HHG Legal Group

This morning, as part of The Tax Institute's annual series of breakfast events that we host at our Perth Head Office, Special Counsel Alyce Martin presented an informative session on Broader Considerations on Deceased Estate, to more than 30 delegates.

HHG Legal Group has a well equipped, modern boardroom, perfect for hosting presentations, CPD events and other gatherings. Our team are also available to present at these events, as required.

Should you require further information about the topic, please contact us: https://www.hhg.com.au

🎨Our newest featured artists are Ann Evans and Robin Marsh. Both ladies are known for capturing the landscapes and beauty of nature in detail, and have brought their creativity into our space.

Join us in celebrating their work and visit their exhibition, 'Outside', at our Perth head office. We can't wait for you to experience their unique perspectives and artistic expression.

Visit our website for all the details about Ann and Robin's exhibition and our Artists in Residence program: https://hhg.com.au/about-us/hhg-artists-in-residence-program/

Richard will be continuing his visits this week to Northam, Moora and Dowerin for legal appointments! This is the perfect opportunity to come and see him for any queries or concerns relating to commercial (business), farming, family, criminal or wills and estate planning.

Otherwise, please contact HHG Legal Group directly to schedule a free 15-minute appointment.

Northam: Wednesday 21 August | 9:30am to 3:30pm
Moora: Thursday 22 August | 9:30am to 3:00pm
Dowerin: Friday 23 August | 9:30am to 3:30pm

Rachel is one of HHG’s dedicated team of family and de facto lawyers with a particular interest in assisting with complex children’s matters.

It was the client-focused nature of family law that first attracted Rachel to the practice.

“Practicing family law means that no day is the same. Each case is unique and comes with its own rewards, challenges and strategic solutions. What I enjoy most about being a family lawyer is the blend of emotional intelligence and legal expertise required to effectively advocate for my clients.”

Helping people resolve extremely challenging situations is the key focus for Rachel.

“There are challenges particularly when legal strategies may not always fully address the emotional or personal aspects of a client’s situation. However, there are also incredible rewards, for instance when we receive an amazing outcome on a longstanding case, providing relief and closure to clients.”

🥇🥇 AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE ! GOLD GOLD GOLD! 🥇🥇

Huge congratulations to HHG Legal Group client Matt Ebden, and John Peers! Together, they are the winning team in the Olympics Mens Doubles - and are the only Australian gold medallists in Olympic tennis after ‘The Woodies’ (Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde) lifted the 1996 title in the same event in Atlanta.

Asked if it was his best tennis moment, Ebden smiled: “It probably is. Winnings Slams, winning Wimbledon, we’ve been into the Davis Cup finals the last couple of years …. but I mean, the Olympics? Gold? Really?

“It only comes around once every four years and even just to play it is ridiculous. To win a gold medal, I think it’s like folklore. It’s beyond me.”

Once again, huge congratulations to Matt & John. Amazing! All at HHG Legal Group are very proud to be professionally associated with Team Ebden.

Photo credit: Tennis Australia

As one of HHG’s Family Lawyers, as well as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Hana is passionate about helping people resolve their matters without the need for extensive and expensive litigation, wherever possible.

“I think mediation has an essential place in the family law sphere, particularly in relation to parenting matters. It can be empowering for parties to resolve these matters outside of the Family Court system.”

Hana went into law specifically with family law in mind: “Helping people is certainly a big part of it. It is both challenging but rewarding to be trusted with assisting people in navigating what often is one of the most difficult situations of their life.”

While managing the workload can be tough, the rewards far outweigh the challenges: “Getting a good outcome for a client, in a way that is going to assist them to move forward with their lives, is incredibly rewarding.”

https://hhg.com.au/team/hana-donachie/

HHG Legal Group was delighted to be part of last Friday's Bringing Dowerin Downtown Lunch - now the most anticipated event in the WA agricultural calendar.

Congratulations to organiser Dowerin Machinery Field Days for such a fantastic event, bringing industry, government, growers and agribusiness together, and the robust panel discussion on the future of farming and the Wheatbelt.

Join HHG's employment law team on Friday 9 August as we take you through everything you need to know about redundancy law and worker's compensation.

Grab a coffee and come along to this informative session - perfect for business owners and employers - proudly hosted by HHG and the Joondalup Business Association.

Book your place now: https://ow.ly/B4Kl50SMOlF

Jordan is one of HHG’s Bunbury-based Family and De Facto Law team, helping clients throughout the South West region.

He is enthusiastic about helping people, particularly those most in need, which was the big attraction for Jordan to family law.

“I wanted to become a family lawyer to help everyday people in a way that matters.

“It is incredibly rewarding assisting clients to navigate the process and achieve an outcome that allows them to move on and start over.”

For Jordan, the most challenging aspect is dealing with the sometimes difficult and stressful circumstances confronting clients.

“But that’s when your role as a lawyer, and the professional guidance and support that you can provide, is all important.”

https://hhg.com.au/team/jordan-schweitzer/

HHG Legal Group were proud supporters of the 2024 Peel Thunder Gatsby Gala Auction, the biggest fundraiser of the year for the club.

It was another fantastic turnout and we were delighted to host Adam and Tracey Lamont from Impact Engineering - Australia, Jeff Claughton from Fresh Start Clinic and Jay and Azra Wakefield from jlc Associates at the HHG Legal Group table as our guests for the evening.

Hundreds of items went under the hammer over the course of the night, auctioned by legendary race-caller Darren McCauley, who kept the lots moving and the crowd entertained.

Well done to the club and the organisers for putting on such a successful event.

L-R: Patrick Beilby, Adam Hughes, Arfa Shoukat, Adam Lamont, Tracey Lamont, Jeff Claughton, Rachel Thyer, Murray Thornhill, Arza Wakefield, Jay Wakefield, Jacqui Phillips and Lynn Carrucan.

Well done to Calan Williams Racing for an outstanding performance on the weekend in Hockenheimring. His car was the quickest of all the BMWs and he finished the race 5th overall.

An exceptionally strong weekend of motor racing for Perth's own Calan (proudly supported by HHG Legal Group) and WRT - W Racing Team which now holds a huge 29.5 point lead in the Championship.

Great insights yesterday at the UWA Institute of Agriculture 2024 Industry Forum from a prestigious and highly knowledgeable line up of leading industry speakers – including:
• Dr Michael Crawford, from Soil Science Australia
• Prof. Ross Kingwell, AEGIC & DPIRD Chief economist and Professor agricultural economics UWA
• Tony Seabrook, President of the Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association

HHG Legal Group’s Special Counsel Alyce Martin went along and reported the following key takeaways for farmers:
• If you haven't already established the baseline of your soil carbon - you need to.
• Your markets will start asking for details on your emissions. If they aren't already, they will soon. ESG requirements, particularly in Europe will have an impact.

Another key issue identified was the complications around selling or valuing land where Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) have been sold to third parties, and the ongoing requirements of those contracts.

As a leading law firm dedicated to farmers and the communities and businesses that support them, this National Farm Safety Week, HHG Legal Group would like to pay special tribute to the many contributors, leaders and participants in the WA agricultural industry as a whole.

HHG Associate and Agribusiness Lawyer, Richard Dewar, discusses the unprecedented challenges facing WA farmers and the need for greater recognition of this vital sector of the WA and national economies.

A Tribute to WA Farmers this National Farm Safety Week 2024 - HHG Legal Group HHG Legal Group Associate, Richard Dewar, pays tribute to the legacy of the WA farming community to mark National Farm...

As one of HHG’s Family and De Facto lawyers, Abbey thrives on helping people find solutions that are practical and effective.

“I like being in family law because it is a very dynamic practice area. I am always problem solving and preparing the next move for my clients. There is little room for boredom as things are constantly evolving.”

For Abbey, the challenges come when assisting clients to deal with extremely stressful and contentious circumstances. “Many clients are emotionally charged and confronted by the idea of legal process. It can be a challenge to ground them about the reality of their circumstances and prospects. However, it is very fulfilling when they have faith and trust in you to lead them towards the most practicable resolution.”

To decompress from work, Abbey enjoys video gaming and taking spin classes.

https://hhg.com.au/team/abbey-morris/

HHG Legal Group proudly supports community sport and the women's team of the Harrisdale/ Piara Waters Football Club - Masters.

It was great to see the entire HPW Bears club and community come together last Friday to kick of the First Nations Round as part of the NAIDOC Week celebrations.

Everyone enjoyed three hard fought rounds of footy, a traditional smoking ceremony, topped off by a night of fantastic entertainment. Congratulations to all involved for their fantastic efforts - on and off the field!

Richard will be continuing his visits this week to Quairading, Wongan Hills and Merredin from 9:30am to 3:30pm at each location for legal appointments! This is the perfect opportunity to come and see him for any queries or concerns relating to commercial (business), farming, family, criminal or wills and estate planning.

Otherwise please contact HHG Legal Group directly to schedule a free 15-minute appointment.

Quairading: Tuesday 16 July
Wongan Hills: Wednesday 17 July
Merredin: Thursday 18 July

HHG Legal Group was delighted to support the Fresh Start Clinic Raising for Recovery fundraising gala at Nedlands Yacht Club.

The firm is a longtime supporter of Fresh Start and the outstanding work the organisation does in helping people recover from addiction and substance use disorder.

Our team thoroughly enjoyed the event and helping support such a great cause!

L-R: Aleks Ceklic, Adam Hughes, Patrick Beilby, Maria Zappala, Arfa Shoukat, Emma Cohen

Richard Dewar will be continuing his visits next week to Quairading, Wongan Hills and Merredin from 9:30am to 3:30pm at each location for legal appointments. This is the perfect opportunity to come and see him for any queries or concerns relating to commercial (business), farming, family, criminal or wills and estate planning.

Otherwise please contact HHG Legal Group directly to schedule a free 15-minute appointment with Richard.

Quairading: Tuesday 16 July

Wongan Hills: Wednesday 17 July

Merredin: Thursday 18 July

As part of HHG’s dedicated Family and De Facto Law team, Erin enjoys working with people from all backgrounds and cultures and helping them to achieve an outcome.

“Divorce is not exclusive to one socio-economic group or culture. It can happen to anyone. I like working with everyday people and helping them at what is a really difficult time in their lives.”

Erin has been with HHG since 2018, practicing in all areas of family law, with a focus on complex parenting and property matters.

“It is busy and there are lots of clients seeking help. It can also be really challenging to see people going through some really difficult experiences. It is immensely rewarding however to see matters get resolved and the relief and closure this brings for clients.”

https://hhg.com.au/team/erin-papalia/

When does a workplace allegation or incident require formal investigation and how should you go about it?

Managing Director Murray Thornhill and Associate Aleks Ceklic outline today in Business News the key questions you should consider when assessing serious allegations of employee misconduct such as discrimination, fraud, theft, or harassment.

Workplace Investigations - 11 Questions to Consider When assessing an allegation involving employee misconduct such as discrimination, fraud, theft, harassment, or other concerns, a workplace investigation is best done after meticulous planning, and su

Congratulations to all the finalists in the BGCCI Business Excellence Awards announced today and particularly, the four finalists in the Business with 6 to 10 Employees category which we are proud to be sponsoring.

AutoTech Bunbury
Dardanup Health and Wellness Centre
Gilmour Plumbing and Gas
Little Spencer Coffee Co

We wish you all the best and look forward to meeting you all at the upcoming awards night.

Ben is HHG’s family law specialist in complex property settlements and financial agreements. He found his way into family law after graduating from the University of Hawaii in 1995 and discovered he was “pretty good at it”.

For Ben it’s the complexity of family law that brings both the challenges and the rewards: “One of the most satisfying elements of the job is being able to apply intellect and judgement towards resolving a complex matter. You also need to know so much more than just the practice of family law. You need to have a good understanding of tax issues, financial accounts, business valuations and even to some extent psychology. It is an area of law that requires you to continually expand your knowledge.”

Outside of law, Ben pursues his passion for aviation and writing. “I had at one time wanted to be a journalist. I am naturally curious and like to ask probing questions. I used to write travel blogs and even restaurant reviews for friends and colleagues, to such an extent, some restaurants started to think I was a real critic!”

https://hhg.com.au/team/ben-majoe/

It was a spectacular weekend of non-stop racing at Spa with the 100,000 strong crowd treated to 24-hours of action on the track.

Despite a strong performance, and battling through bouts of extremely heavy rain, it was engine failure at the 16th hour that ended the race for our driver Calan Williams.

While it was not the result Calan wanted, or deserved, it is the nature of endurance racing, and he was one of many retirements across the field over the weekend.

It was a good result in the end for Team WRT - with WRT number 32 finishing on the podium in third place – an outstanding achievement.

The team celebrations continued with surprise birthday cake and Belgian birthday song for Calan - who turned 24 during the race!

Happy Birthday Calan from the HHG team.

Congratulations to Lucy Ferreira and Brianne Jenkin for receiving this fantastic Google review. We are always happy to receive feedback from our clients and to hear about their experience with us.

HHG Legal Group is committed to delivering quality client service and continually improving our client experience. If you have used our services recently, please provide us with feedback on the service you received: https://hhg.com.au/leave-us-feedback/

Even more importantly, if you weren't completely happy with our service levels, please enable us to constantly improve by contacting either of our Directors, Simon Creek and Murray Thornhill and our COO, Merrill MacNish. We thrive on constructive criticism and will move mountains to ensure client satisfaction at all times.

Steve is the Managing Associate for the Family and De Facto Law team and works across all HHG Legal Group’s offices but is primarily based in the Perth offices.

Steve’s practice comprises a broad range of matters including: children; financial; child support; spousal support applications; and relocation cases.

Steve has a particular interest in complex child-related matters and spousal maintenance applications and has recently been approved as an Independent Children’s Lawyer (ICL).

“Family law is interesting. It is an all-encompassing area of the law. Every day is different. Every day is interesting. It is challenging and never boring.”

“I like people and in family law you deal with a wide variety of people. It is humbling being involved in people’s lives. You become a confidant and an adviser, and you help them get through what are very difficult and trying times.”

“There are definitely challenges, especially when dealing with some very stressful situations, but it’s a crucial part of our role to help clients manage and navigate their way through those moments.”

https://hhg.com.au/team/steve-cohen/

Riaan Piek, Special Counsel, was delighted to attend the CCI Construction Industry dinner last night. Pictured here with Mena Messiha, Principal at TBH, Riaan enjoyed a night of good food and great company.

Our thanks to CCI WA for hosting this spectacular evening.

Exciting Times Ahead for WA's Film Industry

HHG Legal Group is delighted to see the final agreement for Perth Film Studios officially signed; this landmark development is set to elevate Perth and Western Australia onto the global film stage.

With a long-standing commitment to supporting the film industry, we have had the opportunity over the years to assist and advise clients in this unique industry, offering guidance and expertise to help navigate the intricate legal landscape. Our Executive Chairman, Simon Creek, has worked with producers and financiers and has a particular interest in this emerging sector.

Perth Film Studios represents a significant milestone for our local industry, and we congratulate everyone involved in making this vision a reality. We look forward to witnessing the growth and success of our homegrown talent and seeing Perth flourish as a hub for production excellence.

Find out more here: https://ow.ly/5gNL50SlpE0

Promises to be a fantastic night - and for a great cause. Saturday night organised!

You would also be supporting a great organisation so that they can continue to do great things in our community.

Get ready to dance the night away with us! 🎉 Aspire Dance Academy is thrilled to be performing at the Raising for Recovery - Fresh Start black tie event in Nedlands on Saturday, June 22nd! 🕰️ Our dancers have been working hard to put together an unforgettable performance, and we can't wait to share it with you. 💃 Join us for an evening of glamour, music, and dance while supporting a great cause. Get your tickets now and be a part of this special night! 🎟️Raising for Recovery - Fresh Start Tickets, Sat, Jun 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
Fresh Start Clinic

🎨Final Days: Jade Van Harwaarde Exhibition at HHG

As we approach the closing of Jade Van Harwaarde's stunning exhibition on 5th July, we invite you to immerse yourself in her evocative works one last time.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire a unique piece at an exclusive 20% discount. Each piece, rich with emotion and intricacy, speaks volumes of Jade’s artistic journey and vision.

Visit us at HHG Legal Group and let these pieces of art find a special place in your collection. Don't miss this chance to own a part of Jade's unique creative expression. All monies go directly to the artist (no commission taken).

HHG Legal Group, supporting local artists. On display at our Perth office (office hours).
🖼️ Explore, admire, and own a piece of art that resonates.

It is National Elder Abuse Awareness Day tomorrow. It's critical that we all take responsibility and raise awareness of this important issue to protect our elders from abuse. Here are some practical steps to safeguard your loved ones:

- Stay Connected: Regularly check in with elderly family members and friends to ensure they're safe and well.
- Educate: Inform them about the different forms of abuse and their rights.
- Set Up Legal Protections: Ensure Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives are in place and only ever used appropriately to protect their interests. Regularly review these to ensure they are up to date and appropriate for changing circumstances. Be wary of people (including friends or family members) who are overly controlling and who try to avoid scrutiny if they are in a position of power or control.
- Monitor Finances: Keep an eye on financial statements for unusual transactions and help them manage their money if necessary.
- Encourage Open Communication: Make sure they feel comfortable reporting any concerns or incidents of abuse. Keep channels of communication open within families so that everyone is on the same page, so far as possible.
- Know the Warning Signs: Be alert to changes in behaviour, physical injuries, or withdrawal from social activities.
- Report and Seek Professional Advice: Do not be afraid to report concerning situations; get to know the avenues available including the role of the State Administrative Tribunal and the Office of the Public Advocate and bodies like Elder Rights Legal Service, Citizens Advice Bureau etc

For more information on how to safeguard yourself and your loved ones, visit the following resources:
- How to Protect Yourself from Elder Abuse: https://ow.ly/8fkU50SivAF
- Elder Abuse Prevention: Use of Powers of Attorney: https://hhg.com.au/articles/elder-abuse-prevention-use-of-powers-of-attorney/
- Beware Financial Abusers: https://ow.ly/1pcC50SivAz

Organisations:
- State Administrative Tribunal (https://ow.ly/t6tj50SivAx)
- Office of the Public Advocate (https://ow.ly/1lI650SivAy)
- Advocare (https://www.advocare.org.au/)
- Citizens Advice Bureau (https://ow.ly/pe7w50SivAA)
- Legal Aid WA (https://ow.ly/smwJ50SivAC)

HHG Giving Back has an email helpline for victims of domestic violence and elder abuse. If you, or someone you know, need(s) confidential assistance or generic information about available options and when to contact the police, reach out to us at [email protected]

Let's work together to create a safer community for everyone.