Lauren Farrelly
Senior Associate
Succession + Estate Planning + Commercial + Estate Administration + Estate Disputes
Lauren is an Accredited Specialist in Succession Law (Qld) who draws on more than a decade of legal expertise in regional areas when advising clients. Lauren has a recognised focus on estate and succession planning and the successful administration of deceased estates.
In particular, Lauren enjoys matters where she can offer advice which brings value to the combination of agribusiness, family-owned enterprises and complex corporate structures.
Lauren has developed a reputation for helping clients resolve issues with complex deceased estates for individuals with a high net worth or large land holdings. These estates often involve agribusiness operations which need immediate attention to ensure continuation of the family business throughout the administration of the estate.
With distinct differences in the estate planning and administration rules between states, Lauren has developed an understanding of the unique issues in both Queensland and New South Wales and has successfully assisted clients where the estate has property held in multiple jurisdictions.
Lauren has acted in many matters involving disputes between executors, beneficiaries and other interested parties over proper provision from a deceased estate, capacity of the willmaker to make a valid will and the validity of estate planning documents.
Lauren is increasingly assisting families with issues involving incapacitated or disabled family members which includes making applications to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal respectively.
Highly qualified, Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws in Wills and Estates.
Lauren enjoys contributing to the local community with positions currently including Board Member of Care Goondiwindi and President of the Opera in the Gardens Inc organisation which raises funds for Cancer Council Qld.
Accreditation
- Accredited Specialist (Succession Law) – Qld
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
- Bachelor of Laws
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
- Master of Laws in Wills and Estates
Memberships & Appointments
- Admitted to Supreme Court of Queensland
- Admitted to High Court of Australia
- Qld Law Society – Member
- Qld Law Society Succession Law Committee – Member
- Society of Trust & Estates Practitioners – Member
- Care Goondiwindi – Board Member
- Opera in the Gardens Inc – President
- Central Queensland Community Legal Centre – Life Member
- Law Australasia – Next Gen
Sixty Seconds with Lauren Farrelly
Why did you decide to become a lawyer? Legally Blonde the movie has a lot to answer for. Plus the university guide book said studying law didn’t require any Maths skills – they were definitely wrong about that!
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be? I would run a doggy day care centre for very pampered pooches.
What brings you the most joy in your job? Having those tough conversations about estate or succession planning issues that clients have been avoiding dealing with for a long time. And at the end of the matter, having clients tell me how relieved they are that we’ve achieved what they were hoping to – hopefully with as little stress as possible!
I also love working with a team of like-minded lawyers, paralegals and support staff who are just as enthusiastic as I am about estate and succession planning.
What’s the best advice you could give your clients? Although it is always at the very bottom of everyone’s to do list, it is so important to have a will and enduring power of attorney which reflects your current wishes.
Making sure your estate planning documents are up to date is critical to help avoid unnecessary confusion or conflict in the event of your incapacity or death.
What are the downfalls of being a lawyer? Working in deceased estates means that your clients are often going through one of the most stressful time of their life, as they’re very distressed and grieving. It is so gratifying to see the relief they experience once a complex matter or litigation has been finalised.
If you could invite three people for dinner, dead or alive who would they be and why? Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Edith Cowan (first woman elected to parliament in Australia) and Justice Michael Kirby (former Justice of the High Court of Australia – known as the “great dissenter”!)