Ainsleigh’s practice principally focuses on estate planning solutions for clients with complex interests and/or family dynamics, probate and estate administration, trusts and superannuation death benefits. Ainsleigh is an accredited SMSF Specialist Advisor™ / SSA®.
With over 14 years’ experience in private client services, Ainsleigh has worked with a range of firms across Queensland and Victoria, with some of the most highly regarded specialists in the area. She has an in-depth understanding of the many issues encompassing estate law, and takes a measured approach to provide pragmatic advice and constructive solutions.
In July 2014, Ainsleigh joined the firm as a paralegal and was admitted to practice in June 2016. Ainsleigh was promoted to Associate in January 2019, and to Senior Associate in July 2021.
Areas of Practice
Estate planning
- Estate planning and structuring, including international considerations, complex Wills, asset protection, testamentary trusts and challenge protection
- Factoring the effective control and potential benefit of Trusts in the estate plan
- self-managed superannuation funds and superannuation death benefits
Trusts
- Establishment, variations, appointments and vesting of trusts
- Advising on discretionary trusts, including the construction of a term or a power under a trust
deed and the nature of the trust - Advising on a potential tax event in relation to the trust’s administration (i.e. transfer of an asset to the beneficiary), acceleration or vesting of the trust
- Distributions of trust assets
- Trust disputes (acting for trustees and beneficiaries)
- Supreme Court proceedings for judicial advice as to trust administration
Probate and estate administration
- Grant of Representation applications (including Probate, Letters of Administration, informal Wills, Reseals of foreign grants and any complex and/or contested applications)
- Advising and assisting executors as to their duties, obligations, rights, commission claims and (if applicable) acting in the defence of any claims of breaches of those duties, rights and obligations
Estate disputes and litigation
- Issuing / defending claims for provision or further provision against an Estate
- Issuing / defending a removal of executor application
- Representing beneficiaries’ interests
- Will interpretations and rectification applications
- Superannuation death benefit claims and disputes
