Category W & G Lawyers

This article was written by Melinda Gao Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

A common question in Australian divorce consultations is: Can I still get divorced if my spouse refuses to agree, will not sign the documents, or cannot be located?This concern arises particularly often in sole divorce applications.

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This article was written by Grace Blake Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

A failing retaining wall is rarely a small problem. Replacing one can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the most expensive question is usually the most contested one: who has to pay?

Many Queensland property owners assume they will simply split the cost with their neighbour, the way they would for a dividing fence. That assumption is often wrong, and acting on it can leave you badly out of pocket. Retaining walls are treated very differently under Queensland law. Who pays usually comes down to who benefits from the wall, where it sits, and who was at fault when it failed.

This article explains where the financial risk really lies. It is general information only and is not legal advice. Every retaining wall matter turns on its own facts, so please speak to us about your situation.

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This article was written by Jialin Liu Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

After separation, many people try to rebuild and reorganise their lives. Some move into rental accommodation. Some return to work. Others want to create a more stable home for themselves and their children, and may consider buying a new property.

A common question then arises:

If we have already separated, can a house I buy afterwards still be divided in the divorce?

The answer is usually not a simple “yes” or “no”.

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This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

Our earlier piece looked at Hall v Hall [2026] QSC 134, where a handwritten note left by a woman shortly before her death was upheld by the Supreme Court as a valid informal will. A case like that can leave people with a tempting thought: if a scribbled note on the couch can do the job, why bother with a formal will at all?

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This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

Not every will is a neatly typed document, signed in a solicitor’s office with two witnesses looking on. Queensland law recognises that a person’s genuine final wishes should not fail simply because the paperwork wasn’t perfect. The recent decision of Justice Crow in Hall v Hall [2026] QSC 134 is a striking illustration of this principle, involving a handwritten note left by a woman shortly before she took her own life.

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This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

A W & G Lawyers client briefing Updated 29 June 2026

The 2026–27 Federal Budget and a busy final sitting fortnight have delivered one of the most significant clusters of tax, superannuation and workplace changes in years. Some are already law and take effect this July. Others have passed Parliament but won’t bite until 2027. And one of the most talked-about measures — the minimum tax on family trusts — isn’t law at all yet.

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On 26 June 2026, W & G Lawyers was honoured to welcome Aunty Peggy Tidyman, a respected Gunggari Elder and artist, together with Mr Lewis Lee OAM, General Manager of FCL Interior Pty Ltd and Chairman of ACHWMC, to our office.

They attended to present the certificate for Aunty Peggy’s artwork, Reconciliation & Healing, which is now displayed at W & G Lawyers. The certificate records that the work was created in 2024 and is a water-based acrylic on canvas.

Aunty Peggy shared the background to the artwork and its meaning. According to the artwork description, Reconciliation & Healing reflects the strong cultural and spiritual connection of First Nations people to culture, land, sea, environment and traditional healing practices. It also speaks to the importance of passing knowledge and cultural values from one generation to the next.

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Separation and divorce are rarely just legal events. They may involve moving out of the family home, rearranging children’s routines, dealing with changes in income, and facing uncertainty about legal costs, living expenses and the future.

For many people, the difficulty is not that they do not need legal help. The difficulty is that they are concerned about how to pay for it. A person may need advice about their rights, assistance with disclosure, preparation for negotiations, mediation or court proceedings, but may delay seeking help because of short-term cash flow pressure.

In family law matters, costs may include legal fees, mediation fees, court filing fees, expert report fees, valuation fees and other expenses connected with separation. The likely cost of a matter will depend on many factors, including the issues in dispute, the complexity of the asset pool, the conduct of the other party, the extent of disclosure required, whether experts are needed, and whether the matter can be resolved by negotiation or mediation.

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This article was written by Jialin Liu Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

After separation, one of the first things many people hear is: “Let us just split everything 50/50.”

It sounds fair. It sounds simple. And when a relationship has already left you emotionally exhausted, a half-half split can feel like the quickest way to end the argument. Some people want to avoid more conflict. Some worry about legal costs. Some simply want to settle, move out and start rebuilding their life.

But under Australian family law, property settlement after separation does not automatically start at 50/50. It is not decided simply by whose name is on the house, whose account the savings are in, or who paid the mortgage most often.

The real question is whether the proposed outcome is just and equitable in the circumstances of your relationship.

Sometimes, a 50/50 split may be appropriate. Sometimes, it only looks fair on the surface.

Before you sign any property agreement, the question is not whether other people usually split things equally. The question is whether this arrangement is fair for your family, your contributions, your children, your financial future and your legal position.

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This article was written by Grace Blake Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

Recent headlines surrounding the federal Budget left many Australian families concerned about the future of their estate planning. With the government proposing a new 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts, many people questioned whether one of the most powerful protective structures available, the Testamentary Trust, was about to lose its primary financial advantages.

Fortunately, the government has officially confirmed that all types of discretionary testamentary trusts will be exempt from the proposed 30% minimum trust tax.

This announcement is a monumental win for everyday families. It ensures that Testamentary Trusts remain one of the most effective, tax-positive vehicles for protecting and passing down generational wealth.

This article explains how the exemption works, why this structure is uniquely beneficial under Queensland law, and how it can safeguard your family’s financial future.

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