Fleetwood Mac have a well known turbulent history – 43 years of platinum hits and blockbuster world tours netting each band member a place in the rock ‘n roll pantheon and enormous fortunes. Their tortuous bust ups and divorces have until now only resulted in solid gold hit songs of heartbreak and lost love. But […]

If only all blended families were are harmonious as the innocuous and disarmingly pleasant Brady Bunch. There are so many complex dynamics that are unique to the blended family – balancing provision for a second spouse against that for children from the first marriage, keeping step-children provided for who are often dependent and preventing favouritism […]

We talk a lot about the concept of legacy – what you leave behind. And it is more than houses, and cars and bank accounts, although those things matter greatly to those who inherit them. Legacy is about the footprints you leave on this planet – the mark you have made. Sometimes it is powerful […]

Every day I seem to see a new article about how artificial intelligence (AI) will make most professions, lawyers included, redundant. I recall reading Richard Susskind’s fascinating bestseller ‘The End of Lawyers’ about 10 years ago.  Susskind, a ‘futurist’, was even then predicting the demise of lawyers as computer power continued to expand and lower level […]

I am so privileged and honoured to be in Northern France for the dawn service of Anzac Day this morning. I’m even more fortunate to be here side by side with my father in law Bruce and brother in law Sam. There are ten thousand of us here from around the world, all struggling to […]

FBI agents raided the New York office, home and hotel room of Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen yesterday, well reported here. As any lawyer will tell you, this is a very big deal. When clients see us, everything they (and we) say in our meetings and phone calls are whats known as legally professionally […]

Donald Trump seems to have a sort of Midas touch, but in reverse – everything he touches turns to controversy. The latest of these is about Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) which are a routine aspect of any legal dispute that resolves by way of settlement or compromise.  And in particular, the NDAs signed by women who […]

The Executor and Trustee of your Will is a person, or persons, who you appoint to carry out your wishes as contained in your Will.  They must apply for a grant of probate of your Will which means they must prove they are who they say they are, how much the estate is worth and […]

As we reported late last year on this particular story we were very pleased with the decision in this case as we acted for the beneficiary who ultimately received all the estate. As we said then, we say again now – it was the right decision of the Court. Inheritance is very often a strange […]

When it comes to who can actually challenge your Will in WA, the list includes parents, married spouses, de facto spouses, ex-spouses in some cases, children, grandchildren and step-children.  Notably absent are siblings, cousins, carers, friends and everyone else.  If they are not on the above list, they cannot challenge under the Family Provision Act. […]