Wealthy families can buy almost any service online. Templates, software and AI can now produce a will or a trust deed in minutes. Yet the families with the most at stake still want to sit across the table from the person who will look after their affairs. They want to see their face, hear how they think and judge whether they can be trusted with the family’s private matters.
That expectation is well founded. The most difficult aspects of succession are not matters of drafting but of human relationships.
What cannot be automated
- Trust. A family will tell its real story, including the second family, the difficult son and the loan nobody wrote down, only to someone it trusts. Without the real story, the documents are wrong.
- Judgement about people. Who will cope as executor? Which sibling will feel slighted? How will an elderly parent react to a question about capacity? These are judgements made face to face.
- Respect. Many Chinese families expect the senior generation to be consulted properly, in their own language, in person. A video call with a stranger is not the same.
- Being present when it matters. At a family meeting, a mediation or a reading of the will, a calm, neutral person in the room changes what happens.
How we work
We meet families in our Melbourne office in Queen Street, in their homes, and when needed in Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur. We use video when that suits the family, especially for relatives overseas. But we start, wherever we can, with a conversation in person.
We also value the advisers who have known a family for decades: the accountant, the banker, the family friend. We listen to them and learn from them, and we see our role as working alongside them.
Frequently asked questions
Should I meet my estate lawyer in person?
For a significant or complex estate, meeting in person is usually worthwhile. Families tend to share their real story, including second families, difficult relationships and loans nobody wrote down, only with someone they trust, and the documents are only as good as that story. Video works well for relatives overseas, but an in-person first meeting helps build that trust.
Can AI or software write my will?
Templates, software and AI can now produce a will or trust deed in minutes, but the most difficult parts of succession are about relationships, not drafting. Choosing an executor who will cope, anticipating which sibling may feel slighted, and raising capacity sensitively with an elderly parent all require human judgement that a template cannot provide.
Why do many Chinese families prefer face-to-face legal advice?
Many Chinese families expect the senior generation to be consulted properly, in their own language and in person, as a mark of respect. A video call with a stranger does not carry the same weight. Meeting elders face to face, in Mandarin or Cantonese where needed, helps them take part fully in decisions about the family’s future.
Does Chua Tan Associates meet families outside its Melbourne office?
Yes. The firm meets families at its Melbourne office in Queen Street, in their homes, and when needed in Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur. Video meetings are used when they suit the family, especially for relatives overseas, but wherever possible the firm starts with a conversation in person.
Chua Tan Associates advises families, executors, trustees and their professional advisers on estate planning, estate administration and estate disputes, in Australia and across borders. To arrange a confidential consultation, please contact our Melbourne office on +61 3 9602 3988 or submit an enquiry. Advice is available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Justin Chua (蔡智勋), lawyer and mediator, Chua Tan Associates, Melbourne. General information only, not legal advice. Victorian law unless stated otherwise.
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