Guides on Victorian property, estates and commercial law

Buying property in Victoria: the conveyancing process explained

From contract to keys in hand, buying a home in Victoria follows a defined legal sequence. This article walks through each stage of the process, what your lawyer does at each step, and where the common problems tend to occur.

9 min read

Why a contract review should occur before signing

A pre-signing contract review is one of the highest-value legal services in a property purchase. This article explains why timing matters, what a review covers and how to use it.

7 min read

Understanding a Section 32 vendor statement in Victoria

The section 32 statement — sometimes called the vendor statement — is the mandatory disclosure document at the heart of a Victorian property sale. A clear understanding of its contents is essential for both vendors and purchasers.

8 min read

Selling property in Victoria: a conveyancing checklist

Selling residential property in Victoria involves work at the front end that most vendors do not see. This checklist runs through the sequence — from engaging your agent to accounting for the net proceeds — so you know what to expect and where to make decisions.

8 min read

Commercial property purchases: legal due diligence before settlement

Commercial property acquisitions demand a more thorough legal review than residential purchases. This article covers the main due diligence checks a purchaser's lawyer will run and why each matters.

9 min read

Retail lease or commercial lease: understanding the distinction in Victoria

Whether a lease is 'retail' matters enormously in Victoria. Retail leases attract statutory protections — disclosure, minimum term, restrictions on outgoings, dispute resolution — that do not apply to purely commercial or industrial leases.

8 min read

When should you make or update your will?

Most people know they should have a will. Fewer know when to make one, when to update one, and what happens if they leave it too late. This article covers the practical answer.

7 min read

What is a testamentary trust and when may one be appropriate?

A testamentary trust is not right for every estate, but for some it produces meaningfully better outcomes than a direct gift. This article explains what a testamentary trust is, how it works and when it is worth the extra complexity.

8 min read

Probate in Victoria: what executors need to know

Executors take on responsibilities that can extend over many months. Understanding what probate is, when it is needed and how the application is made is the starting point for administering an estate correctly.

9 min read

Letters of administration when there is no valid will

Not every deceased estate has a valid will. Where there is none — or where the named executor cannot or will not act — a different form of grant is needed: letters of administration. The rules on who can apply and how the estate is distributed are set out in statute.

8 min read

The duties of an executor in a Victorian deceased estate

Being named as executor is common; understanding what it means is less common. This article covers the executor's duties from the moment of death to final distribution, and where the role carries personal exposure.

9 min read

Administering a deceased estate after probate is granted

Obtaining probate is the beginning, not the end. The real work of an estate — collecting assets, dealing with property, tax returns, distributions and final accounts — happens after the grant.

8 min read

Buying or selling a business: the legal work involved

A business sale is a legal process wrapped around a commercial deal. Understanding what happens at each stage — from heads of agreement through completion — helps buyers and sellers make good decisions.

10 min read

Why a properly drafted shareholders agreement matters

The Corporations Act and a company constitution govern only part of the shareholder relationship. The rest — control, exit, deadlock, valuation and dispute — belongs in a shareholders agreement.

9 min read