Lauren Howes

Lauren is an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates and holds a Masters degree in Law (Commercial) as well as a Bachelor of Medical Science degree.

Based in the Turner Freeman Wollongong office, Lauren also assists Wills & Estates clients in our Penrith, Windsor, Parramatta and Sydney offices, and also practises property law across New South Wales.

As both an experienced wills and estates and property Lawyer, Lauren’s expertise allows her to advise on all aspects of the estate plan and estate administration taking into account complex family structures, investment property management and estate taxation consequences.

From residential conveyancing to commercial leasing, Lauren is able to assist clients with simple and complex property transactions with ease, providing expert advice with a practical approach.

With more than a decade of experience working in both small and medium law firms and a large NGO, Lauren has worked in both regional NSW as well as the Sydney CBD. As a result, she is able to engage with clients from all backgrounds.

Prior to joining Turner Freeman, Lauren worked as a senior member of a specialist private clients’ team well-known for their expertise in the area, working with charities, high net worth individuals and government organisations. With expertise in complex estate litigation, Lauren had carriage of multiple NSW Supreme Court matters that ran to contested hearing, achieving pleasing results for her client.

Lauren is a past president of the Shoalhaven & District Regional Law Society and is a keen member of the NSW Law Society. She wrote her Masters thesis on the role of gender in intergenerational succession planning in farming families conducting a published pilot study with legal practitioners on the issues and transferring the family farm.

Outside of work, Lauren has a husband and two young children who keep her busy! She loves music and is a singer in an international touring choir.

Wills & Estates Experience

• Preparation of simple Wills, Wills incorporating trusts including Testamentary Discretionary Trusts, Special Disability Trusts, Accommodation Trusts, Education Trusts, and rights of occupation.
• Preparation of Enduring Powers of Attorney, Appointments of Enduring Guardian, Memorandums of Wishes and testamentary contracts.
• Advising on superannuation in the context of estate planning, including reviewing superannuation deeds, and binding and non-binding death benefit nominations.
• Simple and complex uncontested Probate applications, and administration of deceased estates.
• Advising on duties and capital gains tax implications as they pertain to the estate plan and estate administration.
• Reseal applications.
• Will disputes including claims for lack of testamentary capacity, lack of knowledge and approval and undue influence.
• Family provision claims.
• Statutory Will applications.
• Estate disputes involving Executors, such as disputes between Executors, or Executors and beneficiaries.
• Assisting Executors with the passing of accounts, as well as claims for Executor’s Commission and of their responsibilities and obligations.
• Acting for beneficiaries to ensure the Executor(s) and Trustee(s) of an Estate act in accordance with their obligations.
• NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) Guardianship division proceedings, including applications for financial management and/or guardianship orders, as well as review of orders.
• Assisting clients with applications concerning financial mismanagement by other person(s).
• Applications to the Protective List of the Supreme Court of NSW.
• Advising charities on estate entitlements including tax and CGT implications.

Property and Commercial Experience

• Acting for vendors and purchasers when buying and selling residential properties.
• Acting for purchasers when buying properties “off-the-plan”.
• Review and advising clients on retirement village contracts.
• All aspects of property transactions including acquisition and disposal of commercial property and property development.
• Acting for landlords and tenants in commercial leases including preparation, advice and enforcement of rights.
• Advising on the appropriate entity structures for the purchase of land including company and family trust creations.
• Commercial law including preparation and review of contracts.

Qualifications and Memberships

• Accredited Specialist, Wills & Estates (NSW)
• Master of Laws (Commercial) (University of New England)
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (University of Wollongong)
• Bachelor of Medical Science (University of Wollongong)
• Bachelor of Laws (University of Wollongong)
• Member of NSW Law Society
• Past president of the Shoalhaven & District Regional Law Society