Canberra
Wills and estates lawyers prepare wills and powers of attorney, administer estates after a death, and act in disputes over inheritances.
59 firms
Conder, ACT · Canberra
Boland legal family lawyers provides legal services in Conder, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Deakin, ACT · Canberra
Australian Rural Health Education Network provides legal services in Deakin, ACT. Listed practice areas include Agribusiness & Rural Law, Health & Medical Practitioner Law and Elder Law & Aged Care.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Badgery & Rafferty provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Certus Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Palmerston, ACT · Canberra
City First Solicitors provides legal services in Palmerston, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Strata & Body Corporate and Planning & Environment.
Wanniassa, ACT · Canberra
Erindale Discount Meats provides legal services in Wanniassa, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Family Law.
Yarralumla, NSW · Canberra
Lexicon Lawyers provides legal services in Yarralumla, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts.
NSW · Canberra
Mahons with Yuncken & Yuncken Lawyers provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Business & Commercial Law.
Braddon, ACT · Canberra
RSK Legal Group provides legal services in Braddon, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Notary Public & JP Services and Wills & Estates.
Yarralumla, NSW · Canberra
Snedden Hall & Gallop provides legal services in Yarralumla, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Downer, ACT · Canberra
UNITED LEGAL provides legal services in Downer, ACT. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Notary Public & JP Services and Partner & Family Visas.
A properly drafted will is the simplest way to decide who receives your assets and who looks after your children. Estate lawyers also prepare enduring powers of attorney and guardianship appointments, so someone you trust can act for you if you lose capacity. After a death, they help executors apply for probate, collect assets, pay debts and distribute the estate. When a family member believes they were left without adequate provision, estate litigators act on either side of the claim. Each state has its own succession laws and time limits.
Most Australians don't have an up-to-date will, and disputes over estates are rising as property values climb.
Succession law is state-based, so the rules on wills, probate and family provision claims differ by state, while superannuation follows federal rules.
Understand the next step
Planning your affairs, administering an estate and challenging an inheritance are different engagements. Explain your role: will-maker, executor, beneficiary, attorney or concerned relative. Ownership and family relationships help the lawyer identify the necessary work and any conflicts between the people involved.
A Canberra address does not automatically mean ACT law is the only law involved. Commonwealth decisions, workplace matters and transactions involving nearby NSW can require different experience and procedures.
For wills & estates, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant ACT experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Canberra. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
List family members, property, debts, companies, trusts and superannuation. Identify where original documents are held and which assets are jointly owned.
Ask what each document or application would achieve. Confirm which state rules and asset-ownership arrangements need to be considered.
Agree on signing, storage and future reviews, or on the executor’s responsibilities for records and distributions. Identify changes that should prompt further advice.
Compare a simple-will quote with more involved planning or estate administration. Ask about searches, applications, valuations and coordination with an accountant.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Provide the date of death and any estate correspondence promptly. Ask about relevant deadlines before distributing assets, signing a release or assuming a dispute can wait.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
Many firms offer simple wills for a fixed fee. Wills involving trusts, blended families, business interests or overseas assets cost more because they need more planning.
Close family members, and some others who depended on the person who died, can apply for a greater share if they were not adequately provided for. Strict time limits apply, often within months of the death, and they differ between states.
An executor locates the will, applies for probate if needed, gathers the assets, pays debts and taxes, and distributes what is left according to the will. Lawyers can do most of this work for them.