Professional advisers

Professional advisers including accountants and financial planners play a pivotal role in their clients’ business dealings and personal wealth creation. Cooper Grace Ward has a long history of partnering with these advisers to provide practical and commercial legal services, advice and training. This includes a combination of legal support directly to professional advisers as well as to their clients.

We have a well-established network of adviser relationships in Brisbane and we have developed a strong presence across Queensland in centres including Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Mackay, Bundaberg, Townsville and Cairns.

We regularly visit accountants and financial planners, and their clients, all over Queensland and Australia. Our focus is on delivering clear and simple advice, enabling accountants and financial planners to assist their clients to achieve their financial goals.

CPD sessions for accountants and financial planners

A pillar of our strategy and success is our highly regarded adviser training and seminar program that we have rolled out in these regions, as well as interstate in Sydney and Melbourne. We also offer CPD sessions for accountants and financial planners via our webinar series, attended by professional advisers across Australia.

In addition, we bring together a two-day Adviser Conference in March each year, enabling up to 12 CPD points for accountants, financial planners, lawyers and other professional advisers.

Find out more about our upcoming CPD sessions on our events page.

Financial planning – support from commercial lawyers

Cooper Grace Ward has provided specialist legal advice to financial planners for more than 20 years, bringing the in-depth knowledge of financial products and services and underpinning legal framework required to deliver commercial and astute advice to financial planners and their clients.

Our clients range from sole practitioners to major wealth management firms that provide brokerage and investment advisory services, comprehensive financial and estate planning, superannuation and cash management advice.

Legal support for accountants and business advisers

Our commercial lawyers have worked collaboratively with accountants and business advisers for more than 20 years.

We understand the important and strategic role accountants play in helping their clients achieve their short and long term goals. In many cases, there is a complex overlay of business and commercial issues combined with personal legal requirements. This can extend to issues such as family law, succession and estate planning.

Cooper Grace Ward provides comprehensive coverage of all of these issues from a legal perspective. We work hand in hand with accountants to ensure their clients have the specialist legal support needed to achieve their goals.

Commercial legal services to help you and your clients

Our legal services include:

To access specific information about our services, application forms and price lists, visit our Adviser Services Hub.

Our affiliate, CGW Structures, can assist you with establishing companies, trusts and superannuation funds. With our online application process, you can apply online anytime.

We also offer training for staff of accounting and financial planning firms on current legal issues and changes to relevant legislation for the industry. This type of education serves as a risk management tool and helps to protect you, your staff and your clients. Our lawyers are regularly called on to present similar training through accounting and financial planning industry bodies. This includes the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA, formerly FPA), the SMSF Association, and The Tax Institute.

Key contacts

Scott-Hay-Bartlem
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Partner
Clinton-Jackson
Clinton Jackson
Partner
Hayley-Mitchell
Hayley Mitchell
Partner
Linda-Tapiolas
Linda Tapiolas
Partner
Greg-Cahill
Greg Cahill
Consultant

Publications

Can an SMSF buy real property from a related party?

In this edition of It depends, senior associate Keeghan Silcock discusses whether an SMSF can buy real property from a related party.

Podcast: TaxLand with Fletch and Sarah - Lessons from Nerang Subdivision Pty Ltd: GST registration in large scale residential property developments

In this episode of TaxLand, Fletch and Sarah discuss the decision in Nerang Subdivision Pty Ltd & Ors v Hutson & Anor where the Supreme Court of Queensland required that the owner of a property subdivision project be registered for GST. They explore issues such as when a landowner could be carrying on an enterprise for GST purposes, when a landowner is required to be registered for GST and the importance of GST clauses in property development arrangements.

Podcast: TaxLand with Fletch and Sarah – Challenging asset betterments and default assessments

In this episode of TaxLand, Fletch and Sarah discuss the challenges for taxpayers trying to meet their burden of proof when seeking to set aside default assessments raised from asset betterment statements and industry standard reports. Travel to TaxLand with us to learn more.