As we get older, some things just get harder to manage. That goes especially for the traditional family home. When you’re in your 30s, maintaining a house with two big yards is something to look forward to on the weekend. But when you’re in your 60s, you just want to enjoy your retirement. For many of my parents’ generation – the Baby Boomers – the decision to downsize is a tough … [Read more...]
Is Han-Solo Not Guilty By Reason of Self-Defence?
Let’s just imagine The Last Jedi never happened and go back to more simpler times, say 1977 A New Hope . . . ah that’s better. Did Han-Solo shoot first? Did Greedo shoot first? Does it even matter? The debate about whether or not Han-Solo shot first is to refer to George Lucas' changes to the original Star Wars movie trilogy; more specifically a change to the A New Hope Special Edition, in … [Read more...]
Proposed SA Law to Allow Adoption of Over 18’s
Proposed changes to the South Australian Adoption Act 1988 will enable over 18’s the opportunity to be adopted. This change, evolving from a series of recommendations put forward by independent reviewer Associate Professor Lorna Hallahan, is just one that relates to a range of changes to the Adoption Act that will also enable same-sex couples and extend the rights of single people to … [Read more...]
Elder Financial Abuse: A Growing Concern
There is growing talk about younger generations moving into adulthood with a sense of entitlement. While this condition is often spoken of in relation to Gen Y’s; a sense of being entitled to things in the ‘now’ and without having worked for them is an affliction to which no generation is immune. Of course, while it is one thing to expect to have material things handed to you on a silver … [Read more...]
Wax Seals and the Law
My fascination with the wax seal started about the same time as my fascination for all things related to Wills and Estates. In fact, if you were to ask my wife she might suggest that they emerged from the same passion. A few years ago she purchased me an old Probate document, circa 1880, that she came across on ebay. The document, relating to the settlement of an estate near Murray Bridge, was … [Read more...]
Jobs for Graduate Lawyers: An Open Letter
Dear Graduate, So you have your Law degree but are yet to secure a position in a law firm? Join the club; it seems that you are in good company. Since I graduated from Law in 1998 the number of students graduating from Australian universities in this discipline has more than doubled. Such an increase in graduates (while not in line with population growth) reflects the situation facing … [Read more...]
Top 10 Skills Every Lawyer Needs That May Surprise You
Kids are cute. I don’t have any of my own as yet, but I can’t help noticing that they have this wonderful propensity to offer us a window into the ways that many people think. A few weeks ago I had the immense joy of watching Greg Welden’s youngest daughter in action as she played a wonderful game of pretend. She was chatting away to herself (as kids do) and scribbling nonsense on a piece of … [Read more...]
Retail and Commercial Lease: What you Must Know Before Signing
So you have your business plan mapped out, have secured funding for your venture and are now ready to take a giant leap and secure premises for your operation. Before signing on the dotted line make sure that you know all there is to know about Retail and Commercial Leases. Firstly, Retail and Commercial Leases are governed by the Retail and Commercial Leases Act 1995 (SA). Before you enter … [Read more...]
Top 8 Reasons Why Legal Advice is Expensive
There is a universal assumption that lawyers charge too much for their services. To some extent this is a misnomer. I mean, some lawyers most certainly charge ‘too much’ for their services, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all lawyers operate with an unscrupulous intent to part their clients unfairly from their hard-earned cash. Here are my top 8 reasons for why legal advice can be … [Read more...]
Shining as an Estate Specialist: A Formula for Success
As a Principal at Welden & Coluccio Lawyers, this article explores my belief in the importance of expertise and how this motivated my decision to direct my energies towards the field of Estate Planning and Litigation. There is a tendency in the legal profession, particularly for small firms and sole practitioners, to accept any work which flows through the door. This activity, which is … [Read more...]
