Autonomy First Lawyers
Empowering vulnerable decision makers
Autonomy First Lawyers is a multi-disciplinary, cognitive responsive professional practice, bringing together a unique team of experienced trusts and estates law, business law and clinical neuropsychology experts.
We are a private client law firm, acting for individuals and their businesses. We provide the legal and clinical advice that helps individuals and families make important financial, legal, health and welfare decisions. We help legal, medical, financial and other professionals reduce risk to themselves and to vulnerable clients when decision making ability is in doubt. We are collaborators in service of our clients’ interests, working at the convergence of:
- Family, wealth and finance
- Neuropsychology and law
How we help
We are a private client law firm, acting for individuals and their businesses. We support family operations, care delivery, and both personal and family transitions, by helping with your:
- Wealth Conservation (in the broadest sense of that term).
- Estate Governance and Administration, and
- Succession
Areas of expertise
We have deep expertise in the following fields of law:
Property l Commercial Law l Dispute Resolution l Litigation l Trusts and Estates Practice l Migration Law.
Our Capacity & Capability Service is a multidisciplinary professional practice providing a medico-legal capacity and capability assessment service.
Meet the team
Michael Perkins is a leading trusts, estates and private client practice lawyer, author and educator. Annabelle Wason is passionate about using her knowledge and experience to solve problems for clients, in challenging areas such as estate planning. Dr Jane Lonie consults to Autonomy First Lawyers as a clinical neuropsychologist.
Capacity & Capability Service
The Capacity & Capability Service is a multidisciplinary professional practice providing a medico-legal capacity and capability assessment service. Bringing together legal and clinical expertise, the Capacity and Capability Service helps and supports the autonomy of individuals and their families when they need to make important and often complex decisions…
Who we help
We help:
- Individuals
- Their family, supporters and representatives
- Community representatives and services.
Our clients have connections within many jurisdictions, both within Australia and overseas.
Expert articles
Our team are all highly experienced in their fields and publish widely. In our Blog, you can find case studies, opinion pieces and other articles around the theme we are all so passionate about. We work closely with like-minded organisations in our Community of Practice and welcome guest bloggers to submit their articles here. You can also receive our content by following our social media channels or subscribing to our newsletter.
Downloadable resources
We are pleased to offer you a set of free downloadable resources to make it easier access the support we can provide.
You can choose to use some resources to give to clients when they brief you about their situation. Other resources can be used to develop your skills and guide the conversations you have with your clients, referrers and collaborators.
Events
The Autonomy First team are active members of our professional community and are often asked to present at various events. You can see the calendar of forthcoming conferences and seminars summarised at the bottom of this page and read full details on our Events page.
Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news about upcoming events.
How we work
We implement the National Decision Making Principles in our work.
We help mitigate the risk of abusive or coercive conduct in the administration of a person’s affairs wherever appropriate.
We practice the ethics of care and help clients implement the ethics of ageing.
We help support and safeguard the will and preference of our clients.
We work collaboratively, using common processes and practices to reach a common goal for our clients.
We advise individuals, families, organisations, entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses in many industries and sectors.
Autonomy First Pty Ltd, our law firm’s parent company, is an employer Partner of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). STEP has over 100 branches worldwide. STEP’s primary focus is on professional development and standards for practitioners advising on care and support for vulnerable clients, family businesses, family offices, wills, estates, wealth administration and conservation and succession planning. We work closely with STEP’s Employer Partner members who are part of the Autonomy First multidisciplinary Community of Practice.
Upcoming Events
19
February
NDIS Reforms, Compliance and Governance Concerns in a Changing Landscape
Special Counsel, Michael Perkins and Dr Jane Lonie, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, will be presenting a session on How Can Social Façade Disguise the Decision-Making Ability of a NDIS Recipient at the Legalwise seminar, NDIS Reforms, Compliance and Governance Concerns in a Changing Landscape on Wednesday, 19 February 2025.
Thought Leadership
Announcement: Autonomy First Lawyers is joining Southern Waters Legal Group
We are pleased to announce that as of 1 July 2024, Autonomy First Lawyers will merge with Southern Waters Legal, an award-winning Sydney legal firm.
This merger represents an exciting opportunity to enhance the quality of our services while maintaining the same high standards of care and professionalism that you have come to expect from our team.
Superannuation Tax Strategies: an EOFY reminder
Equity Trustees have released the paper presented by Peter Bobbin in Sydney on 23rd May 2024 entitled Super Tax Death Strategies; Tax Scheme or Clever Planning? Peter’s paper is a timely reminder as we approach June 30 that superannuation withdrawal and contribution strategies are subject to both the sole purpose tests (plural) in Superannuation law as well as Part IVA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA).
Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control: an alert for attorneys, guardians and carers
The law in NSW is evolving this year to improve a person’s autonomy to defend their decision-making rights.
As a cognitive responsive law firm, Autonomy First Lawyers is at the forefront of responding to these changes, consistently looking for ways to support our client’s decision-making as they age….
Empowering vulnerable decision makers | Helping safeguard your will and preferences
Who we work with
“Michael is an experts expert – extremely knowledgable in estate planning and all of the legal issues that surround such a complex area – Michael is also able to explain that area of the law in a practical and commercial manner to clients and advisers alike. Michael has helped me with numerous clients to design strategic and practical solutions that add real practical value.”
“Michael is an experts expert – extremely knowledgable in estate planning and all of the legal issues that surround such a complex area – Michael is also able to explain that area of the law in a practical and commercial manner to clients and advisers alike. Michael has helped me with numerous clients to design strategic and practical solutions that add real practical value.”