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Do I have a Retail Lease? purchasing property retail lease retail leases act Dec 18, 2019

The key criteria to consider if you think you are entering into a Retail Lease

Retail Leases are governed by the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) (‘the Act’) and are subject to different laws and regulations to standard Commercial Leases. It is important that you correctly...

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Gift or Loan - lending money to relatives caveat estate planning estates gift intellectual property loan agreements property Dec 05, 2019

If you intend to provide monies to relatives, friends or related parties – such that the loan is not an arms’ length transaction, it is important to consider what ramifications that may have on your estate or may cause if you later seek to have that loan repaid.

There is a risk when...

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Things to think about when operating a business with employees business employee rights employment law Nov 26, 2019

As an employer, it is important that when you hire new employees, and as their employment changes, you set out clearly – and in writing – your expectations of them, and their responsibilities. Not only will this assist in managing expectations, but it may be important to clarify each...

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Avoiding family provision claims on your Estate: things to consider when preparing your Will estate planning estates family provision wills Nov 22, 2019

In a judgment handed down on 30 April 2019, the Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by the adult children of a deceased man for further provision from his Estate.

The Case:  Squire v Squire [2019] NSWCA 90 (30 April 2019)

The Family – In this case, the deceased had three...

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The importance of keeping accurate employment records business employee rights employment law Nov 18, 2019

In order to make a claim for unfair dismissal, one of the pre-conditions to be satisfied is that the employee must have served the statutory minimum employment period – for those engaged by a “small business employer”, the minimum period is 12 months.  For others, it is 6...

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What are my duties as Executor? estate planning executor duties wills Nov 13, 2019

Something we get asked all the time is, “what do I have to do now that I’m executor?”.  Whilst people generally realise they need to attend to estate tasks like arranging funerals, applying for probate and generally administering the Estate of the deceased, they do not...

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Is your Heads of Agreement certain enough to be enforceable? business business agreements heads of agreement lease Nov 07, 2019

A Heads of Agreement (also known as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letter of Intent (LOI)) is a document outlining the proposed agreement between the parties to it. There are a number of commercial situations where a Heads of Agreement will be commonly prepared between the parties –...

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Off the Plan Contract Reforms conveyancing off-the-plan property purchasing property selling property Oct 30, 2019

New laws are expected to come into force on 1 December 2019 when the Conveyancing Legislation (Amendment) Act 2018 and Conveyancing (Sale of Land) Amendment Regulation 2019 commence.

These impose further disclosure requirements on vendors selling off the plan properties and...

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Warranty against defects for services australian consumer law business warranty Oct 25, 2019

As of June 2019 the Australian Consumer Law (‘ACL’) has additional requirements for those businesses who provide a Warranty Against Defects for services (‘WAD’) in the provision of either:

  • Services; or
  • Goods with services.

What is a...

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Can a bikini style name infringe a Trade Mark? business intellectual property trade marks Oct 18, 2019

Can a bikini-style name infringe a trademark? This is an issue which the Federal Court of Australia addressed in a 2019 decision involving Pinnacle Runway.

The parties

  • Pinnacle Runway Pty Ltd (“Pinnacle”) designs, manufactures, supplies and sells women’s clothing in Australia...
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Choosing your Executor estate planning estates executor duties wills Oct 15, 2019

Choosing who you want to administer your Will once you have passed is an important decision. Whoever you choose will be responsible for managing your estate and all the assets and liabilities contained therein. The role of executor is that of a fiduciary (i.e. a position of trust),...

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Just because you do, doesn't mean you can! easements property property law supreme court Oct 09, 2019

Just because you’ve always done it doesn’t mean you’re actually allowed to.

When talking property, you would think that ownership and the right to access land would be clear cut, but quite often that’s not the case.

Who owns the laneway that cuts between your house and the...

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This blog provides general information and should not be construed as legal advice. Laws may have changed since the publication of this content. We recommend consulting with a qualified legal professional to ensure compliance with current legislation and to address specific circumstances.