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12 Best Divorce and Family Lawyers in Hamburg

Divorce in Germany goes through the family court, and the petition has to be filed by a lawyer even when both spouses agree. A separation year usually comes first. Hamburg's family lawyers range from solo practitioners who handle nothing but divorce and custody to mixed firms that pair family law with inheritance, social or employment law.

This guide lists lawyers whose own websites confirm family law as a main field. For each one we note the Fachanwalt titles held, the kinds of cases taken on, consultation terms and the languages offered.

How this guide is ordered

Four things shaped this ranking of divorce and family lawyers in Hamburg: how focused each business is on its trade, its standing with customers, how much it tells you about itself and which districts it covers. We revisit it whenever there is news.

Businesses are able to buy services that make them more visible in this guide.

Top 3Full listMapHow to choose

Compare 12 local options

Die Scheidungskanzlei Aljona Fink, Hamburg#1
What stands out
  • Advice in German, English and Russian

  • Free first consultation

  • Statutory minimum fees only

Die Scheidungskanzlei Aljona Fink

5.0107 reviews
Poststraße 51, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
International couples on a budget

Suits international couples and anyone who wants to keep the cost of a divorce down. Aljona Fink concentrates on divorce and its consequences, and she advises in German, English and Russian. The first consultation is free, she charges only the statutory minimum fees with no extra billing for postage or phone calls, and she checks whether a client qualifies for state legal aid before proceedings start. Her site has separate sections on international divorce and registered partnerships.

Fachanwaltskanzlei Dr. Waladan, Hamburg#2
What stands out
  • Family law only

  • Doctorate on a family law topic

  • City centre appointments too

Fachanwaltskanzlei Dr. Waladan

4.9112 reviews
Hamburger Str. 118, 22083 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Divorce and custody in Hamburg-Nord

A good match for people in the north-east of the city who want a lawyer focused on family law alone. Dr. Marjam Waladan has held the Fachanwalt title for family law since 2016 and wrote her doctoral thesis at the University of Hamburg on a family law subject. She handles divorce, custody, contact, maintenance and protection orders under the Violence Protection Act. Her office is in Barmbek, and since 2023 clients can also meet her at Neuer Wall 1 in the city centre.

Kanzlei Rutha Alt, Hamburg#3
What stands out
  • Fachanwältin and mediator

  • Sperm donation and parentage advice

  • Shared-care arrangements

Kanzlei Rutha Alt

4.860 reviews
Wartenau 9A, 22089 Hamburg-Nord, Germany
Best for
Same-sex couples and single mothers

Single mothers and same-sex couples planning a family have an unusual resource here. Rutha Alt, a Fachanwältin für Familienrecht and trained mediator, advises on having a child through an anonymous sperm donation, including the law on the sperm donor register. Her main work is divorce, maintenance, custody and contact, with a particular commitment to difficult contact cases and shared-care arrangements. She aims to settle conflicts out of court where possible and offers short-notice, phone and online appointments.

Rechtsanwalt Christian Kenkel, Hamburg#4
What stands out
  • Family law only for 15 years

  • Background in commercial law

  • Typical fees published

Rechtsanwalt Christian Kenkel

4.815 reviews
Bergstraße 26, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Marriage contracts and settlements

Its strength lies in agreements that settle matters before a court has to, from marriage contracts to separation deals. Christian Kenkel studied law and business, practised commercial law from 1997 and has held the Fachanwalt title for family law since 2009. For about 15 years he has worked in family law only. His site is unusually clear on costs, with typical lawyer fees for a divorce and for custody or contact proceedings, and he advises by phone or video across Germany.

D.O.C. Rechtsanwälte Fachanwälte, Hamburg#5
What stands out
  • German, English and Turkish

  • Fachanwältin für Familienrecht

  • Offices in Hamburg and Berlin

D.O.C. Rechtsanwälte Fachanwälte

4.981 reviews
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße 89, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Advice in English or Turkish

A good option for couples who need a family lawyer in English or Turkish. The firm's lawyers advise in German, English and Turkish, and Jutta Wenzel holds Fachanwalt titles in both family and employment law. Family work covers divorce, custody, marriage contracts, the division of household goods and protection orders. D.O.C. has offices in Hamburg and Berlin and also handles employment, traffic and criminal law, so a separation that touches a job or a police matter stays with one firm.

Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Doreen Bastian, Hamburg#6
What stands out
  • Family and social law titles

  • Video and email advice

  • Offices in Wandsbek and Norderstedt

Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Doreen Bastian

5.022 reviews
Wandsbeker Marktstraße 24, 22041 Hamburg-Wandsbek, Germany
Best for
Separation with benefit questions

Useful when a separation also raises questions about benefits, child benefit or social insurance. Doreen Bastian holds Fachanwalt titles in both family law and social law, and besides her office near Wandsbek Markt she runs a branch in Norderstedt. In family law she handles divorce, the separation of unmarried couples, maintenance and the division of property. Appointments can be held in person, by video or as a mix of both, and short questions can be handled through an email advice service.

Janzen Rechtsanwälte, Hamburg#7
What stands out
  • Family and inheritance Fachanwalt

  • Certified executor

  • Several legal areas in one office

Janzen Rechtsanwälte

5.018 reviews
Großneumarkt 20, 20459 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Divorce linked to inheritance

Fits families whose separation touches on an inheritance, an estate or jointly owned property. Rechtsanwalt Janzen holds Fachanwalt titles in both family and inheritance law, and he is a certified executor and a qualified estate administrator. His colleague Rechtsanwältin Grade also concentrates on family and inheritance law. The firm on Großneumarkt additionally covers property, employment, construction and traffic law, so related questions can stay in one office.

RLocal option
#8
What stands out
  • Fachanwalt since 2006

  • Fixed-price first consultation

  • Sample contact and shared-care wording

Rechtsanwalt Uwe Koch

5.014 reviews
KRÜGER ANWÄLTE, Neuer Wall 26-28, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Fathers seeking shared care

Fathers who want to stay involved after a separation will find a lawyer who is a member of the fathers' association Väter e.V. Uwe Koch has practised in Hamburg since 2001 and has held the Fachanwalt title for family law since 2006. He handles divorce, assets, maintenance, custody and contact, and his site offers sample wording for contact arrangements and shared-care models. A first consultation of about 45 minutes has a fixed price and can be held at the office, by phone or by video.

Rechtsanwältin Kerstin Nierling, Hamburg#9
What stands out
  • Fachanwältin für Familienrecht

  • Coaching training

  • Marriage contracts and wills

Rechtsanwältin Kerstin Nierling

4.921 reviews
Zugang: Hansastraße, Rothenbaumchaussee 112, 20149 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Divorce with wills and assets

Suits clients who want legal advice delivered with patience during an emotional separation. Kerstin Nierling holds the Fachanwalt title for family law and has trained as a coach, which shapes how she works with clients. She handles separation, divorce, maintenance, custody, contact and the division of assets, and she drafts marriage contracts. Wills and inheritance questions are covered too, as is the settlement of claims after traffic accidents. The office is on Rothenbaumchaussee, with the entrance on Hansastraße.

Çevik Çiftçi Rechtsanwälte, Hamburg#10
What stands out
  • German and Turkish law

  • Recognition of divorces in Turkey

  • English website

Çevik Çiftçi Rechtsanwälte

4.857 reviews
Ferdinandstraße 12, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
German-Turkish families

The natural choice for German-Turkish families, because a divorce here can be handled under both legal systems. The firm on Ferdinandstraße advises on German and Turkish law and represents clients before courts and authorities in both countries. Family law is one of its main fields, alongside inheritance, property and commercial law. It handles the recognition of German divorce judgments in Turkey and Turkish family and inheritance law. Calls are taken in German or Turkish, and the website has an English version.

Kracke & Otto Rechtsanwältinnen, Hamburg#11
What stands out
  • Family law only

  • Youth welfare office and court assessments

  • Cases across Germany

Kracke & Otto Rechtsanwältinnen

4.458 reviews
Mattentwiete 6, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Best for
Custody and contact disputes

Parents in a dispute over their children will find a practice built around exactly that. The lawyers at Kracke & Otto work only in family law, with a particular focus on separation with children, custody and contact. They also accompany parents through dealings with the youth welfare office, court-ordered psychological assessments and the appointment of a guardian ad litem. Cases come from across Germany. First contact runs through an online registration form, as the office does not take new enquiries by phone.

FLocal option
#12
What stands out
  • Family and employment law only

  • Next to Berne U-Bahn station

  • Quick first appointment

Fachanwälte Dr. v. Blittersdorff & Kollegen

4.763 reviews
Hermann-Balk-Straße 131, 22147 Hamburg-Wandsbek, Germany
Best for
Families in the Wandsbek district

A convenient option for families in Rahlstedt, Farmsen-Berne, Bramfeld and the rest of the Wandsbek district. The firm next to Berne U-Bahn station is made up of Fachanwälte for family law and for employment law. Its family work covers divorce, maintenance, custody, contact and the other questions that come with separation, while colleagues handle dismissal and severance cases. A prompt first meeting is guaranteed, and appointments are given by arrangement only.

The comparison at a glance

#BusinessRatingReviewsBest for
#1Die Scheidungskanzlei Aljona Fink 5.0107International couples on a budget
#2Fachanwaltskanzlei Dr. Waladan 4.9112Divorce and custody in Hamburg-Nord
#3Kanzlei Rutha Alt 4.860Same-sex couples and single mothers
#4Rechtsanwalt Christian Kenkel 4.815Marriage contracts and settlements
#5D.O.C. Rechtsanwälte Fachanwälte 4.981Advice in English or Turkish
#6Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Doreen Bastian 5.022Separation with benefit questions
#7Janzen Rechtsanwälte 5.018Divorce linked to inheritance
#8Rechtsanwalt Uwe Koch 5.014Fathers seeking shared care
#9Rechtsanwältin Kerstin Nierling 4.921Divorce with wills and assets
#10Çevik Çiftçi Rechtsanwälte 4.857German-Turkish families
#11Kracke & Otto Rechtsanwältinnen 4.458Custody and contact disputes
#12Fachanwälte Dr. v. Blittersdorff & Kollegen 4.763Families in the Wandsbek district

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Map of divorce and family lawyers in Hamburg

Most of the lawyers in this guide work in the city centre between Neuer Wall, the Rathaus and Großneumarkt, with others in Barmbek, Eilbek, Rotherbaum, Wandsbek and Farmsen-Berne.

Services to compare

  • DivorceAmicable and contested divorce petitions at the Hamburg family court, often started online.
  • MaintenanceCalculating and claiming or defending child and spousal maintenance, during separation and after divorce.
  • Custody and contactParental custody, contact arrangements and shared-care models for children after separation.
  • Assets and pensionsEqualisation of accrued gains, pension rights adjustment, the marital home and jointly owned property.
  • Marriage contracts and settlementsPrenuptial agreements, separation agreements and divorce settlement agreements.

How to choose Divorce and Family Lawyers in Hamburg

  1. Look for the Fachanwalt titleThe Hamburg bar grants the Fachanwalt für Familienrecht title after extra training, exams and a minimum number of family cases. It is not required, but it shows family law is central to the lawyer's daily work.
  2. Decide if your divorce is amicableIn an amicable divorce only one spouse needs a lawyer and the other can simply consent in court. If you disagree about maintenance, assets or the children, each of you needs your own lawyer.
  3. Match the lawyer to the main issueSome practices focus on children, contact and the youth welfare office, others on marriage contracts, property and pensions. Pick the one whose site covers the issue that worries you most.
  4. Ask about fees and legal aidFees follow the statutory RVG scale based on the value of the case. Ask what the first consultation costs and whether you may qualify for Verfahrenskostenhilfe, the state aid for court proceedings.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a divorce cost in Hamburg?

It varies. Court and lawyer fees are set by law and depend on the value of the proceedings, which is based mainly on both spouses' net income in the three months before filing, plus the pension adjustment and any disputed side matters. An amicable divorce with one lawyer and no disputes costs far less than a contested one, and spouses on low incomes can apply for Verfahrenskostenhilfe.

Do we have to live apart for a year before divorcing?

As a rule, yes. The court normally expects a separation year before granting a divorce, and it can be spent in the same home if you lead separate lives. Earlier divorce is possible only in cases of serious hardship. Many lawyers file the petition shortly before the year ends so the case can start without delay.

Can we divorce in Hamburg if we married abroad?

Usually yes, if at least one spouse lives in Germany, although the court may have to apply foreign law depending on your nationality, residence and any choice of law you made. A German divorce may also need to be recognised in your home country before it takes effect there, so ask your lawyer about that step early.

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