Chen Shan Lawyers is a dynamic, passionate, and international law firm with its main office in Sydney CBD. We actively participated in charitable works including community legal education support, pro-bono legal services, and other related works, while providing high standards of services to our clients.
Pro-bono Scheme – “Free Will Drafting”
Our Pro-bona Scheme was proudly launched on 12 March 2021, however, because of the unexpected global pandemic, we could not contribute to our community as we planned. Now, the difficult times are behind us, and we could not wait to meet our beloved community members.
We made our first move in March this year to Malabar Public School. We raised safety awareness in children by bringing small animals to interact with them. We were highly regarded in this work by both the parents and the children.
We are now moving to the next chapter of our pro-bono scheme, which is providing “free will drafting” services to all our past, present, and future clients.
Our initiative
Based on research conducted by Dr Adam Steen (Deakin University) in 2015, less than 50% of Australians would consider making a will as a necessity. Most people refused to engage in such discussion because they believe it represents “a bad sign”.
However, with the increasing number of litigations in succession, people started to realize the importance of making a will in advance. Because without one, they would expose their loved ones to the risk of having to pay expensive legal costs when disputes arise.
Having an estate distribution plan reduced in writing is an efficient and effective way to preserve family fortune because the rights of your hair are legally protected.
Why a will is important?
A will can be complicated because a person’s estate could include business bonds and shares, real estate, cash savings, jewelry, vintage collections, and other personal items. A will is the safest and the most efficient way to distribute these items. If a person passed away without a will, his/her estate would follow the rules of intestacy, which may be different in different jurisdictions. The distribution outcome may not fit the estate holder’s or the beneficiaries’ expectations.
Most importantly, child custody can also be distributed via a will. Without one, the children may be taken to foster care or by people appointed by the court.
Importance of having a lawyer
In this internet era, DIY Will kits are readily accessible online. However, such kits cannot replace a professional lawyer because due processes must be followed for the validity of a will. We, ChenShan Lawyers, would use our professional knowledge and litigation experience to help our client express their true intention clearly so that any future dispute cannot be avoided.
Our initiative in this session is to help people understand the nature of a will and the benefit brought by it.
Let us help you protect your hard-earn assets.
