Programme
Thursday 14 May 2026
8:15am
Registration and Coffee & Pastries
8:45am
Opening by the Chair
Vicki Ammundsen
8:55am
Navigating Complexity in Modern Will Drafting
Drafting wills increasingly requires a specialised skillset. Clients’ circumstances and assets are becoming more complex, and wills need to be individualised to each particular client. This session will consider some of the main intricacies practitioners encounter in the present day, such as blended families, elderly clients and digital assets, as well as practical ways of ensuring wills are effective in these situations.
Speaker: Bethan Read
9:40am
Relationship Property – Insights into Navigating the Minefield
Given the diverse nature of relationships, matters of relationship property often involve various aspects and other areas of law. This session will provide an analysis of some key sections of the Property (Relationships) Act, explore the interplay with other legislation, and offer a practical application of the theory through the use of a scenario.
Speaker: Carole Smith
10:25pm
Sponsor Showcase
10:30am
In The Spotlight
The Spotlight session presenters will each give a brief rundown of their topic. It is a chance for in-person attendees to evaluate and choose which sessions they would like to attend.
The Only Constant is Change and Law is No Exception: Meeting/Exceeding Client Expectations
Speaker: Don Thomas
Change is a given, in law and in life. How can you manage, and also make the most of, changes in technology, systems and the way we practise? This micro session for our livestream audience will provide insights and tips to improve your everyday work.
10:40am
Morning Tea
11:10am
Spotlight Session 1A
Trustee Transitions – Retirement, Removal and Appointments of Trustee
Speakers: Mary Joy Simpson, Rebecca Steens
This practical session will cover best practice in documenting changes in trustee under the Trusts Act 2019 and matters to cover as you guide clients on relevant considerations as a trust transitions to new trustees. The presenters will discuss trust deed restrictions, trustee duties and requirements for an independent trustee, indemnities for outgoing and incoming trustees, issues relevant to the appointment of a corporate trustee and how to manage changes in trustee for a testamentary trust.
Spotlight Session 1B
AML/CFT – The Past, the Present and the Future
Speakers: Claudia Shan, Gavin Jolliffe
This session will review the application of the AML/CFT regime as it currently applies to lawyers, particularly those practising in the trust and estate space. It will also cover recent legislative changes including compulsory client risk ratings and likely future developments that will affect how lawyers conduct CDD.
Spotlight Session 1C
Spousal Issues in the Golden Years
Speaker: Theresa Donnelly
Legal matters involving spouses are rarely one-dimensional. Add to this the clients/parties being in their ‘golden years’, and advisors need to be across PPPR, RCS and RP – and possibly other acronyms! This topic will explore the interplay between these and other legal areas, using a realistic scenario to bring the session to life.
12:00pm
Spotlight Session 2A
PPPR: An Advisor’s Guide to Recent Case Law Themes and Principles
Speakers: Ben Snedden, Chris Holdaway
The presenters will examine cases regarding appointment of welfare guardians; personal orders and property orders – and provide insights into emerging themes and principles. Attendees will receive a checklist to assist in practice.
Spotlight Session 2B
Practical Ways of Dealing with Breaches of Trust and the Consequences of Getting it Wrong
Speakers: Israel Vaealiki, Nick Williams
This session will discuss what constitutes a breach of trust, how trustees can deal practically with the risks they present, how claims for breach of trust are brought in court, and potential trustee defences.
Spotlight Session 2C
Leadership Through Uncertainty and Change
Speaker: Kenny Bhosale
Uncertainty and change can pose a threat or offer a competitive advantage. The difference comes down to how you lead yourself and your team through such times. Drawing on his experience working with high-performance leaders and teams across a range of industries and business types including the legal profession, Kenny will share the mindsets, habits, and leadership moves that help leaders stay clear-headed, decisive, and confident when the ground is shifting, You’ll learn how to lead with certainty even when you don’t have all the answers, keep your people focused and engaged, and turn uncertainty and change into a winning edge.
1:00pm
Lunch Break
2:00pm
Spotlight Session 1A (Repeated)
Trustee Transitions – Retirement, Removal and Appointments of Trustee
Speakers: Mary Joy Simpson, Rebecca Steens
This practical session will cover best practice in documenting changes in trustee under the Trusts Act 2019 and matters to cover as you guide clients on relevant considerations as a trust transitions to new trustees. The presenters will discuss trust deed restrictions, trustee duties and requirements for an independent trustee, indemnities for outgoing and incoming trustees, issues relevant to the appointment of a corporate trustee and how to manage changes in trustee for a testamentary trust.
Spotlight Session 1B (Repeated)
AML/CFT – The Past, the Present and the Future
Speakers: Claudia Shan, Gavin Jolliffe
This session will review the application of the AML/CFT regime as it currently applies to lawyers, particularly those practising in the trust and estate space. It will also cover recent legislative changes including compulsory client risk ratings and likely future developments that will affect how lawyers conduct CDD.
Spotlight Session 1C (Repeated)
Spousal Issues in the Golden Years
Speaker: Theresa Donnelly
Legal matters involving spouses are rarely one-dimensional. Add to this the clients/parties being in their ‘golden years’, and advisors need to be across PPPR, RCS and RP – and possibly other acronyms! This topic will explore the interplay between these and other legal areas, using a realistic scenario to bring the session to life.
2:50pm
Spotlight Session 2A (Repeated)
PPPR: An Advisor’s Guide to Recent Case Law Themes and Principles
Speakers: Ben Snedden, Chris Holdaway
The presenters will examine cases regarding appointment of welfare guardians; personal orders and property orders – and provide insights into emerging themes and principles. Attendees will receive a checklist to assist in practice.
Spotlight Session 2B (Repeated)
Practical Ways of Dealing with Breaches of Trust and the Consequences of Getting it Wrong
Speakers: Israel Vaealiki, Nick Williams
This session will discuss what constitutes a breach of trust, how trustees can deal practically with the risks they present, how claims for breach of trust are brought in court, and potential trustee defences.
Spotlight Session 2C (Repeated)
Leadership Through Uncertainty and Change
Speaker: Kenny Bhosale
Uncertainty and change can pose a threat or offer a competitive advantage. The difference comes down to how you lead yourself and your team through such times. Drawing on his experience working with high-performance leaders and teams across a range of industries and business types including the legal profession, Kenny will share the mindsets, habits, and leadership moves that help leaders stay clear-headed, decisive, and confident when the ground is shifting, You’ll learn how to lead with certainty even when you don’t have all the answers, keep your people focused and engaged, and turn uncertainty and change into a winning edge.
3:35pm
In-Person and Online Giveaways
3:40pm
Property Pot Pourri: Untangling Ownership in Modern Conveyancing and Other Current Issues
With BOMAD (the Bank of Mum and Dad), evolving relationships, and blended families on the rise, legal title often fails to reflect the parties’ true intentions. This session explores the key enquiries and ownership structures practitioners should consider to properly safeguard clients when the ownership picture is anything but straightforward. The session will also examine a range of current property issues (including s 118 of the Trusts Act 2019) where discrepancies frequently arise, to equip practitioners with sharper insight into the challenges emerging in today’s conveyancing landscape.
Speaker: Tina Hwang
4:25pm
AI Applied: Examining Tools, Issues and Risks for Everyday Practice
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing and evolving. What’s its place in your practise (if at all)? How do you feel about it? Why does it matter? In this session, our panel will examine tools, issues and risks.
Speakers: Don Thomas (Moderator), Theresa Donnelly, Mark Laurence, Philip McHugh & Kyra Vince
5:10pm
Closing by the Chair and TLANZ President
Vicki Ammundsen & Tony Herring
5:15pm – 6:45pm