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Featured thinking

Mother vs Father in bitter legal dispute over cremation of son’s body – Aboriginal cultural beliefs and customs in the spotlight in recent case

Martin Mallon joins Robyn Hyland on Radio 4CRB to discuss a recent culturally sensitive NSW Supreme Court case that the firm was involved in which shined a spotlight on honouring the cultural beliefs and burial rights of Aboriginal people after death. WARNING: the content in this article discusses a deceased person and will use words and descriptions that may be culturally sensitive, and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts.

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11 min read 26 Aug 2026 Estate Disputes

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Executor and Beneficiary Disputes

How to defend a claim against an estate when you are appointed Executor in a Will

It is not uncommon for family disputes to erupt when a loved one passes away. Grieving families confronted with the deceased’s Will that favours one family member over another can cause animosity, particularly if someone chooses to contest the Will. One person that tends to be in the hot seat when a dispute over a Will arises is the Executor named in the Will. The Executor is responsible for defending or dealing with any claims made against the estate.

12 min read 27 Aug 2026

Solemn Form Proceedings

Two conflicting Wills in different countries: a cross-jurisdictional estate dispute

Estate Litigation Senior Associate Martin Mallon looks at a family dispute that ended up in court after a deceased woman was found to have two conflicting Wills in different countries. Her daughter unsuccessfully challenged one of the Wills to reinstate the other that was more favourable for her.

15 min read 27 Aug 2026

Estate Disputes

The Doney case: summary dismissal of unmeritorious cases in estate disputes – the deadly sin of greed

Martin Mallon joins Robyn Hyland on Radio 4CRB for ‘Law Talks’ to discuss consequences that can arise when someone gets too greedy and tries to get a larger share of an estate after a loved one passes away in circumstances where they are not entitled to more. What can the executors do to defend these claims?

5 min read 26 Aug 2026