The New Zealand Law Society established a Family Law Committee in 1987 to advise it on matters relating to family law and the Family Court.

The committee put a proposal to the Law Society in 1996 that a Family Law Section be formed to raise the profile of family law within the profession and to recognise the advancements for family lawyers.

The Law Society saw the establishment of the Family Law Section as an important development that would provide an opportunity for a greater flow of information about family law issues among members who could be directly involved in the Section’s activities.

The Law Society President at the time, Austin Forbes QC, saw the establishment of a FLS as an important development. He said, on the proposal in October 1996: "This will be the path for the future of the profession whereby groups with a common interest could formalise their networks. The Section will provide an exciting opportunity for professional development for the benefit not only of practitioners, but, as well, others interested in or involved in providing family law services. These include the clients of family lawyers and the Family Courts as well as counsellors and others involved in the Family Court system."

Austin Forbes went on to say "I will be disappointed if there are not 250 members of the Section within a year or so". Today there are almost 1,000 members of the FLS, comprising family law practitioners, legal academics, judges, legal executives and government employees.