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The public and the legal profession alike have a common interest in maintaining an extreme level of competence in the judges who serve on the High Court of Australia. Only the most able of judges should be appointed. The most recent appointment, Justice Geoffrey Nettle, fits that description. In his … read more

This has been a hobby horse of mine for some years. Finally, in 2015, I get to ride it! 2015, of course, marks the 800th anniversary of the first Magna Carta. This was a document that created the foundation for our laws and government. Now I’m, principally, a succession lawyer. … read more

It’s not uncommon for a will-maker to leave a gift “to my children and, if more than one, in equal shares”, or something similar. When administering the estate the executor has the responsibility of deciding who meets the description of the will-maker’s children. Depending on the circumstances, the executor’s task … read more

In recent years, NSW courts have had many occasions to consider the enforceability of informal arrange- ments – arrangements which are (almost always) “neither reduced to writing nor the subject of legal advice”.1 To give that comment some context, in the first nine months of 2012 there have been at … read more

For PDF version, please click the following link – Advanced Care Directives, June 2012

It’s probably because Bjelke-Petersen didn’t “feed the chooks”[1] enough. Because ever since Bjelke-Petersen was, supposedly, embarrassed by his inability to explain (to a journalist) the doctrine of the separation of powers, every Tom, Dick and Harry has used the separation of powers doctrine as an excuse to accuse others of … read more