Confession: I used to be a full-blown workaholic lawyer.

Fourteen-hour days. Every meal at my desk. “Busy” as a personality trait.

Now? I run a million-dollar sole director firm working around 20–25 hours a week... with two kids, a chronic illness, and actual hobbies (yes, plural!).

So what changed?

In this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve designed my business to support my life, not swallow it whole.

We talk leverage over hustle, batching your year before it runs you, the 12 Week Year framework, building systems that work when you don’t, and protecting your energy like it’s billable (because honestly, it is).

If you’re ambitious but exhausted…
Driven but craving more space…
This one’s your permission slip to build it differently.

Most lawyers have a “basic will precedent” that’s been handed down through multiple jobs, multiple law reform changes, and at least one clause no one wants to touch.

And yet… it’s still in use.

In this episode, I talk through why your basic will precedent deserves a proper audit — and how quietly relying on an outdated template can create risk, inefficiency, and poor client outcomes.

To make this practical, I’ve created a free Basic Will Precedent Audit Checklist you can use to review your existing template — quickly and honestly.

Download the free checklist here.

Because “basic” should never mean risky, outdated, or hard to explain.

It’s not often that something genuinely new lands in the estate planning space, which is why I was so curious when I discovered that JustFund has launched a funding solution designed specifically for estate matters.

In this episode, I’m joined by Leigh McBean, to explore why Just Fund's new service is worth considering in your estate administration toolkit.

We talk through the real-world problems this funding solution is designed to address, how the model works in practice, and the situations where it can support smoother progress in complex or drawn-out matters.

If you work in estate administration, this conversation will introduce you to a fresh option that may help reduce friction in your estate planning matters.

Because sometimes the sticking point in an estate matter isn’t legal advice; it’s liquidity.

Find out more at https://justfund.com.au/

It’s one of the hardest moments in estate planning practice.

A person has died, and as you review the will, it’s immediately obvious that the family would have hugely benefited from a testamentary trust. Asset protection. Tax planning. Flexibility for kids. All of it… missing.

So the question becomes: Can we fix this after death?

In this episode, I explore what happens when a testamentary trust wasn’t included in the will, and whether a so-called post-death testamentary trust can step in as a substitute.

We’ll unpack:

While post-death strategies can sometimes soften the blow, they are rarely a true replacement for getting the structure right upfront.

Letters of wishes often get treated as an optional extra — nice to have, but not essential. In reality, they can play a powerful role in how an estate plan is understood, implemented, and experienced by a family.

In this episode, I unpack the role of the letter of wishes and why it deserves more attention in modern estate planning.

Because while a letter of wishes isn’t legally binding, it can be the document that provides clarity, context, and comfort when it’s needed most.

If you’ve ever wondered whether letters of wishes are worth the effort, or how to use them more effectively, this episode will help you approach them with confidence and intention.

Find out more about our letter of wishes workbook here.

In this episode, I unpack the considerations that sit behind this decision, including:

Because while multiple trusts can offer flexibility and autonomy, more isn’t always better. The “right” answer depends on the family dynamic, the estate, and the testator's values.

Do you offer a free first meeting?

It’s one of the most common questions estate planning lawyers are asked.

In this episode, I unpack the pros and cons of offering a free initial client meeting. What works brilliantly for one firm can quietly undermine profitability, boundaries, and client expectations in another.

We’ll explore:

Whether you currently offer free first meetings, are thinking about changing your model, or feel stuck because “everyone else does it,” this episode will help you make an intentional, confident decision that works for your firm.

Check out our Estate Planning Pricing Toolkit here

This episode is a little more personal than usual.

Behind the precedents, podcast, courses, and community, there’s a very clear "why" that drives everything I do — and in this episode, I’m sharing it with you.

It’s the story behind the work and the reason The Art of Estate Planning exists.

I’m setting the record straight by busting some of the most common myths about testamentary trusts that still float around both the public and the profession. By the end of this episode, you’ll have clear, confident talking points to help clients see testamentary trusts for what they really are: a practical, accessible way to protect and empower their families.

The buzz around Generative AI is hardly going away, and in a world where we are all over worked and time poor, it could be the solution to working faster and better.

But should lawyers use Generative AI in a really useful way, right now, even where there are doubts and concerns?

Our guest for this episode, Jennie Pakula, thinks the answer is Yes! As long as we're smart, careful and mindful of our ethical obligations.

In this episode, Jennie will be sharing some ways of implementing an AI policy that allows you to capitalise on its benefits while staying compliant and mitigating risk.

Want to watch this conversation on Youtube? Find it here.