• Drafting & updating Wills and Codicils;
• Drafting Powers of Attorney and Powers of Guardianship;
• Applying for Probate or Letters of Administration; 
• Assistance with claims against deceased estates (also called 'contesting' a Will)';
• Defending claims against deceased estates; and
• Supreme Court estate litigation

Do you have a valid Will?

You must have a valid Will in order for your assets to be distributed according to your wishes after your death.  If you have a valid Will, you can also express your wishes about other issues such as funeral arrangements, organ/ body donation and the guardianship of infant children.

If you die without a valid Will, your assets will be dealt with in accordance with the intestacy laws, regardless of your wishes. 

It is especially important to have a valid Will if you have dependants and/or own property.

What about 'do it yourself' Wills?

A 'do it yourself' Will Kit is generic and is not tailored to your individual needs and situation. You will not have the benefit of legal advice from an experienced solicitor about the Will or other related issues. You may not be aware of the legal implications of making certain statements in a Will that you have drafted yourself.

Many people feel that it costs too much to have a Will drawn by a solicitor. However, if you have an invalid or confusing 'do it yourself' Will at the time of your death, it will be even more costly for your beneficiaries than the initial cost of having the Will drawn correctly.

Enduring Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Guardianship

A Will only comes into operation when a person dies. If someone is legally incapacitated (for example, if an elderly person has dementia, if someone is in a coma or in the case of some mental illnesses) their financial and personal affairs can be thrown into disarray.

An enduring power of attorney allows you to appoint a person to mangage your financial affairs if you are legally incapacitated.  An enduring power of guardianship enables your guardian to make decisions about your personal care, including medical treatment, palliative care, admission to a nursing home, etc.

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