AI isn’t just a buzzword — it’s becoming a day-to-day tool in legal practice. From drafting assistance to task automation and research, lawyers are discovering new ways to cut through routine work and focus on higher-value tasks. This session explores how legal professionals can use AI and other smart tools to work more efficiently, save time, and stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment. It covers:
It is unfortunate that in recent times allegations can be enough to impose a guilty finding on the alleged perpetrator, and the complainant is perceived as truthful and wronged. In the context of an employment complaint, employers need to take a step away from this mob mentality and ensure their investigations and actions accord with the law and good governance. This session will provide a tool kit for best practice handling of allegations in the workplace, including:
The recent decision of Owies has cast renewed focus on trustee’s obligations, in particular, the discharge of the trustee’s obligations to properly exercise their discretion. Central to this, is the duty trustees have to not fetter their discretion. The proper discharge of this duty in today’s complex world is certainly easier said than done and there are many situations in which steps taken by trustees in commercial and family dealings could fall foul of trust law leaving the decision open to challenge by beneficiaries.
Estate planning is an ongoing event, with professional advisers intricately involved with a client and their family over an extended period in relation to very sensitive and significant matters. This session will examine the responsibility and risks of advisers for ascertaining the capacity of their clients over time and the consequences of failure to take appropriate steps, including:
Every family lawyer, no matter where they practice needs to know how to draft watertight property settlement orders. This session provides a back-to-basics overview of what family lawyers should consider when preparing a set of orders. In this program, Mark MacDiarmid from MacDiarmid Legal in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, talks through those primary considerations in a very practical manner and shares some useful tips and tricks picked up through his many years of practice.
31 mins / 0.5 CPD units
Electing for a trust to be a family trust for tax purposes can avail the trust to various concessions not otherwise available. It can also expose the trust to unforeseen adverse tax consequences if the conditions relating to the election are not complied with. This session looks at the situations where an FTE may be a viable option, as well as what to look out for once the election is made, including:
Contracts for supply of goods and services invariably include a range of clauses intended to protect the parties from the risks of such transactions, including warranties, indemnities and limitations of liability. In this program, barrister Nicholas Simpson, from 13th Floor St James chambers in Sydney, provides a guide to the law and practice of these risk management mechanisms, and the importance of careful drafting of such clauses.
[35.51 minutes] [0.59 CPD units]
Disputes within organisations often start off small, but without careful handling can escalate into something much bigger that threatens the whole organisation and can leave it financially, emotionally and reputationally in tatters. This session provides a guide to effective internal conflict management and warns of what can happen if the bull isn’t taken by the horns at an early stage, including:
With elder abuse so prevalent in modern society, it will be increasingly common for parties to seek advice and assistance from lawyers when they suspect that the attorney has acted badly in relation to management of the deceased’s financial affairs. This session shall take a risk management approach and look at what lawyers (for both the executor, beneficiary and any interested person) should do when faced with such allegations. Specifically this session shall:
One of the most difficult aspects of relationship breakdowns can be navigating parenting and children’s matters. In this three part webinar series, learn directly from the experts and gain practical insights into how to manage challenging parenting matters in your family law practice. Sessions covered include how to negotiate relocation arrangements, best practice tips and tricks for parenting orders for children with special needs, as well as deep dive into the child support system. Training for as many staff as you want - no additional cost!