Our Services
Conveyancing
“I want to buy/sell my home…”
Buying or selling a home is a huge financial decision. Any slip up can cost you a big fraction of the total deal money. Also, unlike buying a car or any other consumer product, purchasing or selling a house entails dealing with the laws and taxes related to real estate.
Rouch Lawyers has both the knowledge and experience to guide you through this process so as to ensure that there are no problems and the transaction is smooth.
Rouch Lawyers has partnered with Surveying and Planning through Electronic Applications and Referrals (SPEAR), an online system that allows subdivision planning permits, certification applications and other land administration dealings to be compiled, lodged, managed, referred, approved and tracked online.
Property Law
“I want to build, develop, subdivide, sell ‘off the plan’ real estate…”
Conveyancing is the transfer of real estate ownership from one party to another. It is a complex area of law, and unfortunately, small mistakes during conveyancing can lead to larger problems down the track.
The best way to avoid any problems is to work with a qualified and experienced property lawyer. Unlike other service providers in this area, property lawyers are up to date on all state, local and federal requirements and are best placed to support you to understand the complexities for the purchase and sale of property.
Rouch Lawyers regularly act for professional and “armchair” developers, guiding them through appropriate structures for investment, planning requirements, stamp duty issues, subdivision of land and selling “off the plan”.
Startups
“I want to set up and grow my startup business…”
Don’t rush past the legal setup. It’s important to get your legal framework right without eating into your startup capital or curbing your momentum.
You started your business with a vision of exactly what success looks like for you. You’ll work harder than you ever have before in order to reach that dream and it will feel like your ‘to do’ list only ever grows. In these early days, there are protections you should put in place to make sure that, on the day when you reach success, it isn’t taken away from you. So don’t rush past this.
Most entrepreneurs are surprised to find that the protections they need are affordable, even for solo entrepreneurs and small businesses, and don’t take long to put in place. The best time to get your business protected is right at the start. You’ll be glad you did.
Estate Planning
“I want peace of mind that my affairs are in order…”
A Will is a legal document that sets out how you want your assets to be distributed on your death. It gives you the opportunity to provide for your family and friends after you die.
A quality Will also lets you choose an executor to manage your estate you pass away. This can be a family member, friend or professional, such as a lawyer, an accountant or trustee company. In some circumstances, the result of dying with no legal Will can be disastrous for your family or loved ones. If you do not have a Will, your estate will be distributed according to a formula set out by the law. Having a lawyer prepare your Will now ensures your assets will be given out according to your wishes.
Deceased Estates
“I am the executor named in the Will. I want to have the legal side of things taken care of…”
When a person dies, leaving a Will and assets registered in his or her name (except jointly held assets), a grant of probate must generally be obtained from the Registrar of Probates in the Supreme Court. A grant of probate is a court order confirming the validity of the Will and the appointment of the executor.
When a person dies without a Will, or there is a Will but an executor has not been appointed, an application for letters of administration must be made to the Registrar of Probates in the Supreme Court.
The procedure for both is similar and your lawyer can advise you of the requirements.
A grant of probate or letters of administration is required to collect the assets of the estate It will be required for:
access to the deceased’s bank accounts
the sale or transfer of the deceased’s property
the collection, administration and protection of the deceased’s property.
A grant of probate or letters of administration provides protection to the executor and the beneficiaries. It ensures they are the only ones who will receive the deceased’s property. Any challenges to the validity of the will must be heard in the Supreme Court.
Mediation
“I want to resolve my dispute outside of court…”
Mediation offers many benefits over a trial by a judge, including:
Time: ordinarily a dispute can be resolved more quickly through mediation than through a trial.
Cost: if a dispute can be resolved through mediation, the costs of preparing and running a trial can be avoided. Additionally, after a trial, the unsuccessful party may be ordered to pay the legal costs of the successful party.
Flexibility: mediation offers parties more control over the outcome. A mediation process that is customised to your needs can be arranged with the mediator.
Stress: mediation is less formal and less intimidating than appearing in court.
Confidentiality: mediation is private. The judge is not informed of the contents of the mediation. It is also usually unable to be used against a party if the case goes to trial. (The Court recommends you discuss mediation confidentiality with your lawyer.)
Satisfaction: because the parties decide and agree on the outcome of their dispute they are more likely to be satisfied with the result and comply with what has been agreed.
Finality: settlement agreements can usually only be modified with the agreement of all parties.
Online Solutions
We recognise that legal services should be available 24/7. That’s why we’ve developed our own technology to help you.
Built by highly-experienced lawyers, our online legal portal gives you instant on-the-spot solutions to business problems. Most documents only take a few minutes to complete once you have all the information on hand - don’t worry, our solicitors are always here to help you and will contact you once you purchase a document.
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