Sean Powell

About Sean

Sean leads our Dispute Resolution and Litigation Team.

He has considerable experience in various courts and tribunals in Queensland and New South Wales, including the Federal Court, state Supreme Courts, District Courts, Magistrates/Local Courts and administrative tribunals.

Succession Law

Sean specialises in estate disputes, with a particular emphasis on contested wills. In line with his Succession Law focus, he has completed a Master of Laws, with a specialisation in Wills and Estates. Sean is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), which means he is internationally recognised as an expert in his field, with proven qualifications and experience.

Sean has acted in a wide range of contested succession law matters including but not limited to:

• family provision applications (disappointed beneficiary claims)

• challenges to the validity of wills (testamentary capacity; undue influence; knowledge and approval; fraud; forgery)

• informal wills (handwritten wills; suicide note wills; unsigned and unwitnessed wills)

• superannuation and life insurance disputes

• appointment and removal of executors and trustees

• trust disputes, including testamentary trusts

He is a regular presenter at seminars run for other legal professionals in the area of Wills and Estates.

Having practised extensively in Queensland and New South Wales, Sean is one of the few Queensland solicitors with substantial cross-jurisdictional succession law experience. As a result, he is highly sought after in estate matters involving people and/or assets on different sides of the border.

General litigation

Sean regularly represents clients in disputes involving trusts, corporations, powers of attorney, equitable claims, contracts and real estate.

Prior to focusing on contentious matters, Sean practised for a number of years in commercial law, corporations law, property law and estate planning, both in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. As a result, he has been personally involved in many large and small-scale conveyances, leases, business sales and acquisitions, trust and company establishments, and other business-related transactions.

Sean is able to draw on his considerable practical experience when advising clients with respect to disputes flowing from these transactions and arrangements.

Outside of the law

Sean has a keen interest in business. He is on the Board of Directors of the Bendigo Community Bank at Tugun and a member of the Bank’s Finance, Risk and Audit Committee.

He is also a keen surfer and regular golfer.