Thursday, 5 March 2026
‘Bank of Mum and Dad’: Treatment of Trusts and Equitable Interests in Family Law
As financial support from parents becomes increasingly common, disputes over loans, gifts and trust arrangements are now a regular feature of family law proceedings.
- Explore how the courts are approaching the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’
- Examine recent decisions on trusts, equitable interests and third-party contributions
- Gain practical guidance on managing these complex financial relationships in property settlements
Presented by Lachlan Wraith, Barrister, Foley’s List; Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Barrister, Doyle’s Guide 2025
Chair
Margaret Neal, Principal, marshalls+dent+wilmoth lawyers; Preeminent Family & Divorce Lawyer and Leading Family Lawyer (High-Value & Complex Property Matters), Doyle’s Guide 2025
Description
Attend and earn 0.5 CPD unit in Substantive Law
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Presenters
Lachlan Wraith, Barrister, Foley’s List
Lachlan is a barrister at the Victorian Bar. He commenced at the Bar in 1996 following 3.5 years working in a regional Victorian law firm. Lachlan practised primarily in family law until 2007 when he left the Bar to take a position as Head of Personal Estates & Trusts at Equity Trustees Ltd. His time at Equity Trustees gave him a broad and practical exposure to the legal and tax issues related to estates, trusts (testamentary, family, special disability, compensation trusts and charitable trust), representative administrations (VCAT and Powers of Attorney) and issues relating to the licensed trustee companies industry. Lachlan returned to the Bar in early 2013 and now focuses his practice on trust and estate work as well as family law matters involving trust and estate related issues.
Margaret Neal, Principal, marshalls+dent+wilmoth lawyers
Margaret Neal is a Principal in the family law department of marshalls+dent+wilmoth, a team of 11 family lawyers. Margaret has practised in family law for over 30 years and has expertise in all areas of family law work including high net worth financial cases, drafting complex agreements and parenting matters. Margaret is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Margaret is regularly noticed as a Preeminent or Leading family lawyer in Doyle’s Guide.
