Page 22 - BOL May20 Edition

HOW DOES COVID-19 IMPACT ON LEGAL SERVICES AND THE LAW

Although the present restrictions on although no longer conducting face to in face to face meetings provided social
human contact and movement are having face hearings, the Family Court itself is distancing is used.
an unprecedented impact upon both the still operating via telephone and video
economic prosperity and mental health of link for hearings and the filing of court Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney:
many Australians, for the most part, none documents is still occurring online. Although much of these tasks have
of these restrictions should overly effect historically been conducted through face
the way the law or legal services operate. Buying and Selling Real Estate: to face meetings, all of the required tasks
Although job security worries are to prepare and sign a Will, an Enduring
Family Law Cases: undoubtedly impacting on confidence Power of Attorney or attend to the
The Family Court has issued a public in the property market, the terms of administration of a deceased estate, can
announcement that unless a person standard real estate contracts and the be conducted via use of telephone or
is actually or potentially infected with overall structure of the conveyancing video conferencing. Even witnessing of
Covid-19, the Court expects that pre- process are both well capable of adapting signatures on Wills etc can still be done
existing arrangements for the share of to Covid-19 issues. Standard real estate with social distancing.
care and decision making for the children contracts already suspend the operation
should continue on unaffected. As for of a contract should events such as a So, the message generally from Zande
property cases, having lived through the Covid lockdown occur. Also, the recent Law and indeed the legal industry at large
global financial crisis of 2008, the Family innovation of e-conveyancing now is that we are still open for business and
Court and Family Lawyers are already well permits every task of the conveyancing do not foresee that any developments
practiced in dealing with the challenges exercise to be conducted online with the associated with Covid-19 will impact on
of working out asset division during one exception of witnessing of signatures, our ability to provide services for you.
times of great economic upheaval. And, but this task can still be easily completed

Michael Zande is a Queensland Law Society Accredited Family Law Specialist with over 30
years’ experience in the field. He is the principal at Zande Law Solicitors, Suite 7, Norwinn
Centre, 15 Discovery Drive, North Lakes. To contact Michael for advice, phone 3385 0999.
The information in this article is merely a guide and is not a full explanation of the law. This firm cannot take
responsibility for any action readers take based on this information. When making decisions that could affect
your legal rights, please contact us for professional advice

$50 OFF



Show your RACQ Membership card to receive a discount*
*Not to be used in conjunction with any other oer