Navigating Trustee Disputes 2025

This seminar will be a practical guide exploring the challenges faced by independent trustees of family trusts. It will cover the trustee’s role in disputes, key duties, potential liabilities, and available options. It will also address the critical question – what role should an independent trustee play in the context of a family dispute?

Other topics will include:

• How to stay independent and administer a trust in a family conflict
• When to seek legal advice
• Who pays the costs
• How to stay financially protected
• Exit strategies.

Learning objectives

By attending this seminar you will:

• Have deeper understanding of the role and duties of an independent trustee in a family trust.
• Be more confident carrying out that role.

Who should attend 

Trust and estate lawyers, relationship property lawyers and independent/professional trustees.

Presenters

Elizabeth Heaney
Tompkins Wake, Auckland

Elizabeth is a Senior Associate at Tompkins Wake. She specialises in family law with a particular focus on relationship property, trusts and estates. Elizabeth also has expertise as a civil litigator and especially in professional liability disputes with a particular focus on trustee and legal professional liability. She advises a wide range of clients, representing them in the Family Court, High Court, and the Court of Appeal, and at arbitration and mediation.

 

Liam McNeely
Mills Lane Chambers, Auckland

Liam is a well-respected barrister with extensive international and domestic experience in commercial litigation and arbitration matters. He has particular expertise acting on trust and estate disputes, shareholder disputes, insolvency-related matters, civil fraud cases and international commercial arbitrations.

 

Resources

A PDF book is included in the fee and will be emailed to you along with your ticket, one week before the seminar. PowerPoint slides will be emailed out after 3pm the day before the event.

Live web stream registrants – you will be emailed a link to join the live stream one week before. For information on what is required to participate in the live web stream, click here. A recording will be distributed approximately one week after the event.

Live Stream Recording

All attendees will recieve four weeks of access to the live stream recording. This added benefit allows you to revisit key insights, in your own time – at your own pace, and reinforce your understanding to extend the value of your learning well beyond attending the event. Recordings will be available approximately one week after the event.

Fee (incl GST)

Law Society Members benefit from up to 30% off

• $205 – Law Society members & associate members
• $295 – Non-members
• View group pricing options

Do you want to register more than one person for this course? Use the 'buy for others' button below or Click here

Cancellation and refund policy

You may cancel your registration eight working days in advance of an event, and you will receive a refund less a 25% administration fee. If you cancel less than eight working days in advance of the event, no refund is payable. If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to another person. If you wish to do so you must advise CLE New Zealand Law Society in writing of the change. CLE reserves the right to close registrations, and cancel or reschedule an event as necessary. Where an event is cancelled by CLE, a full refund is payable.