Alexander St John
Annabel Ryan
Thu Vo
Lawyer
Lachlan Stagoll
Lily Clements-Markham
Marni Riley
Special Counsel
Emily Wang
Tasmin Cilliers

Joel Whale

Special Counsel

Joel specialises in estate litigation and disputes related to Wills, trusts and probate, and acts for a range of interested parties. He also advises on all aspects of estate administration and succession planning.

His expertise includes assisting high net worth individuals, families and their businesses in asset protection, wealth transfer, trust structuring and administration, restructuring family group holdings, and managing potential disputes.

Joel is committed to providing commercial and strategic advice to clients, which is considerate of their needs. He takes an empathetic and practical approach, focusing on finding solutions to his client’s particular circumstances.

Joel draws on over 14 years of experience advising on complex wealth management matters, trust disputes and claims in equity, including at Norton Rose Fulbright and Blake Dawson. Prior to joining Hamilton Locke, Joel worked in the Private Clients team at Hall & Wilcox.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Will and Estate Disputes; Estate Administration; Trust Disputes; Estate Planning

 

AWARDS
  • Private Client Global Elite, Rising Leader, 2023
  • Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, Australia, Private Wealth Law, Ranked Firm, Band 1, 2019–2023
  • Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, Australia, Family Offices & Funds Structuring, Ranked Firm, Band 1, 2023

 

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor of International Studies / Bachelor of Laws – University of New South Wales
  • Master of Business Administration (Finance) (with Excellence) – Australian Graduate School of Management
  • Full member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners)
  • Admitted to practice in New South Wales
  • Registered Practitioner of the High Court of Australia

 

SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS
  • Advising individuals in relation to family trust and estate disputes, including family provision claims in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
  • Advising on probate disputes in the Supreme Court of New South Wales involving Will rectification, testamentary capacity, and knowledge and approval claims.
  • Advising on the removal of executors, applications for Court appointed administrators, and grants involving lost Wills.
  • Acting as independent administrator on contested claims involving deceased estates.
  • Advising on Court applications to release rights to a family provision claim against the estate.
  • Advising on Court applications to vary trust deeds.
  • Advising a partnership on a trustee claim in relation to a high value trust which owed investors approximately $130 million.
  • Advising a trustee in defence of Federal Court proceedings in relation to withholding interest accrued on beneficiary funds.
  • Advising a professional advisor in relation to a multiparty dispute involving the tax liability of a high net worth individual.
  • Advising on numerous bespoke buy/sell agreements, family agreements, and succession planning company constitutions, as part of asset protection for clients.