Areas of Practice

Areas of Practice

Woods Wills Lawyers pride ourselves in taking the time to understand your individual circumstances and provide you with tailored professional advice. ï»¿ï»¿ï»¿


We specialise in the Succession and Guardianship related matters listed below. 



If you require assistance in these areas, please contact us for personal, professional tailored advice, suited to your particular circumstances.



Andrew R Woods, TEP

Accredited Specialist (Wills and Estates) Victoria
TEP - Society of Trusts & Estates Practitioners

Areas of Practice

Woods Wills Lawyers pride ourselves in taking the time to understand your individual circumstances and provide you with tailored professional advice. 

We specialise in the Succession and Guardianship related matters listed below. 

If you require assistance in these areas, please contact us for personal, professional tailored advice, suited to your particular circumstances.

Andrew R Woods, TEP

Accredited Specialist (Wills and Estates) Victoria
TEP - Society of Trusts & Estates Practitioners

Areas of Practice

Woods Wills Lawyers pride ourselves in taking the time to understand your individual circumstances and provide you with tailored professional advice. ï»¿ï»¿ï»¿


We specialise in the Succession and Guardianship related matters listed below. 



If you require assistance in these areas, please contact us for personal, professional tailored advice, suited to your particular circumstances.



Andrew R Woods, TEP

Accredited Specialist (Wills and Estates) Victoria
TEP - Society of Trusts & Estates Practitioners

Estate Planning

Preparing an effective estate plan can save you and your family stress, time and money in the event of your incapacity or death.


Estate Planning is about more than just making a Will, it is an ongoing process, reviewing your plans as circumstances change. 


Consideration should be given to potential impacts of major events such as births, death and marriages, divorce and significant asset acquisition or disposals.


When major personal events occur, you should take the time to review your Estate Plan to ensure it still effectively reflects your wishes.


Estate Planning also includes preparing for potential incapacity through Power of Attorney documents for Financial, Personal (Guardianship) and Medical decision making.


If you become unable to make decisions about your finances, your medical treatment or living arrangements, then Powers of Attorney enable you to ensure the person/s you trust are able to immediately and effectively make decisions, in accordance with your instructions - and in your best interests.


Having appropriate Wills and Powers of Attorney in place can avoid the stress, delay and expense of applications to the Courts or to VCAT in relation to the management of your affairs.


Estate Litigation

Estate litigation covers many issues, many common questions requiring resolution include:



• Is a Will valid?

• Has a Will been procured by fraud or undue influence?

• Has adequate provision been made for a family member or a          close  dependant?

• Is an Executor fit to act or continue to act?

• Should an Executor be removed “passed over” in favour of                some other person to administer the estate.

• What does an ambiguous provision in a Will really mean?

Estate Litigation

Estate Litigation covers many issues, common questions requiring resolution include:



• Is a will valid?

• Has a Will been procured by fraud or undue influence?

• Has adequate provision been made for a family member or a          close  dependant?

• Is an Executor fit to act or continue to act?

• Should an Executor be removed “passed over” in favour of                some other person to administer the estate.

• What does an ambiguous provision in a Will really mean?



VCAT Proceedings – Guardianship List

If you do not have Powers of Attorney in place and become unable to make decisions about your finances, VCAT can make orders to appoint Administrators or Guardians as substitute decision makers to manage your affairs.


If your chosen attorneys are unwilling or unable to act on your behalf, behave inappropriately or have a conflict of interest, VCAT has power to revoke or suspend a power of attorney and appoint a substitute decision maker.



VCAT also has power to:

• order Attorneys to account for their administration of your affairs.

• order that compensation be paid if your attorney acts inappropriately.



Naturally, having Powers of Attorney in place can avoid the stress, delay and expense of applications to VCAT to appoint individuals to manage your affairs.

VCAT Proceedings – Guardianship List

If you do not have Powers of Attorney in place and become unable to make decisions about your finances, VCAT can make orders to appoint Administrators or Guardians as substitute decision makers to manage your affairs.


If your chosen attorneys are unwilling or unable to act on your behalf, behave inappropriately or have a conflict of interest, VCAT has power to revoke or suspend a power of attorney and appoint a substitute decision maker.



VCAT also has power to:

• order Attorneys to account for their administration of your affairs.

• order that compensation be paid if your attorney acts inappropriately.



Naturally, having Powers of Attorney in place can avoid the stress, delay and expense of applications to VCAT to appoint individuals to manage your affairs.

Consultant to other firms

In an increasingly complex world, specialist advice may not always be practical in general legal practices. 


As an accredited specialist, Andrew Woods also acts as consultant to other law firms who do not require a specialist on a full-time basis.



Working with your regular lawyers, Andrew can assist in maintaining a seamless connection and oversight of the management of your matter with your regular lawyers.



If your regular lawyers do not offer specialist expertise in succession law matters, contact Andrew to discuss your needs. 



Consultant to other firms

In an increasingly complex world, specialist advice may not always be practical in general legal practices. 


As an accredited specialist, Andrew Woods also acts as consultant to other law firms who do not require a specialist on a full-time basis.



Working with your regular lawyers, Andrew can assist in maintaining a seamless connection and oversight of the management of your matter with your regular lawyers.



If your regular lawyers do not offer specialist expertise in succession law matters, contact Andrew to discuss your needs. 


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