Christine Smyth, Accredited Specialist in Succession Law, Robbins Watson Solicitors, explains the modern innovation of court ordered wills. This podcast provides an overview of the criteria required to satisfy a court  for it to order that a will be made for a person lacking testamentary capacity.  Being one of a handful of solicitors involved in such applications, Christine provides her insight with practical  examples by way of cases, describing the multitude of circumstances of where court ordered wills can be readily obtained.

Christine Smyth
Partner, Robbins Watson Solicitors
LL.B, Grad Dip LP, Cdec, T.E.P Accredited Specialist Succession Law, Qld

Christine manages the firm’s inheritance law division, representing clients in all matters across multiple jurisdictions. Her career foundations include litigation, commercial law, family law and wills and estate administration, but it was in 2004 that Christine decided to concentrate her practice on succession law.

Throughout her practice and expertise, Christine has been sought by numerous industry bodies to provide advice, guidance and seminar presentations —  including Queensland Law Society, Legalwise, TEN and for the Cemeteries and Crematorium Association Queensland and New South Wales branches.

Christine’s most recent appointment is that of co-general editor of the LexisNexis newsletter, Retirement and Estate Planning, a specialist publication providing succession lawyers the latest developments in all matters concerning retirement and estate planning. In her role, Christine drives the content development of the newsletter and acts as a chief participant and thought leader in informing and communicating the latest developments relevant to retirement and estate planning to the legal industry in Australia.

In 2009, the Queensland Law Society (QLS) appointed Christine an accredited specialist in succession law and inheritance law — the highest recognition by her peers of her advanced skills and expertise in succession law. She was also the first lawyer in Australia to be appointed affiliate member of the Australian Funeral Directors Association. In 2008, Christine was appointed an honorary member of the Cemeteries and Crematorium Association (NSW). More recently, Christine earned the title: Queensland Law Society President’s Medal 2013 Nominee.

Christine sits on the QLS Succession Law Committee, and Proctor Committee and is a serving Committee Member for STEP Queensland.

You can follow Christine via her blog: http://www.robbinswatson.com.au/reading_room_detail.cfm?article_id=128&page_id=5&id=49

In the second in a series of podcast interviews, former US Special Agent Robert Mazur covers the inadequacies of international currency transaction reporting. He analyses the mishaps of HSBC, which enabled laundering of millions of dollars of drug money from Mexico, and Wachovia, as well as provides insight into the critical importance of robust transaction monitoring and reporting processes.

In this podcast, Robert Mazur discusses emerging trends in anti-money laundering on a global level, including the proliferation of unlawful businesses in countries with little transparency in banking activities and the elusive connection between drugs, corruption and terrorism.  This interview is first in a series of podcast interviews with Robert Mazur.

Robert Mazur, Certified Expert, Money Laundering and International Drug Trafficking Former Federal Agent, IRS, US Customs Service, Drug Enforcement Administration

During his government career, Robert “Bob” Mazur was a Senior Special Agent with three federal agencies (IRS - Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Customs Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration).  During his 27-year career as a federal agent, he specialised as a long-term undercover agent in money laundering and drug investigations before retiring in July of 1998. He is best known for his 2-year undercover role as a money launderer in an investigation that resulted in the prosecutions of the Bank of Credit & Commerce International (BCCI), senior officers of BCCI, and high-ranking members of Colombian drug cartels.

Mr. Mazur is a court certified expert in the fields of money laundering and international drug trafficking. He has attained this certification in the federal criminal courts of both the U.S. and Canada.

View video biography here
http://player.vimeo.com/video/31909549?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0

For more information about LexisNexis Risk & Compliance, please visit the microsite
www.lexisnexis.com.au/riskandcompliance
 

In this podcast Paul Conway discusses legal  drafting,  with  particular  emphasis  on avoiding syntactic ambiguity in legislation - i.e. ambiguity arising because of the way in which words in a sentence are arranged. The term differs from semantic ambiguity, where uncertainty results from the use of a multiple meaning word which is also explained.

Please click here to obtain a PDF that can be viewed in conjunction with this podcast

Paul Conway, Solicitor, principal of Tribe, Conway & Company

Paul Conway is a sole practitioner in Tribe, Conway & Company Solicitors. Paul received both his Bachelor and Master of Laws from the University of Sydney. Moreover, Paul received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from University of Technology, Sydney where the focus of his thesis was on syntactic ambiguity in legislation. Mr. Conway is married with two children and enjoys opera, music and tennis.

In this podcast George Miller discusses emerging issues under the new Work Health and Safety regime including Responsibilities of owners corporations as well as Health and safety representatives.

George Miller, Former NSW Chief Industrial Magistrate and Magistrate, author of Occupational Health and Safety Law NSW

George Miller was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1969.  He is a graduate of law from Sydney University and has worked extensively in occupational health and safety law since 1970 when he joined the then Department of Labour and Industry as a legal officer. In 1977 he was appointed Chief Prosecuting Officer of the then Department of Industrial Relations and in 1983 Principal Legal Officer.  In 1987 he was appointed Chief Industrial Magistrate and a Magistrate of the LocalCourt. George retired from the bench in June 2011. He lectures in employment law at the University of Technology, Sydney.