Wills and Estates

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What we do

At Walsh Halligan Douglas Lawyers, our experienced Wills and Estates team understands that making a Will, administering your estate or contesting a Will can be one of the most stressful times of your life.

For over 50 years we have provided quality Wills and Estates services to our private clients.

We are committed to supporting your visions, values and goals and working closely with you to ensure these are achieved and maintained.

Where we can help

  • I would like to plan my Estate

    If you are seeking to plan your Estate in a way that gives you peace of mind, is not overly complex and won't cost you the earth, contact us to discuss your Estate planning needs.

    At Walsh Halligan Douglas Lawyers, we have looked after the Estate planning needs for generations of Queensland families. We focus on explaining everything clearly in 'non-legal' speak and will not allow you to sign any documents unless we are satisfied that you fully understand what you are signing.

    We prepare:

    • Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, General Powers of Attorney, Letters of Wishes, and Advance Health Directives;
    • Complex Wills including Testamentary Discretionary Trusts, with consideration of business, company and trust structures; and
    • General and Binding Nominations for self managed superannuation funds in accordance with the superannuation trust deeds.

    We can advise you on:

    • Capacity issues and liaise with your doctor at your request;
    • How your Estate will be distributed upon your passing;
    • Issues that may arise regarding the effects of marriage, separation and/or divorce on your Estate;
    • Potential claims against your Estate; and
    • The effect of including guardians for children under 18 years, burial, cremation and organ donation directions in Wills.
      • We can also assist rural, interstate and overseas clients.

    In addition, we are happy to make visits to hospitals, nursing homes and private residences for clients with mobility issues. We can also take instructions via email or telephone and prepare a Will within short timeframes (as little as 48 hours). With experience across the field of Estate planning, Estate administration and Estate litigation, we are your end-to-end solution for ensuring the wishes of you and your loved ones are carried out as intended.

  • I need advice regarding the administration of an Estate

    When it comes to Estate administration, we understand that our clients are looking for a law firm who can 'take care of things' whilst they focus on dealing with the loss of a loved one.

    A typical Estate administration process involves:

    1. Advising on beneficiaries' entitlements under a Will or where there is no valid Will;
    2. Applying for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration if required;
    3. Identifying assets and liabilities, managing property, collection and sale (if required) of assets, making claims for superannuation death benefits, and discharging debts;
    4. Distributing the Estate and obtaining releases and discharges; and
    5. Finalisation of the affairs of the deceased, including tax.

    In addition, our comprehensive Estate administration service focuses on dealing with all of the necessary paperwork that arises upon a person's passing so that you don't have to. This may include formally notifying various entities, removing names from electoral rolls, mailing lists and subscriptions, attending to payment of bills (or liaising with creditors regarding overdue bills) and cancelling official identification. We work with Executors to ensure that they are legally protected, to meet time frames and deadlines and advise of any potential estate litigation issues. We are also happy to tailor our services to meet the needs of the individual, from taking care of the administration of the Estate in its entirety through to becoming involved at a certain stage of the administration in order to keep costs down.

  • My loved one's Will is being contested or I would like to contest a Will

    If your loved one's Will is being contested or you would like to contest a Will, our Estate litigation team will be able to advise you of your legal position and the best course of action going forward.

    Typically, a Will can be contested if:

    • The Testator (the person who made the Will) did not have mental capacity or was unduly influenced by another person at the time the Will was made;

    OR

    • An interested party feels that they are entitled to bring a claim.

    If you would like sound legal advice as to the best course of action for you, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

  • I need the services of a Notary Public

    Our qualified Notary Public Tom Frisby is available to notarise your documents at short notice. Contact us to make an appointment

A word on fees

We offer a highly competitive, fixed fee service for the preparation of Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives. We charge industry-competitive hourly rates for Estate administration and litigation services.

Please contact us for further information.

Let’s start talking

Our Wills and Estates team would love to hear from you to discuss how we can help. Email us or contact one of our key team members below:

Loan Chow
Tom Frisby

You may also find useful…

Our Wills and Estates clients are often interested to know that we also offer advice on family law, business services and conveyancing.



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