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“Alison is so concise, very literate and very fluent in the legal world. She was tolerant with me as someone who knew nothing about what I was getting into. She was focused on converting my emotional experience into a legal process.”
- BOB W“Having Alison on your side is very reassuring. She never got personal or cruel. She was factual and knowledgeable.”
- LISA P“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You were the only one out of the myriad of lawyers I called who was genuine and honest.”
- SAMANTHA J“Alison is an action person. She threw herself into my case. I know she was working on other cases but it felt like it was only me.”
- MARY D“If you want to contest a will, go to Alison. She’s very easy to talk to. My brother and I were both very happy with the result and she was just so easy to deal with.”
- KATHLEEN P
Specialising in will dispute claims, Alison has a unique set of finely honed skills and extensive experience, making her the go-to choice for clients seeking straight answers regarding contested estates.
Focusing solely on contesting wills throughout her career, Alison first learned about them in the late 90s, working in her father’s legal practice, before graduating University in 2002.
With 15 years of estate disputes under her belt, Alison is inherently focused on taking the time to fully understand each client’s story, carefully grasping the background and bigger picture — a crucial element to crafting a convincing claim and achieving a positive result.
CONTACT ALISON
The death of a loved one is a challenging time. Although the law recognises a person’s right to choose who will receive his or her estate, there are often sound reasons why a person may decide to contest a will.
To alleviate the pressure in an already difficult time, a No Win No Fee service means you are only paying if the outcome is successful.
Defending a will can be complex and stressful without appropriate legal advice. The highly-skilled ABL team is ready to guide you through the process of defending or challenging a will.
Fixed Fee arrangements are ‘outcome- oriented’. They offer the best value for a client, and are often more efficient than traditional hourly-based methods.
Get in contact with us, send Alison an email, and get your case started.
Email Alison
As legal specialists providing a tailored, niche offering, we are focused on delivering an efficient and trusted service to a diverse demographic of Australians. While we have physical spaces in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle, technology allows us to remain accessible to anyone. We frequently connect with clients in rural or remote communities who are unable to access major cities.
We appreciate that contentious estate matters can be emotionally driven and equate to highly-stressful experiences. The best way to negate discomfort in these situations is to completely understand your legal rights. As a practice, ABL prides itself on clear communication, fast-acting efficacy, a high level of quality and innate empathy. We are here to support our clients and achieve real results.
Please view our list of frequently asked questions. If you have any questions that are not answered below, please contact us.
Contact usIf you:
…chances are you will have a will dispute claim.
The Contesting a Will page on this site provides more detail.
Alternatively, book a free 15-minute consult and we’ll provide an assessment over the phone
First step is to ask the executor. If you don’t know who the executor is, or the executor refuses to provide a copy, consider the following:
There are a number of other avenues you can consider, all of which your lawyer should know.
If you are having no luck with the above approaches we suggest you book a free 15-minute consult and we may be able to help you with this step.
You’re not alone. Most people can’t afford a lawyer.
If we are of the opinion that you have a good case, in other words, that the court is likely to award legal fees be paid from the estate, we will suggest a ‘No Win No Fee’ agreement.
In that event legal fees only get paid at the end and only if you are successful.
See our Fees page for more information or Contact Us to discuss a fee structure to suit your requirements.
An estimate of costs including any ‘hidden costs’, such as counsel’s fees, filing fees or other disbursements, will be clearly spelt out in an easy to understand, plain language agreement between us.
There are rules that require solicitors to have an agreement with clients, protecting them from any unforeseen charges. Both you and us will be bound by that agreement and you will have recourse to the Law Society in your state if hidden costs are charged that were not disclosed.
Have you been out of touch for years? Well, there are always two sides to the story. Although you may have had a falling out, or what the court calls an ‘estrangement,’ with a deceased person, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make a claim.
The law is filled with examples of children who have been estranged from a parent for long periods of time but have still made successful claims on the estate.
If you want to discuss the particulars of your estrangement in light of a potential claim we suggest you book a free 15-minute phone consultation with Alison Butler to discuss your circumstances further.
Send me a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.