Emily Waghorne

Finance Manager

Emily has worked in, facilitated and managed teams for over 20 years. Working as a software professional across many different industries, she has developed a strong appreciation for the power of teams that focus on client outcomes.

She believes in keeping the client experience at the fore of every team member’s mind.

Emily is driven by the philosophy that high functioning teams comprise of happy people, and happy people working well together deliver great things for clients- a philosophy she is now embedding within the culture at Empower Family Law and Mediation.

Outside of work Emily is an avid surfer, keen cyclist and talented sewist.

Stephanie Reid

Next Team Member

At Empower Family Law we understand the pressure our clients are under and the distress they feel. We work diligently to navigate them through to better times.

We take pride in offering our clients expert advice tailored to their situation and empowering them to achieve the best possible result.

Want to know more about the Empower Team?

Meet the Team

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Your first 30-minute consultation is free. Call (03) 7020 6542 or contact our team to discuss your circumstances and next steps.

What the Finance Manager role means for clients

The Finance Manager does not provide legal advice and is not involved in the conduct of your matter. The role covers the practice's finance function and the systems that sit behind billing, which is the part of a legal service clients most often find opaque.

Legal costs are one of the main reasons people delay getting family law advice, and delay is frequently what narrows their options. A practice that bills clearly and predictably, and that can explain what has been charged and why, removes one source of anxiety from a process that already has enough.

How costs work at the firm

Our services are billed at the lawyer's hourly rate, so you are charged only for the time spent working on your file rather than a fixed sum unrelated to the work done.

After your first appointment we send our Costs Agreement. It sets out the terms of your engagement and gives you an estimate of your total legal costs. A tax invoice follows at the end of each month, or on the conclusion of a significant event or court hearing, and it details the work undertaken on your behalf.

Two things are worth knowing about legal costs in family law generally. Costs are affected far more by whether a matter is contested than by how complex it is: a matter resolved at mediation and formalised by consent orders costs a fraction of one that runs to a final hearing. And court fees are separate from legal fees, set by regulation and payable at the time of filing — a divorce application was $1,170 as at 26 October 2026, with a reduced fee of $390 for those who qualify.

If you have a question about an invoice

Raise it. Account and invoice questions can be directed to the practice on (03) 7020 6542 or through the contact page, and your lawyer can explain any item of work appearing on an invoice. If at any point during your matter you have concerns about costs, we welcome the opportunity to discuss them.

What is Emily Waghorne's role?

Emily Waghorne is the Finance Manager at Empower Family Law & Mediation. She has worked in, facilitated and managed teams for over 20 years, having worked as a software professional across many different industries.

What does Emily focus on?

Emily believes in keeping the client experience at the front of every team member's mind, and is driven by the philosophy that high-functioning teams are made up of happy people who, working well together, deliver good outcomes for clients. As Finance Manager she is not a lawyer and does not provide legal advice.

Who should I contact about an invoice or costs?

Account and invoice questions can be directed to the firm on (03) 7020 6542 or through the contact page. The firm bills at the lawyer's hourly rate and sends a tax invoice at the end of each month, or on the conclusion of a significant event or court hearing, detailing the work undertaken.

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How will I be billed?

Work is billed at the lawyer's hourly rate, so you are charged for the time actually spent on your file rather than a fixed sum unrelated to the work done. After your first appointment you are sent a Costs Agreement setting out the terms of your engagement together with an estimate of your total legal costs. A tax invoice follows at the end of each month, or on the conclusion of a significant event or court hearing, and it details the work undertaken on your behalf. The first thirty minutes of an initial appointment are at no charge.

What is a Costs Agreement?

A Costs Agreement is a legally binding contract between a lawyer and a client that sets out how much legal services will cost and how they will be billed. You are sent one after your first appointment, so you are not asked to commit to anything before you have had advice and understand your options. It records the terms of your engagement and gives an estimate of your total legal costs. It is worth reading properly rather than filing unread, because it is the document that governs what you can be charged and on what basis, and it is the reference point if a question about an invoice arises later.

Are court fees included in the legal fees?

No. Court fees are set by regulation, are payable to the Court at the time of filing, and are separate from the firm's legal fees. As at 1 July 2026 a divorce application is $1,170, with a reduced fee of $390 for those who qualify, and other events carry their own fees: $215 for an application for consent orders and $510 for a conciliation conference, for example. Because these are set by regulation rather than by the firm, they change periodically, so confirm the current figure before relying on it. Legal fees are charged separately at the lawyer's hourly rate.

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