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Personal legal services

Individuals and family businesses often draw on a team of professional advisers to support them throughout their journey of wealth creation, growth, protection and succession. Cooper Grace Ward offers a comprehensive range of personal legal services for clients seeking this type of support, including family owned businesses, middle market enterprises and high net worth individuals.

Benefits you gain from working with us

Confidence in achieving the right outcomes

Our lawyers are independently recognised as experts in private client services. You can have trust in their ability to support you in your personal legal matters including estate planning, succession, family law, tax and superannuation, amongst many others.

An easy fit with your existing advisers

We are well regarded for our ability to work seamlessly with your accountants, financial planners and other professional advisers to achieve your objectives.

Peace of mind, knowing all the issues have been anticipated and addressed

Our team is up-to-date on all the latest legal trends and developments for private clients, which means we can help you identify and resolve issues before they cause you any concern.

A personal relationship and accessibility

We regularly travel throughout Queensland and Australia to meet with clients and their other advisers, to ensure we can build a strong relationship with you and develop a clear understanding of your needs.

If you are seeking support to grow and protect your business, wealth and personal interests, please contact one of our team. We also invite you to visit our publications and resource centre or read more in our helpful private client fact sheets below.

Our services for private clients

Our team of specialists can cover all aspects of your personal legal needs and business legal requirements including those outlined below.

Personal legal services

Business legal services

Services tailored to your business and industry sector

Resources for private clients

Business and commercial

The following business and commercial fact sheets provide insights into different business structures and agreements. We also outline our approach to business succession plans and agreements:

Estate administration

Our estate administration fact sheets and checklists are designed to support executors, administrators and trustees in understanding and carrying out their duties:

Estate planning

A sound estate planning strategy involves more than just a Will. The following fact sheets and checklists address some of the major concerns that can arise in ensuring that your estate planning arrangements are aligned with your personal objectives:

For more information or to speak with one of our personal legal services experts, contact Cooper Grace Ward on +61 7 3231 2444.

Key contacts

Scott Hay-Bartlem
Partner
Fletch Heinemann
Partner
Clinton Jackson
Partner
Annie Smeaton
Partner
Linda Tapiolas
Partner
Belinda Winter
Partner
Justine Woods
Partner
Cass Palmer-Field
Associate

Publications

Non-arm's length expenses (NALE) and self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) - the new rules for general expenses finally released!

In the 2017 Budget, the government announced that the concept of ‘non-arm’s length income’ (NALI) for SMSFs was to expand to specifically include where an SMSF expense was not incurred, or less than would have been incurred had the parties been dealing on an arm’s length basis (NALE) – see for further information:

Court decides loans by an SMSF in breach of the superannuation rules are unenforceable – Colaciello v Christensen

Section 65 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act) prohibits the trustee of an SMSF making a loan to a member or a relative, or providing other financial assistance using the resources of the SMSF. Section 62 contains the sole purpose test and requires the SMSF to be maintained for particular purposes.

The importance of adequate evidence to fight a non-arm’s length income (NALI) assessment in an SMSF – the AAT speaks!

Income that is NALI is taxed to the SMSF at the top marginal tax rate rather than the usual concessional rates, so having additional amounts deemed to be NALI can result in a significant increase in tax for an SMSF.