What should lawyers consider before putting pen to paper on a will?

Effective estate planning involves more than deciding who inherits what. From understanding a client's wishes and circumstances to considering superannuation, testamentary trusts and incapacity, the decisions made early can have lasting consequences for clients and their families.

This one-hour Lunch and Learn introduces the key concepts underpinning wills and estate planning. Explore the fundamentals of will-making, the role of trusts and companies, and common issues that can arise when plans are challenged or circumstances change. Build a stronger foundation for recognising the issues to consider when helping clients plan for the future.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Identify core principles and considerations involved in preparing a will.
• Explain the role of testamentary trusts in estate planning.
• Recognise how superannuation can affect estate planning outcomes.
• Describe how trusts and companies may support broader tax, asset protection and succession objectives.
• Identify common issues that can lead to will challenges, disputes or unintended outcomes.
• Recognise key incapacity considerations, including enduring instruments and substitute decision-making.

At the end of this live webinar, you will earn 1 CPD point.

Adeline Schiralli
Special Counsel, Southern Waters Legal

Adeline Schiralli is an Accredited Specialist in Wills & Estates Law and a highly regarded solicitor in estate planning and elder law. She provides strategic and compassionate advice across all aspects of succession and capacity planning, including Wills, Powers of Attorney, Enduring Guardianships, superannuation death benefit nominations, structuring control of entities, as well as retirement village and aged care agreements.

Adeline joined Southern Waters Legal as Special Counsel in April 2025. Prior to this, she was a Consulting Principal at Keypoint Law and the Legal Practitioner Director of her own firm, Schiralli Pty Ltd. She holds a Master of Laws (Applied Law) with a major in Wills & Estates. Adeline has been consistently recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a ‘Recommended’ lawyer in the category of Leading Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Lawyers (NSW) from 2021 to 2024, and was named a ‘Rising Star’ in 2017.

She is actively involved in shaping the future of estate law in NSW. Adeline is a member of the Law Society of NSW’s Elder Law, Capacity & Succession Committee, and currently serves as Chair of the Specialist Accreditation Wills & Estates Advisory Committee. She also lectures in the College of Law’s Master of Laws (Applied Law) program in both the Wills & Estates and Estate Planning majors.

This live webinar is ideal for junior lawyers, graduates, paralegals, and legal support professionals seeking a solid foundation in estate planning and wills practice. It’s also valuable for practitioners transitioning into estate or succession planning, or those looking to refresh their knowledge on testamentary trusts, superannuation, incapacity issues, and will challenges—helping them provide clear, confident, and practical advice to clients.

This webinar is produced in NSW and features a NSW-based educator. 

The time listed for this course is Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). Please take note of any time differences if you are registering from QLD, WA, SA, NT or from outside Australia.

This course complies with the mandatory requirements of Professional Skills (0.5 point) and Substantive Law (0.5 point).

If you intend to claim CPD units for this educational activity, please note that CPD activities are not accredited by the Law Society of NSW or any other equivalent local authority, with the exception of Western Australia. If you hold a practising certificate in a state or territory other than Western Australia and this educational activity extends your knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your practice needs or professional development, then you should claim one (1) "unit” for each hour of attendance, refreshment breaks not included. The annual requirement is ten (10) CPD units each year from 1 April to 31 March. Some practitioners, such as accredited specialists are required to complete more than ten (10) units each CPD year.

Practitioners holding WA practising certificates are eligible to earn CPD points for this course. For instructions to earn CPD points, please click here.

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