Family Lawyer Salary: Converting Your Hourly Rate to Annual Pay
Under the Legal Services Award, a family lawyer at Level 5 (law graduate) earns a minimum of $33.99 per hour, or about $67,200 annually for a 38-hour week before tax and super.
Understanding Your Family Lawyer Salary
If you are a family lawyer or considering a career in family law, knowing how to convert your hourly rate to an annual salary is essential for comparing job offers, negotiating pay, or planning your finances. This guide uses the standard 38-hour week and 52-week year to give you a clear picture of your potential earnings, including tax and superannuation. We draw on official sources such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, and the Australian Taxation Office to ensure accuracy.
The 38-Hour Week and 52-Week Year
Australia’s standard full-time work week is 38 hours, as defined by the National Employment Standards. When converting an hourly rate to an annual salary, the formula is simple:
Annual gross pay = hourly rate × hours per week × 52
This assumes you work the same number of hours every week, with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or allowances. For a family lawyer earning $33.99 per hour (the minimum for a Law Graduate under the Legal Services Award), the calculation is:
$33.99 × 38 × 52 = $67,200.24 per year
If you are paid a salary instead of an hourly rate, you can reverse the formula to find your equivalent hourly rate: divide your annual salary by 2,000 (38 × 52 is approximately 1,976, but many use 2,000 for simplicity).
The Fortnight View
Many Australian employees are paid fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross pay, simply multiply your weekly pay by two. Using the same example:
Weekly pay: $33.99 × 38 = $1,291.62 Fortnightly pay: $1,291.62 × 2 = $2,583.24
This can help you budget and compare with job advertisements that quote fortnightly or annual figures.
Family Lawyer Salary Under the Legal Services Award
The pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman show that the Legal Services Award (MA000116) covers family lawyers and other legal employees. From 1 July 2026, the minimum hourly rates for key classifications are:
- Legal clerical and administrative employee, Level 5: $33.99 per hour
- Law graduate, Level 5: $33.99 per hour
- Law clerk, Level 6: $36.03 per hour
These rates apply to full-time and part-time employees. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate for a Level 5 family lawyer $42.49 per hour. You can find the full award rates in the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guide and the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database.
Note that these are minimum rates. Many family lawyers with experience or in private practice earn significantly more. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70 in May 2026, which equates to about $108,352 annually. A family lawyer’s salary can vary based on location, firm size, and specialisation.
Tax and Superannuation
Once you have your annual gross salary, you can estimate your take-home pay after tax and the super your employer pays on top.
Income Tax (2026–27)
The resident tax rates for 2026–27 are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus a Medicare levy of 2% (generally). For a family lawyer earning $67,200, the tax estimate is:
- Tax on first $18,200: $0
- Tax on next $26,800 (up to $45,000): $4,020
- Tax on remaining $22,200 (up to $67,200): $6,660
- Total tax: $10,680
- Medicare levy: $1,344
- Total deductions: $12,024
- Take-home pay: approximately $55,176 per year
Use our take-home pay tool for a more detailed calculation.
Superannuation
Your employer must pay superannuation at 12% of your ordinary earnings, on top of your salary. For a $67,200 salary, that’s an extra $8,064 per year, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. Super is not deducted from your pay; it is an additional contribution to your super fund. Learn more about super and packaging.
Casual Loading and Other Considerations
If you work as a casual family lawyer, your hourly rate includes a 25% loading. When using our hourly conversion tool, enter the base rate without the loading, then check the casual loading box. For example, if your base rate is $33.99, the tool will add $8.50 to give a casual rate of $42.49. Never enter a rate that already includes casual loading.
Conclusion
Converting your family lawyer salary from hourly to annual gives you a clear picture of your earnings. Remember the 38-hour week, 52-week year formula, and factor in tax and super. For the most accurate rates, always refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides and the Fair Work Commission’s database. Whether you are negotiating a new role or planning your budget, understanding these numbers puts you in control.
For more tools, see our reference tables and minimum wage page.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.