The landscape of estate administration is becoming increasingly challenging. Significant tax reforms, growing asset complexity and heightened scrutiny of estate decisions mean that practitioners must be equipped to handle problems before they become disputes. Hear from The Honourable Justice Michael Meek, distinguished counsel and leading succession law specialists as they guide you through the most difficult aspects of probate and estate administration in NSW. Explore complex probate applications, letters of administration, charitable gifts, taxation reforms, affidavit evidence and judicial advice applications, and leave with practical tools to manage risk and confidently advise executors in even the most complicated estates.

Presenters

The Honourable Justice Michael Meek, Supreme Court of New South Wales
Justice Meek was appointed to the Supreme Court of NSW and is one of the Equity Division judges. His Honour holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney, sharing the award for First in the Final year for Economic Statistics. His Honour was called to the Bar in 1992 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2009. At the time of his appointment his Honour was acknowledged as a specialist in the areas of estates, trust, protective and charities law, was listed in the 2017-2021 Doyle’s Guide as a Pre-eminent Senior Counsel in the area of Wills & Estates Litigation in NSW and recognised as one of the leading Senior Counsel in Australia in this area. His Honour’s practice saw him briefed in significant estate litigation, including the estates of the late Bart Cummings and the late Reg Grundy. His Honour was at the forefront of the law in relation to Statutory Will applications in NSW appearing in both the first landmark decision of Re Fenwick (2009) and the first Statutory Will appeal being Small v Phillips (2019). Following his appointment to the Court his Honour was initially assigned to “General Equity” matters. In July 2023 his Honour was designated as the Succession and Probate List Judge and with 3 other judges on a rotational basis, deals with List matters and also “General Equity” matters.

Craig Birtles, Barrister, Two Wentworth Chambers
Craig Birtles is a barrister at the Sydney Bar specialising in estate litigation. Craig regularly presents papers on all aspects of estate litigation and general equity matters. Craig was named as a Leading Junior Counsel – New South Wales in the Doyle’s Guide from 2019 to 2024. Craig is a member of the NSW Bar Association Succession & Protective Law Committee and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.


Josephine Pignataro, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
Josephine Pignataro BA LLM is a partner at HWLE Lawyers, and an Accredited Specialist in Wills & Estates Law with more than 20 years’ experience advising private clients on all aspects of estate planning and succession. She works closely with individuals and families to design and implement tailored estate planning strategies, ranging from straightforward testamentary arrangements to sophisticated plans for high‑net‑worth and ultra‑high‑net‑worth clients, often involving complex family, business and trust structures. Josephine’s practice encompasses the preparation of comprehensive estate plans including wills with testamentary trusts, enduring appointments and trust succession with a strong focus on asset protection, tax effectiveness, intergenerational wealth transfer and succession planning. She also advises executors, beneficiaries, trustees and companies on grants of representation and the efficient administration of estates. While her primary focus is estate planning, Josephine brings significant expertise in estate and succession litigation, enabling her to advise clients with a strong risk‑management perspective. Josephine is consistently recognised by Doyle’s Guide for both Estate Planning and Estate Litigation in New South Wales. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales, sits on the Law Society of NSW Elder Law and Succession Committee, and has been an adjunct lecturer with the College of Law in the Applied Master of Laws (Wills and Estates) program.


Justine Taylor, Principal Director, Uther Webster & Evans Solicitors
Justine is an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates. Justine joined Uther Webster & Evans in 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Psychology. Justine became a Partner of Uther Webster & Evans in 2015, and is now a Principal Director of the firm. A full member of STEP, Justine is a registered Trust Estate Practitioner and has been honoured to be ranked on Doyle’s Guide as Leading Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer in NSW and across Australia wide since 2016.  Justine is also listed by the Law Society as a recommended independent Administrator. Justine’s primary practice and passion is Succession Law, Wills & Estates and Trusts including contested estate litigation, complex estate administration, dispute resolution, protective list applications, general equity, estoppel and trusts.


Lisa To, Partner and Practice Head Tax + Private Clients, Bartier Perry
Lisa To leads the Private Clients & Tax group at Bartier Perry, bringing together the firm's taxation, estate planning, business succession, superannuation, contested and uncontested estate administration, probate and estate litigation, and family law teams. Lisa is a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA), a full Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and an Accredited Self-Managed Superannuation Fund Specialist (SMSF) Adviser. She has more than 20 years' experience advising on Australian federal and state taxation, trust law, cross-border estate planning and taxation disputes. Lisa advises professional advisers, high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices and private groups on wealth structuring, asset protection, succession planning and intergenerational wealth transfer. In 2026, STEP awarded Lisa the STEP Excellence Award for achieving the highest mark globally in the Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates. She regularly presents and publishes on taxation, estate planning and succession matters and is recognised as a leading adviser in these fields. Lawyers Weekly named Lisa Australian Taxation Partner of the Year in both 2024 and 2022. Doyle's Guide consistently recognises her as a Leading Tax Lawyer and a Leading Wills, Estates and Succession Planning Lawyer (NSW). Lisa serves on the Law Society of NSW Revenue NSW Liaison Committee and the Law Society of NSW Elder Law Committee. She works closely with accountants, financial advisers, trustee companies, private banks globally and legal practitioners to deliver practical, commercially focused solutions that help clients preserve, grow and transition wealth across generations.

John Armfield, Barrister & Mediator, Two Wentworth Chambers
John has been practicing at the NSW Bar for 44 years as counsel in wills and estates matters and related litigation. He has long been recognised in Doyles Guide as a leading junior counsel in 2015, 2017-2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 as a pre-eminent and recommended leading wills and estates junior counsel. His particular expertise spans family provision law, testamentary capacity, informal wills, estoppel in estate litigation and the rights of beneficiaries to obtain information in relation to the administration of trusts. Approachable as he is, his colleagues and members of the broader legal profession have come to rely on John’s guidance, counsel and assistance to resolve complex wills & estates matters. John is an accredited mediator. He is approached to act as mediator and instructed as counsel to appear for parties in more than 100 mediations a year. For the most part, he achieves an inordinate number of settlements either as Counsel, or as mediator assisting parties to reach a result they find acceptable in their circumstances. John is a regular legal conference speaker including STEP, the Blue Mountains Conference, Ten The Education Network and other various legal education channels together with his own Floor’s conference.

Paul Evans, Special Counsel, Bridges Lawyers
Paul has over 30 years’ experience in Estate Litigation, Estate Administration and Complex Estate Planning with Testamentary Trusts (Discretionary, Life Estates and Special Disability). He also advises charities on issues arising with ‘Gifts in Wills’. He worked in London for 10 years assisting high net worth clients with their estate planning to mitigate Inheritance tax. He is regularly appointed by the NSW Supreme Court as an independent administrator of estates in dispute. Paul has been an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates Law since 2004. He is a full member of STEP. He is also listed as pre-eminent in the Doyles Guide NSW List for Wills & Estates Succession Planning Lawyers.


Guy Moloney, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
Guy is the head of litigation in HWL Ebsworth’s Wills and Estate Planning practice group, and has specialised exclusively in complex Estate Litigation and Estate Planning matters for the last 12 years. In that time Guy has run family provision cases of all degrees of complexity; probate undue influence proceedings; will rectification proceedings; statutory will proceedings; testamentary capacity proceedings; administration suits and executor default suits in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT. Before focusing exclusively on estates, Guy had more than a decade’s experience in insolvency, tax and general commercial litigation. Guy’s experience in estate disputes is brought to bear when advising clients on the creation of a robust and secure estate plan. Guy has been recognised by Doyle’s Guide as “Leading Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer” in Australia from 2024 onwards. From 2023 onwards Doyle’s Guide recognised Guy as a “Leading Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer” in NSW and “Recommended Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Lawyers” in NSW. Guy has been named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia™ for Trusts and Estates since 2024. Guy commenced his career working as a Tipstaff for the Honourable Justice Palmer in the NSW Supreme Court and has a Masters in Commercial Law from UNSW.

Denis Barlin, Barrister, 13 Wentworth Chambers
With a particular focus on the SME market, Denis Barlin advises on all aspects of revenue laws, including income tax, CGT, GST and State taxes generally - including stamp duties and land tax. As well as taxation, Denis provides advice on trust law matters generally and superannuation. Denis is a regular speaker for professional associations including the TIA and has been a regular contributor to a number of professional journals.