Disrupting Tradition Innovative Strategies in Family & Estate Law
Michael Perkins
Speaker – Wills & Estates
Author, Educator and Lawyer
Michael Perkins is a third-generation private client lawyer with more than 35 years’ experience in trusts, estates, and succession law. A TEP-qualified member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, he is also a member of the Institute for Collaborative Working and the Law Society of NSW.
Michael is the co-author of Estate Planning: A Practical Guide for Professionals Helping Australians Age Well (LexisNexis, 6th edition, 2025), and has taught estate planning frameworks at leading universities for over two decades. His practice focuses on helping clients manage family, business, wealth, and succession interests, with particular expertise in capacity assessment, supported decision-making, and wealth governance.
As a lawyer, educator, and author, Michael is committed to building practices that support clients through life transitions while embedding social contribution and collaborative principles in estate planning and administration.
The Power Struggle: Capacity, Autonomy & the Battle for Control
When working with vulnerable clients, lawyers and professionals are often faced with the difficult question: is this person capable of making sound, defensible decisions? In this session, Michael Perkins (Private Client Lawyer) and Dr Jane Lonie (Clinical Neuropsychologist) explore the core elements of decision-making capacity and how they apply in collaborative practice, succession, family law, and beyond.
They will unpack observable indicators of competence, the role of insight and memory, and when to be concerned about escalation. The session also considers the obligations of professionals under rules and legislation, including the Disability Inclusion Act, Aged Care Act, and NDIS.
Attendees will leave with a practical framework for recognising compromised decision-making, supporting vulnerable clients, and building “guardrails” that make professional advice and agreements more defensible.