Services

Legal help for life and businesses

From buying your first home to growing a business or planning for the future, SD&S Legal Group provide practical legal advice for the moments and decisions that matter.

Below is an overview of the areas we can help with. If you’re not sure exactly what you need, get in touch - we’ll talk it through and point you in the right direction.

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Our Expertise

Property Law

Includes

Residential and commercial property sales and purchases,
Agreement reviews
Due diligence
First-home purchases
Refinancing
Settlements
Subdivisions and property development.

Buying or selling property is a significant transaction, and good legal advice should make the process clearer - not more complicated. We act for clients across residential and commercial property matters, from reviewing an agreement before it is signed through to due diligence, finance, settlement and everything in between. We keep you informed, identify issues early and make sure you understand exactly what you are agreeing to at each stage.

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Trusts & Asset Planning

Includes

Trust establishment and administration
Trust reviews and restructuring
Trustee changes
Asset and succession planning
Letters of administration
Estate Administration

Trusts can form an important part of protecting and managing family assets, but they are not the right solution for everyone. We help clients understand whether their existing arrangements are still appropriate, what their responsibilities are as trustees, and how trusts can fit within their wider estate, succession and asset planning. Our advice is tailored to your circumstances - not a one-size-fits-all structure.

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Wills, Powers of Attorney & Estates

Includes

Wills
Enduring powers of attorney
Estate planning
Probate
Letters of administration
Estate administration.

Planning ahead gives you greater control over what happens if you lose capacity or when you die, and can make an already difficult time significantly easier for the people around you. We prepare wills and enduring powers of attorney that reflect your circumstances and wishes, and we guide executors and families through probate and estate administration with practical, compassionate advice.

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Relationship Property

Includes

Contracting out agreements
Relationship property agreements
Separation advice
Relationship property settlements

Relationship property issues are often both legally and personally complex.

Whether you are entering a relationship, protecting particular assets, separating or working through the division of property, we provide clear advice about your legal position and practical options.

Our approach is measured and solution-focused, with the aim of helping you reach an appropriate outcome without creating unnecessary conflict.

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Business & Commercial Law

Includes

Business sales and purchases
Business structuring
Shareholder and partnership arrangements
Commercial contracts
Commercial leasing and general business advice

Good legal advice should help your business move forward, not simply identify problems.

We work with business owners at different stages - from establishing the right structure and negotiating leases or contracts through to buying, selling and growing businesses.

Our focus is practical, commercially minded advice that helps you understand the risks, make informed decisions and get on with business.

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Not sure which service you need?

That’s completely fine - most people don’t arrive knowing the legal name for what they need.

Tell us what’s happening and we’ll work out the next step together.

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When should I involve a lawyer when buying or selling property?

Ideally, before you sign the agreement.

An agreement for sale and purchase creates legally binding obligations, so having us review it before you commit gives us the best opportunity to identify issues, recommend appropriate conditions and make sure the agreement reflects what you intend.

Already signed? Get in touch anyway - we can review the agreement and explain what happens next.

Do I need a trust?

Not necessarily.

Whether a trust is appropriate depends on your assets, family circumstances, objectives and the reasons you are considering one.

We’ll talk through those factors with you and explain the advantages, obligations and alternatives so you can make an informed decision.

I already have a will - do I need to update it?

Possibly. A will should be reviewed when your circumstances change.

That might include entering or leaving a relationship, having children, buying significant assets, starting or selling a business, or changes within your family.

Even if nothing major has changed, it is sensible to review your will periodically to make sure it still reflects your wishes.

What is a contracting out agreement?

A contracting out agreement allows a couple to agree that some or all of the usual relationship property rules will not apply to them.

These agreements are commonly used where one person is bringing significant assets into a relationship, there are children from previous relationships, or the parties simply want certainty about how their property will be treated.

There are specific legal requirements that must be followed for the agreement to be valid, including each person receiving independent legal advice.

Can you help with a business I'm just starting?

Yes.

Getting the foundations right early can avoid significantly more expensive problems later.

We can advise on business structures, ownership arrangements, shareholder or partnership agreements, commercial leases, contracts and other legal issues that arise as your business grows.