Wills & estates · Brisbane, QLD
Verified Australian wills & estates lawyers practising in Brisbane and surrounding suburbs. Practising certificates checked against the QLD register. Fees published. Methodology transparent.
Wills, estates and succession law is state-administered — each state has its own succession legislation, family provision regime, and probate registry. Estate planning straddles legal and tax advice; contested estate matters are litigation with their own evidence and procedure. Early estate planning typically saves substantial dispute cost later.
Brisbane is the regulatory and commercial centre of Queensland legal practice. The Supreme Court of Queensland (Brisbane Registry), Federal Court (Brisbane Registry), and QLD District and Magistrates Courts all sit here. The Queensland Law Society regulates solicitors and barristers.
Regulators: Queensland Law Society (qls.com.au) and Bar Association of Queensland (qldbar.asn.au)
Supreme Court of Queensland Probate Registry (415 George Street). Family provision under Succession Act 1981 (QLD) within 9 months of death.
Indicative fees drawn from our 2026 practitioner survey and published cost data. Confirm in writing with any firm before engaging — written costs disclosure is mandatory under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.
| Pathway / matter type | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simple will | $400–$1,100 | |
| Probate | $2,000–$5,500 + fees | |
| Family provision | $20,000–$70,000 |
For the full wills & estates cost breakdown across Australia, see our Wills & estates cost guide.
Matter types we see most often in our intake from Brisbane and surrounding suburbs.
Single wills, mirror wills (couples), wills with testamentary trusts, powers of attorney, enduring guardianship, advance care directives. Tax-effective structures for high-net-worth estates often involve trust planning.
Application to Supreme Court for grant of probate (where there is a will) or letters of administration (where there isn’t). Filing fees scale with estate value. Administration includes notifying creditors, realising assets, paying debts, and distributing to beneficiaries.
Eligible persons may apply for further provision from a deceased estate where inadequately provided for. Time limits are strict and vary by state — 12 months in NSW from death (s58 Succession Act); 6 months from grant in VIC. Most claims settle at mediation.
Claims that a will is invalid — defective execution, lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence. Expert medical evidence usually required. High-cost litigation.
Disputes about asset valuation, distribution, executor conduct. Often resolved by mediation; court intervention available where executors are obstructing.
Family trusts, discretionary trusts, SMSF death benefit nominations. Interaction between estate and trust assets is a common area of dispute — trust assets are usually outside the estate but binding death benefit nominations control superannuation.
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1 verified wills & estates lawyers matched to Brisbane. Updated weekly. Editorial rankings are independent; sponsored placements are labelled.
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Estates lawyer with 19 years in Queensland succession law. STEP member.
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