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Private Clients Sam specialises in helping clients work through and achieve their estate and succession planning goals. He also has extensive experience in advising self-managed superannuation fund trustees and members regarding establishing, varying and administering their self-managed superannuation funds.
Sam is driven to achieve positive outcomes for his clients in their personal and business succession planning and enjoys the challenge of guiding his clients through this difficult process in a sensitive yet practical manner. He listens to his clients and considers all the issues to understand them, before creating a tailored strategy to meet their specific needs.
Sam has worked with a broad range of clients, from those with young families to some of Australia’s largest family groups, as well as business owners and people transitioning into retirement. This has provided Sam with a practical insight into a broad range of issues that can arise at all stages in life.
Sam is a full member of the Law Institute of Victoria and has been named in the 2018 and 2019 Doyles Guide as a ‘Rising Star’ in the field of Australian Wills, Estates & Succession Planning.
Experience
- Advising families on estate and succession planning with a focus on wealth preservation, blended families and vulnerable beneficiaries.
- Preparing personal testamentary trust Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Appointments Medical Treatment Decision Maker and Superannuation Death Benefit Nominations.
- Reviewing complex structures of family trusts and unit trusts, and preparing documentation to deal with succession of control.
- Advising self-managed superannuation fund trustees and members regarding establishing, varying and administering their self-managed superannuation funds.
- Advising on estate administration and attaining appropriate grants in respect to both Australian and international estates.
- Advising family businesses on tailored company constitutions, family constitutions, and interest holder agreements and the preparation of documentation for existing business structures for entry of second and third generations into the business.
Awards and recognition
Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession 2020
Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Rising Stars (Australia)Latest thinking
Private Clients | 5 Jul 2022
SMSFs in estate planning: takeaways for inheritance disputes
Recent cases involving superannuation death benefit nominations provide a timely reminder that SMSFs continue to be at risk of dispute.