Wills and Estate Lawyers in Melbourne

Clear, careful advice for planning your estate, administering a loved one’s estate, and resolving disputes when they arise.

Hendersons Legal are wills and estate lawyers based in Melbourne’s CBD acting for clients across Victoria. We have been in private practice since 2001. In that time we have prepared wills and powers of attorney for individuals and families, guided executors and administrators through probate, and acted for clients on both sides of estate disputes. Whether you are putting your own affairs in order or dealing with the estate of someone who has died, we make the process straightforward and keep you informed at every step.

Wills and estates work covers three connected areas, and we handle all of them. Some clients come to us to plan ahead. Others need to administer an estate after a death. And sometimes a will leads to a disagreement that needs to be resolved. Below is a short overview of each, with a link to the page that covers it in full.

Will Drafting and Powers of Attorney

A properly drafted will is the clearest way to make sure your wishes are carried out and to reduce the risk of a dispute later. We take detailed instructions about your assets and your intentions, and we prepare a will that sets them out plainly. At the same time, we recommend putting in place the full set of attorney documents, so that decisions about your finances, medical treatment and lifestyle can be made if you ever lose capacity.

Read more on our will drafting and powers of attorney page.

Probate and Letters of Administration

When someone dies, the executor named in their will usually needs a grant of probate before they can deal with the estate. Where there is no will, a family member applies for letters of administration instead. We prepare and lodge these applications with the Supreme Court of Victoria, advise executors and administrators on their duties, and help with the practical work of collecting assets, paying debts and distributing the estate.

Read more on our probate and letters of administration page.

Estate Disputes

Not every estate is settled without conflict. A family member may feel they have been left out of a will or not properly provided for. An executor may be accused of getting something wrong. The validity of a will itself may be in question. We act for people making these claims and for executors defending them. We work towards a fair outcome as quickly and sensibly as the circumstances allow.

Read more on our estate disputes page.

Areas of Expertise

Hendersons Legal acts for individuals, executors, administrators and beneficiaries throughout Victoria, including:

• Preparation of wills, from straightforward wills to those involving trusts, blended families and business interests
• Enduring powers of attorney and appointment of medical treatment decision makers
• Applications for grants of probate
• Applications for letters of administration where there is no will
• Advice to executors and administrators on their duties and on the administration of the estate
• Advice on distributions under wills and trusts, including discretionary trusts
• Family provision claims by people left out of a will or not adequately provided for
• Defending family provision claims on behalf of executors
• Challenges to the validity of a will, including questions of capacity and undue influence
• Disputes between executors and beneficiaries, and claims that an executor has not done their job properly

Why Choose Hendersons Legal

Melbourne CBD Location

Our office is a short walk from all major Victorian courts and tribunals, including the Supreme Court where probate and estate matters are dealt with. For anything that needs an in-person appearance, we can be there quickly. We are easy to reach for most clients, and we are happy to meet by Zoom or telephone where that suits you better.

One Firm for Planning, Administration and Disputes

Because we handle the whole of wills and estates work, you are not passed between firms if your matter moves from one stage to the next. The lawyer who helps you plan can help your executor later, and if a dispute arises we can act in any court representation and litigation.

Transparent Pricing

We are required to give you a cost estimate before we start work, confirmed in a costs agreement that sets out our terms. You will know what to expect before you commit.

A Practical, Common-Sense Approach

Estate matters are often emotional, and they always have a practical side. We keep our advice clear, weigh up the cost and commercial realities with you, and stay alert to the family sensitivities involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How It Works

To get started, contact us by phone or fill out our online enquiry form with a few details about your matter. We will confirm the scope of work, provide a fee estimate, and keep you informed at every stage.