JUSTIN HARTNETT

PRINCIPAL

ACCREDITED SPECIALIST IN WILLS & ESTATES

Justin Hartnett is a principal of Harwood Andrews in the wills and estates practice area and is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a specialist in wills and estates.

Justin has a breadth of experience in the provision of specialised advice in relation to will preparation succession planning. 

Wills have become increasingly complex given the frequency of estate disputes, the increasing number of marriage breakdowns and blended families, and the substantial wealth that is being passed down from one generation to the next.  This often requires wills incorporating testamentary trusts or other complex content.

Justin also advises clients about superannuation death benefits and other assets which may not be necessarily governed by a will.  Assets in discretionary trusts fall within this category. 

Other aspects of Justin’s practice are applications to the Probate Office for grants of probate and letters of administration, applications to the Supreme Court concerning informal wills, and dealing with estate disputes conducted in either the Supreme Court or the County Court. 

Justin also has expertise in the area of powers of attorney and related documents and in making applications to the Guardianship and Administration Board seeking guardianship or administration orders and challenging enduring powers of attorney when attorneys behave badly. 

Justin has been recognized in Doyles guide as a Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Lawyer in Victoria since 2015, and a Leading Wills and Estates and Succession Planning Lawyer in Victoria since 2018.

Justin’s key areas of practice include:

  • Preparation of Wills including Testamentary Trust Wills

  • Broader succession planning including superannuation and trusts

  • Powers of Attorney and related appointments

  • Dealing with estate disputes including testator’s family maintenance claims

  • Applications to the Supreme Court and County Court concerning contested wills and informal wills

  • Applications to the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal

  • Applications to the Guardianship and Administration Board

Justin’s professional commitments include:

  • Current member of the Law Institute of Victoria

  • Current Accredited Specialist in wills and estate with the Law Institute of Victoria

  • Current member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)

  • Former chair of the Law Institute of Victoria Succession Law Committee

  • Board member of the Sweethearts Foundation (Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College music performance foundation)

Download a PDF version of Justin Hartnett's Professional Profile


 

Justin was listed as leading in The 2023 listing of leading Victorian Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyers details solicitors practising within the areas of Wills & Estates Litigation, Disputes and Contested matters and Wills & Estates Litigation, Disputes in the Victorian legal market who have been identified by their peers for their expertise and abilities in these areas.