Parke Lawyers

Information Centre.

A curated legal knowledge centre from the lawyers at Parke Lawyers — authored, reviewed and maintained in plain English. Browse by practice area or search the full library.

Pinned reading

Featured guides.

Family LawFeatured guide

Parenting Orders in Australia: A Complete Guide for Separating Parents

National cornerstone guide to parenting orders under Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), reviewed against the current compilation — best interests, safety, parental responsibility, family dispute resolution, evidence, court process, interim and urgent orders, relocation, recovery, overseas travel, costs, contravention and variation.

50 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate22 September 2026

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Wills & Estate PlanningFeatured guide

How to Make a Valid Will in Victoria: A Step-by-Step Guide

A practical guide to making a valid Will in Victoria, including capacity, executors, beneficiaries, signing, witnessing, storage and later updates.

29 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate23 July 2026

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Probate & EstatesFeatured guide

Probate in Victoria: A Step-by-Step Guide

What probate is, when it's required, and the practical steps executors must take to obtain a grant of probate in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

25 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant27 July 2026

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ConveyancingFeatured guide

Buying Commercial Property in Victoria

A purchaser's roadmap to buying commercial property in Victoria — entity and contract decisions, Section 32 review, title, planning, building, contamination and lease due diligence, GST and going concern, duty and CIPT, land tax and windfall gains tax, foreign investment and withholding, finance and settlement.

31 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant9 September 2026

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CommercialFeatured guide

Business Succession Planning in Victoria

How business ownership and control pass on death or incapacity, and how governing documents, buy/sell funding, tax and estate planning should work together.

27 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant8 September 2026

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POA & Elder LawFeatured guide

Powers of Attorney in Victoria: What You Need to Know

A current Victorian guide to general and enduring powers of attorney, medical treatment decision makers, duties, safeguards, VCAT and practical use.

18 min readReviewed by MIKAYLA FENWICK, Associate28 September 2026

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By practice area

Browse by practice area.

Family Law

Divorce, property, parenting and intervention orders.

Wills & Estate Planning

Wills, testamentary trusts and planning for the future.

Probate & Estate Administration

Grants of probate, executor duties and estate administration.

Estate Litigation & TFM Claims

Contested wills, family provision (TFM) claims and estate disputes.

Powers of Attorney & Elder Law

Enduring powers of attorney, medical decision-making and elder-law protections.

Retirement Living & Aged Care Advice

Retirement village contracts, aged care agreements, exits and disputes.

Superannuation & SMSF Succession

Binding death benefit nominations, SMSF succession and trustee control.

Commercial & Business Law

Contracts, structures, sales, acquisitions and business succession.

Conveyancing & Property

Buying, selling and leasing property in Victoria.

Employment Law for Employers

Workplace policies, performance, terminations and disputes for employers.

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Court proceedings, mediation and dispute resolution.

Criminal & Traffic

Criminal, drink-driving and traffic matters in Victorian courts.

Recent additions

Latest articles.

Probate & Estates

Can an Executor Be Paid in Victoria?

A Victorian guide to executor expenses, professional fees and commission, including the 5% statutory ceiling, remuneration clauses, beneficiary consent, disclosure and Court applications.

16 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant2 October 2026

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Wills & Estate Planning

What Is Testamentary Capacity in Victoria?

The Victorian law of testamentary capacity: the complete Banks v Goodfellow test, evidence at instructions and execution, burden of proof, related validity grounds and probate procedure.

12 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant2 October 2026

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Wills & Estate Planning

Can a Will Be Made for Someone Who Has Lost Capacity?

How the Supreme Court of Victoria may authorise a Will for a person without testamentary capacity, the three statutory tests, evidence, participation, procedure and urgent practical issues.

13 min readReviewed by MIKAYLA FENWICK, Associate2 October 2026

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Employment

Workplace Investigations: What Every Victorian Employer Should Know

A practical guide for Victorian employers — proportionate triage, fair evidence gathering, protected disclosures, psychological safety, findings and disciplinary decisions.

16 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant1 October 2026

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Family Law

Superannuation Splitting in Divorce and Property Settlements in Australia

A practical guide to superannuation splitting after separation, including WA de facto matters, disclosure, valuation, orders, trustee implementation and tax.

25 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate1 October 2026

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Family Law

What Happens to Property Owned Before a Marriage or Relationship?

A practical guide to how property owned before a marriage or de facto relationship is assessed, including initial equity, mortgages, contributions, evidence and settlement options under the law applying from 10 June 2025.

20 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate30 September 2026

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