Separation and family
Separation changes who inherits, who can make decisions for you, and what your executor will face. We handle property agreements and consent orders, and we fix the documents that quietly still name a former partner.
Fixed fee
Quoted on scope
Timeline
Depends on the agreement
What you keep
An updated document set
Where we sign
Referral if you need a specialist
Fixed fee
Agreed in writing before we start
Depends on the agreement
Separation changes who inherits, who can make decisions for you, and what your executor will face. Most people update the property; almost nobody updates the paperwork underneath it.
Agreements and orders
We prepare property agreements and consent orders, and we tell you plainly when a matter needs a family law specialist instead. We will not run a dispute we should not be running.
The documents that still name a former partner
Wills, enduring powers of attorney, medical decision makers, superannuation nominations and life insurance. Separation leaves all of them standing, and we go through the set in one appointment.
The order we do things in
First the documents that are dangerous to leave standing — wills, attorneys, nominations. Then the agreement itself. Doing it the other way around leaves months where the wrong person is still in charge of your affairs.
When we hand you on
If there are contested parenting arrangements or a matter heading for court, you need a family law specialist. We will say so in writing and refer you to one; we do not run matters we should not be running.
Who this is for
Anyone recently separated
People who have divorced but never updated a will
Couples formalising a property split
Anyone whose former partner is still named as attorney
What the fee includes
Property agreements and consent orders
A review of every document that names your former partner
Updated wills and attorney appointments
A referral, in writing, when a specialist is the right answer
Questions
What people ask before they ring.
If yours is not here, it is a two-minute phone call and we will not put you on a list.
Do I need to change my will straight away?
Yes. Separation does not revoke a will, and in most cases divorce only revokes the parts that benefit a former spouse. Until it is redrafted, your estate can still pass exactly where you no longer want it to.
Can you act for both of us?
No. We can act for one of you and prepare an agreement the other's lawyer reviews, which is usually faster and cheaper than two firms arguing from scratch.
What about superannuation and insurance?
Those follow nominations, not the settlement. We check every nomination and policy alongside the agreement, because this is the step that most often gets missed.
