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Succession and Elder Law Festival

17-20 November 2020 | Online

Sunrise, sunset…!

In 2020—amid an influx of change, uncertainty, and unprecedented disruption—succession and elder law practitioners unwittingly became some of the key frontline workers of the legal world. And as a result, your time has never been more precious.

So to celebrate the dedication, successes, innovations and progress we’ve experienced in practise this year; and to recognise, discuss and conquer the current and emerging challenges at the coalface, our annual Succession and Elder Law Conference is going virtual—and we’re having a Festival!

Enjoy a four-day, online celebration of succession and elder law presented by local and interstate leaders of industry and practice. You will explore a carefully curated selection of topics designed to energise, inform, inspire and connect; and you will experience a program like never before, with three sessions streamed daily at convenient, off-peak times: 8am (‘sunrise’), 12pm (‘noontide’) and 5.15pm (‘sunset’). 

Take back time with the Succession and Elder Law Festival—and join the celebration, with your SELF!

All substantive sessions are recorded so that you can relive the festival!

8 CPD points
Practical Legal Ethics
Practice Management & Business Skills
Professional Skills
Substantive Law
Member
$299 Full registration
Student member
$269 Full registration
Non-member
$388 Full registration
Group registration offer

Register four people from the same organisation at one event, the fourth is registered at 50% of the standard price. To secure the discount please email a list of delegate names, email addresses and note any dietary and/or physical requirements to events@qls.com.au.

Register now

Registration closes 13 November

Program


Tuesday 17 November

6.5 CPD points

8-9am

The sunrise case update

Join us for a snapshot of the latest cases from the last 12 months, as well as the key takeaway tips on how they will impact your day-to-day, frontline practise.

Presenters:
Christine Smyth TEP, Consultant, Robbins Watson Solicitors; Former President, Queensland Law Society; Member, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee; Member, Queensland Law Society Specialist Accreditation Board; Member, STEP Qld and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Caite Brewer, Barrister, Queensland Bar and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Chair:
Ashleigh Poole, Partner, Thynne + Macartney and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld

12-1pm

Networking at noontide: In conversation with Tara Lucke

Join the one and only influencer of estate planning, Tara Lucke, for an insightful and candid roundtable discussion on finding your inner-entrepreneur.

Host:
Tara Lucke, Founder, The Art of Estate Planning

5.15-6.15pm

Sunset Succession Express! 2-in-1

All aboard the Succession Express—for two, fast-paced, insight-packed sessions designed to bolster your practice management and business skills:

1. Tales from the field: Risk in unusual circumstances

Death Bed Wills, overbearing clients, seemingly simplistic instructions – what could possibly go wrong? And for all those times that little alarm bell goes off inside that tells you something’s not quite right, how do you deal with the professional risk that arises in these suspicious situations?

Join us for a few good tales of some unusual claims triggers, as well as some practical tips and tricks for protecting yourself—and your practice—from getting caught up in the aftermath.

Presenter:
Robert Mackay, Senior Legal Risk Solicitor, Lexon Insurance Pty Ltd

2. The psychology of cost conversations

Discussing your fees — or selling your services at a good price — is both a psychological and emotional challenge. In this session, you will explore:

  • how to prepare for cost conversations and maintain a positive pricing mindset
  • how a client needs to feel before accepting your fees
  • how to limit fee sensitivity and respond to fee resistance
  • how to sell your services at a good, assertive price.
Presenter:
Giles Watson, Legal Practice Management Consultant
Chair:
Judy Hayward, Special Counsel and Practice Management Consultant, Queensland Law Society, Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld

Wednesday 18 November

6.5 CPD points

8-9am

Sunrise roundtable: Legal tech and start-ups

Time to do some networking before you get working!

Join the innovation conversation and come together with like-minded and curious colleagues to discuss key considerations, updates and questions in the legal technology and startup space.

Lead by Executive Director of the Centre for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand and Asia), Terri Mottershead.

Host:
Terri Mottershead, Executive Director, Centre for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific)
Networkers:
Sheetal Deo, Relationship Manager — Future Lawyers, Future Leaders, Queensland Law Society and Chair, Queensland Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Tilé Imo, Senior Solicitor, Caxton Legal Centre

12-1pm

Noontide ethics: Is the client relationship like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?

This session is designed as a reminder to practitioners of the common issues that arise in frontline practice. It will consider the fundamental duties but also looks at ‘competent instructions’, confidentiality, management of conflicts, and the emerging US concept of ‘ethical wills’.

Presenter:
Stafford Shepherd, Principal Ethics and Practice Counsel, Queensland Law Society

5.15-6.15pm

Sunset session: "LawHack: The sunset SELF edition"

A guided, interactive race against the clock to come up with the most creative, innovative legal and practical solutions in a non-stop, rollercoaster of a case!

This session will pit individuals and groups against each other in a fun race to come up with the most innovative solution to a series of problems—all arising from a multifaceted and intriguing legal conundrum that requires out of the box thinking to solve.

Lead by the ever-engaging Justice Daubney AM, you will incrementally receive bitesize snippets of a case study to ‘solve’ in real time; using whatever resources they have on hand (online legal databases, phone a friend, Google, office precedents, random brain explosions of pure genius etc) before submitting your solution/s to a panel of three learned and innovative thinkers.

The most innovative solutions, win!

Facilitator:
The Honourable Justice Martin Daubney AM, President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Brains trust:
Renee Bennett, Partner, wilson/ryan/grose Lawyers and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Jeneve Frizzo, Principal, The Will and All; Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld and Member, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee
Prue Poole, Principal, McInnes Wilson Lawyers and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld

Thursday 19 November

6.5 CPD points

8-9am

The only consistency is change: 2020 legislation roundup

Receive an invaluable summary of the influx of 2020 legislative changes, as well as an overview of the various practices adopted during COVID that will continue into 2021 (and those that won’t).

Presenters:
Angela Cornford-Scott TEP, Director, Cornford-Scott Lawyers; Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld; Chair, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee and Chair, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee
Chris Herrald TEP, Special Counsel, Mullins Lawyers; Deputy Chair, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee and Chair, STEP Qld
Chair:
Natalie Silvester, Senior Associate, Mullins Lawyers and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld

12-1pm

Networking nanas: Noontide granny-flat forum

With an aging population, and a society generally grappling with crippling day-to-day debt; granny-flat arrangements appear to be the salve that will soothe everyone’s concerns as clients approach their sunset years. But are they really?

Join the inimitable Paul Paxton-Hall for a Q&A on everything granny-flats, and solve your own questions and client conundrums in a relaxed, guided conversation with colleagues and intersecting-industry professionals.

Host:
Paul Paxton-Hall, Director, Paxton-Hall Lawyers

5.15-6.15pm

Sunset state of mind: Overcoming frontline fatigue

At the best of times, succession and elder practise can be challenging to our resilience: after all, one of our closest co-workers is the Grim Reaper himself.

So it’s no wonder that in times of global unrest, our ability to bounce back can burst quicker than a dollar-store yoga ball.

If you’re feeling a little deflated after a particularly challenging year, join us for a candid, humorous and inspiring panel discussion around meeting and overcoming the unexpected side-effects of practising during a pandemic, as well as tips for fostering an effective and resilient perspective for when things go awry in life (and law).

Panellists:
Brian Herd, Partner, Elder Law Services, CRH Law and Member, Queensland Law Society Elder Law Committee panellist
Ush Dhanak, The EQ Influencer, EQ Academy
Zinta Harris, Principal, Resolve Estate Law, Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld and Accredited Specialist (Business Law) – Qld

Friday 20 November

6.5 CPD points

8-9am

When the daughter and son rise: Elder financial abuse

Unmasking common scenarios for the transfer of wealth before death: is it genuine, or is it financial elder abuse? This session will include practical tips and lessons from recent cases, together with a handy check list.

Presenters:
Karen Gaston, Partner and Head of Wills & Estates, Thynne + Macartney and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Ann Janssen, Special Counsel, Estate First Lawyers and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Bryan Mitchell, Principal, Mitchells Solicitors; Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld and Member, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee
Chair:
Chris Herrald TEP, Special Counsel, Mullins Lawyers; Deputy Chair, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee and Chair, STEP Qld

12-1pm

Questions on notice: The noontide smorgasbord is now open!

You’ll want to bring a plate for this scrumptious selection of questions and answers (but no take-away containers, please!).

This is your chance to have all your burning succession and elder law practice questions answered. Questions may be anonymously submitted on notice, and live during the session.

Presenters:
Glenn Dickson, Barrister, Queensland Bar and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Gary Lanham, Special Counsel, Minter Ellison; Past Chair, Queensland Law Society Succession Law Committee and Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) - Qld
Nathan Yii, Principal Lawyer, Nathan Yii Lawyers, Chartered Tax Advisor and SMSF Specialist Advisor

5.15-6.15pm

The early career lawyer after party

Grab a drink and join a relaxed closing Festival roundtable with your early career compadres.

Swap and share candid stories, insights, advice, and the golden lessons you’ve learned so far in your succession and elder practise—as well as a cocktail recipe (or two). Lead by the youngest QLS Councillor ever, Chloe Kopilovic.

Host:
Chloe Kopilovic, Councillor, Queensland Law Society; Associate Director, FC lawyers, and Member, Queensland Law Society Innovation Committee
Networkers:
Abbey John, Estate Planning Lawyer, Australian Executor Trustees
Martin Mallon, Estate Litigation Associate, Attwood Marshall Lawyers

Register now

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Contact QLS

179 Ann Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000

1300 367 757

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and keepers of this land and acknowledge all elders past, present and future.