apprehended violence orders and civil claims for people charged or living nearby | Bankstown, corner of Chapel Road and The Mall; Blacktown, 1 Kildare Road; Campbelltown, Railway Street; Fairfield, corner of Spencer Street and Court Road; Hornsby, 294 Peats Ferry Road; Liverpool, 150 George Street; Manly, 2 Belgrave Street; Mount Druitt, 59 North Parade; Newtown, 222 Australia Street; Sutherland, corner of Flora and Belmont Streets; Waverley, 151 Bronte Road | 1300 679 272 for all of them | Registries 9am to 4:30pm on weekdays (Blacktown from 8:30am, Campbelltown from 8:45am; Newtown closed 1pm to 2pm) |
| Temporary changes | Check before you go | Burwood (7-9 Belmore Street): closed until 14 December 2026; sittings and registry at John Maddison Tower, 86-90 Goulburn Street, until 11 December. Penrith (64-72 Henry Street): Local Court at Parramatta Courthouse from 21 December 2026 to 12 March 2027; District Court at Katoomba Courthouse from 1 February to 12 March 2027. North Sydney: closed until further notice, enquiries to the Downing Centre. Ryde: not operating, enquiries to Parramatta | 1300 679 272 | As stated |
A Legal Aid NSW duty lawyer is available at every Local Court in NSW and at the Children's Courts, and at the Federal Circuit and Family Court when it is sitting. A duty lawyer may be able to give you legal advice, explain what will happen, help you ask the court for more time, and speak on your behalf in court, but cannot help with every case. Arrive at least one hour before your matter is listed. If you want a lawyer of your own before the day, request a $295 consultation or call 1800 577 015.
Appearing at Downing Centre Local Court Criminal? Our partner service AllCourts has a practical guide to Downing Centre Local Court Criminal — address, daily court lists, and what to expect on the day.
Free and low-cost legal help in Sydney: who answers, and when
Numbers and hours checked against each service's own website on 22 October 2026. Most of these services help people who meet a means test or fall into a particular group, and they run in business hours. For general legal information at any hour, our free line is 1800 577 015.
| Service | Who it helps | Contact | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| LawAccess NSW (Legal Aid NSW) | Anyone in NSW: legal information, referral, and the way in to Legal Aid NSW | 1300 888 529 | 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday |
| Legal Aid NSW Youth Hotline | Young people under 18 | 1800 10 18 10 | 9am to midnight on weekdays; 24 hours from Friday 9am to Sunday midnight, and on public holidays |
| Legal Aid NSW duty lawyers | People with a case in court that day, at any Local Court, the Children's Courts, or the federal family court when sitting | At court; arrive at least an hour early | Court sitting days |
| Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people charged with criminal offences, and other legal problems | 1800 765 767, free call | Not published on the pages read |
| Women's Legal Service NSW | Women in NSW. Its First Nations Women's Legal Program helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women | Legal help 02 8745 6988 (rural NSW 1800 810 784); First Nations program 02 8745 6977 (rural 1800 639 784) | 9am to 4:30pm on weekdays |
| Community legal centres | Free help from community legal centres across NSW, each with its own area and areas of law | Find your nearest through Community Legal Centres NSW's online directory | Varies by centre |
| Law Society of NSW, Solicitor Referral Service | Anyone looking for a private solicitor. It gives referrals, not legal advice | Online referral request on the Law Society's website | Online |
| Domestic and family violence lines | Anyone experiencing domestic or family violence | NSW Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63; 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 | Both 24 hours, every day |
If you are not eligible for free help, or you need an answer tonight, call 1800 577 015 for free legal information at any hour, or request a $295 consultation with a lawyer.
What a lawyer costs in Sydney
Most Sydney firms charge by the hour or by fixed fee. Of the firms that publish their prices, read on their own websites on 22 October 2026: one criminal firm says hourly rates run from $250 plus GST for a junior lawyer in a general practice to $400 plus GST in a specialist practice, $500 or $600 plus GST for more experienced lawyers and up to $800 plus GST for the most senior, and that a fixed fee for a Local Court guilty plea is about $2,000 to $4,000 plus GST; another lists fixed fees from $2,000 plus GST. Both offer a free first appointment for criminal and traffic cases. A Legal Aid NSW duty lawyer is at every Local Court on the day. Our 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in NSW is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person. If you decide to go further, the lawyer sets out the cost of any further work before you commit.
Why Go To Court Lawyers for Sydney?
Go To Court Lawyers does not have a Sydney office. Consultations are by phone or video, or in person where the lawyer you are matched with offers it, and the lawyers in our network who practise in New South Wales appear in Sydney's courts in person. For many people that is quicker than finding a firm, because you can make the request at any hour, including weekends, and you know the price before you start: $295 for 60 minutes. The service has run since 2010 and our reviews are published on ProductReview and Trustpilot.Common Legal Situations in Sydney
Based on our own records for the twelve months to October 2026, the matters people in New South Wales most often come to us about are criminal charges, family law (separation, children and property), civil disputes such as debts and contracts, traffic offences, domestic violence and apprehended violence orders, wills and estates, employment, compensation, property, and drink driving. Each practice area above has its own Sydney page.Fast Lawyer Matching in Sydney
When you request a consultation, lawyers in our network who practise in your area of law and location are notified, and the first to accept your request contacts you to arrange the time. If nobody accepts it, our team follows up personally. Requests are taken at any hour; appointment times depend on which lawyers are available, and urgent matters are given priority.Frequently Asked Questions — Sydney Lawyers
How quickly can I speak to a lawyer in Sydney?
Call 1800 577 015 at any hour and Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information straight away. If you want advice about your own situation, request a $295 consultation on the call or at the booking page. Your request goes to lawyers in our network who practise in your area of law, and the first to accept it contacts you to set a time, by phone, video or in person. Urgent requests are taken at any hour; how soon depends on which lawyers are free, so a particular time cannot be promised.
How much does a lawyer cost in Sydney?
Sydney firms that publish their rates list hourly rates from $250 plus GST for a junior lawyer to $800 plus GST for the most senior, and fixed fees of about $2,000 to $4,000 plus GST for a Local Court guilty plea; some criminal firms offer a free first appointment (read on the firms' own websites, 22 October 2026). A Legal Aid NSW duty lawyer is at every Local Court on the day. Our 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in NSW is a fixed $295, and the lawyer tells you the cost of any further work before you commit.
Can I get free legal help in Sydney?
Yes, mostly in business hours. LawAccess NSW (1300 888 529, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) gives legal information and referrals and is the way in to Legal Aid NSW. A Legal Aid NSW duty lawyer is at every Local Court on the day of your case. Under-18s can call the Legal Aid NSW Youth Hotline (1800 10 18 10), which runs 24 hours from Friday 9am to Sunday midnight. Women's Legal Service NSW (02 8745 6988) helps women, the Aboriginal Legal Service (1800 765 767) helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and community legal centres help particular areas and groups. The table on this page lists each one.
Which Sydney court will my matter be in?
Most criminal charges, traffic matters and apprehended violence orders start in the Local Court: in the city at the Downing Centre (143-147 Liverpool Street) or Central (98 Liverpool Street), or at the suburban court nearest you. Civil claims up to $100,000 go to the Local Court (small claims up to $20,000) and up to $1,250,000 to the District Court, both through the civil registry at John Maddison Tower, 86 Goulburn Street; tenancy, strata and consumer disputes generally go to NCAT. Serious criminal trials go to the District Court, and the most serious cases to the Supreme Court in Phillip Street. Family law goes to the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Goulburn Street or Parramatta. The court named on your paperwork is the one to attend.
Is the Downing Centre open?
Yes. Flooding from a burst water main closed the Downing Centre in June 2025; it reopened on 19 December 2025, and normal Local Court sittings resumed from 12 January 2026. Its Local Court registry is on level 4, open 9am to 4:30pm on weekdays, on 1300 679 272.
Is Burwood Local Court open?
Not until 14 December 2026. While the courthouse is refurbished, Burwood Local Court's sittings and registry run from John Maddison Tower, 86-90 Goulburn Street, Sydney, until 11 December 2026. The phone number, 1300 679 272, and the postal and email addresses are unchanged.
Do your lawyers appear at the Downing Centre and Parramatta?
Yes. The lawyers in our network who practise in New South Wales appear in the Sydney and Parramatta courts and the suburban Local Courts in person. Consultations are by phone or video, or in person where the lawyer offers it.
Need a Lawyer in Sydney?
Call our information service any time. Jen is an AI assistant, not a lawyer. If you need advice about your circumstances, request a $295 consultation with a suitable qualified lawyer; availability depends on your matter, location and requested time.