Wills
Preparation and review of Wills that clearly record how assets are to be distributed, who will administer the estate and who should care for any dependent children.
Expertise
Wills & Estates
Clear, considered advice for planning your affairs, protecting the people who matter and administering an estate when someone has died.
Wills and Estate Services
Planning ahead and managing what follows
Estate law involves decisions made during life as well as responsibilities that arise after death. We help clients put clear arrangements in place and guide executors and families through the legal process when those arrangements need to be carried out.
Estate Planning
Advice extending beyond the Will, including jointly owned assets, superannuation nominations, life insurance, trusts and other arrangements that may affect how wealth passes.
Powers of Attorney
Preparation of enduring powers of attorney and related documents appointing trusted people to make financial, personal or medical decisions where permitted.
Testamentary Trusts
Advice on whether a testamentary trust may be appropriate for beneficiaries who are young, vulnerable, financially inexperienced or exposed to particular family or commercial risks.
Probate and Estate Administration
Assistance with probate or letters of administration, identifying and collecting estate assets, addressing liabilities and distributing the estate to beneficiaries.
Estate Disputes
Advice for executors, beneficiaries and eligible family members in disputes involving the validity of a Will, family provision claims, executor conduct or the administration of an estate.
Our Approach
Clear arrangements, carefully carried through
We begin by understanding the people, assets and responsibilities involved, then prepare documents or guide the estate process in a way that is clear and practical.
01
Understand
We discuss your family circumstances, assets, responsibilities and priorities, including any issues that may require particular attention.
02
Plan
We identify which documents and arrangements may be appropriate and explain how assets are likely to pass under each option.
03
Document
We prepare clear, legally effective documents and confirm that they reflect your instructions before arranging execution.
04
Implement
Where an estate is being administered, we guide the executor or administrator through the required applications, notices, asset collection and distribution.
Planning Considerations
A Will is only one part of the picture
Not every asset passes under a Will, and the most appropriate arrangements depend on the client's family, ownership structures and future responsibilities.
Family circumstances
Marriage, separation, children, blended families, dependants and vulnerable beneficiaries may all affect how an estate plan should be structured.
Asset ownership
Jointly owned property, company interests, trusts and superannuation may pass under different legal arrangements and may not be controlled by the Will alone.
Decision-making during life
Powers of attorney and related personal or medical decision-making documents determine who may act if a person becomes unable to manage their own affairs.
Risk of dispute
Clear drafting, appropriate evidence and careful consideration of competing family interests may reduce uncertainty and assist if the estate is later challenged.
After a Death
Legal guidance through an unfamiliar process
Executors and administrators may need to locate the Will, identify assets and liabilities, apply for a grant, deal with institutions, respond to beneficiary enquiries and distribute the estate. We provide practical guidance through those responsibilities while helping the estate address any legal issues that arise.
Additional Estate Matters
Advice where the circumstances require more
Letters of administration where there is no Will
Informal or disputed Wills
Executor duties and potential liability
Removal or replacement of an executor
Family provision claims
Challenges to testamentary capacity or undue influence
Guardianship and administration applications
Missing beneficiaries or executors
Estate debts and creditor claims
Superannuation death benefit disputes
Jointly owned and trust-held assets
Cross-border assets and beneficiaries
Your Wills and Estates Team
Put clear arrangements in place
Whether you are preparing your own estate plan, acting as an executor or concerned about the administration of an estate, speak with us about the documents, responsibilities and next steps involved.
Book a consultation