ByLawyers News and Updates

Wills, Powers of Attorney & Enduring Guardianships TAS

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Wills, Powers of Attorney & Enduring Guardianships

DECEMBER 
  • New Commentary on Challenging the validity of a will
    • Challenging a will questions its validity. Contesting a will questions the fairness of its provisions. The circumstances and processes when challenging a will are similar across all the states in legislation and in the common law principles that govern this interesting area of the law. This addition to commentary covers helpful tips for practitioners if they are faced with a client wishing to challenge the validity of a will.
OCTOBER 
  • Costs Agreements
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.
JUNE
  • Added new precedent – Individual will creating multiple testamentary discretionary trusts
APRIL
  • File Cover Sheets for all publications have been completely re-formatted for a better look.
MARCH
  • Powers of Attorney Commentary enriched to include a new section ‘What an attorney can’t do’. Commentary also enriched to include Instruments made in other states.
FEBRUARY
  • Making life a little easier for practitioners – look out for Blank Deed, Agreement and Execution Clauses folder in the matter plan at the end of each Getting the Matter Underway.

Motor Vehicle Accident NSW

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View the Motor Vehicle Accident publication on By Lawyers

NOVEMBER 
  • New commentary added on recent amendments to maximum costs recoverable by practitioners – Amendments by Motor Accidents Compensation Amendment (Claims) Regulation 2016
OCTOBER 
  • Retainer instructions – Motor accident claim – Updated references to indexed maximum amounts of damages.
  • Costs Agreements – Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment, total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables, and authority to receive money into trust.

Personal Injury NSW

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NOVEMBER 
  • Commentary – Updated link to clause 3 of CIVIL LIABILITY (NON-ECONOMIC LOSS) ORDER 2010 regarding maximum amount of damages for non-economic loss.
OCTOBER 
  • Retainer instructions – Updated reference to index amount for maximum non-economic loss.
  • Costs Agreements
    • Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment, total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables, and authority to receive money into trust.
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.

District Court Civil NSW

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NOVEMBER
  •  Brand new guide added – ‘Reference Manual – 101 Subpoena Answers for NSW’
OCTOBER
  • Acting for the Defendant and Acting for the Plaintiff Guides
    • Commentaries added on service outside of Australia
    • Commentaries added on list of exhibits
  • Costs Agreement
    • Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment included total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables and included authority to receive money into trust.
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.

 

Local Court Civil NSW

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NOVEMBER
  • Brand new guide added- ‘Reference Manual – 101 Subpoena Answers for NSW’
OCTOBER
  • Updated commentaries with respect to amendments to Local Court Practice Note No. 1 of 2015.
  • Costs Agreements
    • Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment, total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables and included authority to receive money into trust.
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.

 

Personal Property Securities

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Personal Property Securities

NOVEMBER 
  • The commentary has been updated to discuss transitional security interests and migrated security interests as the transitional period for migrated registrations ends 31 January 2017.
  • Costs Agreements – Reference to interstate costs laws added and updated interest clause
OCTOBER 
  • Costs Agreements
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.
    • VIC/NSW -Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment, total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables, and authority to receive money into trust.
    • WA – Added clause on scale fees.
AUGUST 
  • Costs Agreements have been added for Northern territory, and Tasmania.
APRIL 
  • File Cover Sheets for all publications have been completely re-formatted for a better look.
MARCH 
  • New commentary added on disputing a registration, covering both the administrative process under the Personal Properties Securities Act 2009 and the judicial process. Associated precedent Amendment Demand and Amendment Statement also added to the matter plan
FEBRUARY
  • This matter plan has been reviewed and reorganized with a view towards a more intuitive approach.
  • All federal publications now include a costs agreement for the ACT.
  • Making life a little easier for practitioners – look out for Blank Deed, Agreement and Execution Clauses folder in the matter plan at the end of each Getting the Matter Underway.

Family Law

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Family Law 

NOVEMBER
  • Further Information – Added “Parenting orders – what you need to know”
  • Costs Agreements – Included reference to time limit for requesting itemised bill as per the Family Law Rules, reference to interstate costs laws added, updated interest clause
OCTOBER
  • Costs Agreements
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.
    • VIC/NSW – included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment included total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables and included authority to receive money into trust.
    • WA – added clause on scale fees.
  • Property Settlement Commentary – Amend – Step one – identify and value the net property 3.
  • New precedents
    • To do list – Children
    • To do list – Financial Agreement
  • 101 Family Law Answers – added new commentary on Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding Payments.
AUGUST
  • Divorce, Children and Property Settlement guide – New Costs Agreements added for Tasmania and Northern Territory.
  • Children commentary –  Considerations specific to children matters added to commentary on social media evidence
  • New precedents
    • Letter to other side inviting them to family dispute resolution
    • Letter to other side’s solicitor inviting them to family dispute resolution
JULY
  • Children commentary – Amended to discuss in more detail paternity and the presumption of parentage. In certain circumstances, proving parentage can be particularly important. Parentage is also a relevant consideration as the number of blended families in Australia continues to rise.
JUNE
  • Divorce commentary – Updated and restructured the commentary discussing divorce applications and reduction of court fees.
APRIL 
  • Property Settlement – New precedent added – Letter to other side’s solicitor with offer of settlement – Calderbank offer.
  • File Cover Sheets for all publications have been completely re-formatted for a better look.
MARCH
  • Property Settlement – Commentary concerning social media evidence in financial proceedings has been added to the property settlement guide.
  • Children commentary – Added section on making urgent applications – Early hearing and urgent orders ex parte.
FEBRUARY
  • Children commentary – Added section on variation of parenting orders. In particular, a commentary on the threshold test as established in Rice v Asplund (1978) 6 Fam LR 570 has been added.
  • Making life a little easier for practitioners – look out for Blank Deed, Agreement and Execution Clauses folder in the matter plan at the end of each Getting the Matter Underway.
JANUARY
  • All By Lawyers Family Law cost agreements have been updated in line with the 2016 Family Law Rules itemised scale of costs.

Bankruptcy and Liquidation

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Bankruptcy and Liquidation

NOVEMBER 
  • Further Information – added more links
  • Costs Agreements – reference to interstate costs laws added and updated interest clause
OCTOBER
  • New article – Trading whilst insolvent
  • Costs Agreements
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting
    • VIC/NSW – Included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment, total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables, and authority to receive money into trust.
    • WA – Added clause on scale fees.
AUGUST
  • Costs Agreements added for Tasmania and Northern Territory.
APRIL
  • File Cover Sheets for all publications have been completely re-formatted for a better look.
FEBRUARY
  • Making life a little easier for practitioners – look out for Blank Deed, Agreement and Execution Clauses folder in the matter plan at the end of each Getting the Matter Underway.

Companies, Trusts, Partnerships and Superannuation

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Companies, Trusts, Partnerships and Superannuation

DECEMBER
  • New Precedent – Hybrid Trust Deed – A hybrid trust is one that combines the efficiency of a fixed trust with the flexibility of a discretionary trust.
NOVEMBER
  • New precedent – Discretionary trust deed – No appointor
  • Costs Agreements – Reference to interstate costs laws added and updated interest clauses
  • ‘Further Information’ options added
  • Self Managed Superannuation Funds commentary – Updated information regarding non-lapsing binding nominations and stamp duty
OCTOBER
  • Costs Agreements
    • WA and SA – added client and firm fields company execution clause trust account details solicitor’s lien.
    • WA – added clause on scale fees.
    • NSW/VIC – included reference to time limit for bringing costs assessment included total estimate of legal costs section with provision for variables and included authority to receive money into trust.
    • Disputes section improved, fields for client and firm details added, trust account details added, solicitor’s lien added, execution clauses for individuals and corporations added and general formatting and grammatical improvements.
  • Commentary – Update income tax – corporate beneficiary Div 7A loan
SEPTEMBER 
  • Amended tax amount where necessary to $175,000
AUGUST
  • Costs agreements have been added for Tasmania and Northern Territory.
JULY
  • Companies, Trusts, and Partnerships Commentary – The land tax sections of the comparative business structures table have been updated to include the foreign purchaser surcharge in NSW and the increase in absentee owner surcharge in VIC.
  • Self Managed Superannuation Funds Commentary – The commentary was amended to expand the definition of a dependent for the purposes of determining superannuation death benefit recipients.
JUNE
  • Self Managed Superannuation Funds Commentary – updates regarding amendments to superannuation fund balance caps introduced by the 2016 – 17 Federal Budget and updates for lender requirements in limited recourse borrowing arrangements also applied bringing commentary into alignment with arm’s length principles discussed in ATO practical compliance guideline 2016/5.
MAY 
  • Commentary added on discussing foreign resident capital gains withholding payments.
APRIL
  • File Cover Sheets for all publications have been completely re-formatted for a better look.
MARCH
  • Superannuation commentary now discusses replacement assets.
  • New precedents added:
  1. Custodian Deed
  2. Resolution of the directors – Act as custodian – Bank limited recourse borrowing arrangement
  3. Resolution of director as trustee – Limited recourse borrowing arrangement
  4. Resolutions for sole director – Limited recourse borrowing arrangement
  5. Limited recourse borrowing deed
FEBRUARY
  • A general minutes precedent has been added to the companies trusts and partnerships guide.
  • Making life a little easier for practitioners – look out for Blank Deed, Agreement and Execution Clauses folder in the matter plan at the end of each Getting the Matter Underway.
JANUARY
  • Considered the forthcoming amendments to the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 and the regulations planned for later in this year.
  • Added a new Combined Shareholder and Unitholder agreement precedent into Companies, Trusts and Partnerships Guide.

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