Wills & estates lawyers in Geelong.

How to choose a wills & estates lawyer in Geelong

Five questions that determine whether the lawyer in front of you is the right fit for your matter.

• Practice focus matters. A solicitor who drafts the occasional will is not equivalent to a succession-law specialist. For anything beyond a simple will, look for STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) membership or state Law Society specialist accreditation in succession law.
• Coordination with your accountant. Estate planning interacts with capital gains tax, superannuation tax, and trust taxation. Reputable estate lawyers coordinate with your accountant rather than working in isolation.
• Fixed-fee for routine work. Simple wills, mirror wills, powers of attorney should be fixed-fee. Contested estate matters move to scoped or hourly rates and need a written estimate.
• Fair-witness fact-checking. For wills involving blended families or where contest risk is high, the solicitor should make detailed notes of capacity and testamentary intentions at the time of drafting. This becomes critical evidence if the will is later challenged.
• Mediation experience for contested matters. Most family provision and beneficiary disputes settle at mediation. A lawyer with strong mediation experience — and a track record of constructive settlements — is more valuable than a litigator who pushes everything to hearing.