James McNicol Smith

Sam heads KCL Law’s Estate Group and practises in estate planning, estate administration, trusts, asset protection and estate disputes. With over 28 years of experience, Sam has provided tailored estate planning solutions to clients from diverse backgrounds, circumstances and complexities, including many of Australia’s wealthiest individuals. Recognising the challenges faced when a family member has died, Sam has established a dedicated estate administration practice to guide clie...

Michael’s practice focuses on tax disputes, capital gains tax, business sales and acquisitions and restructuring. He also acts in matters that deal with domestic income tax, tax compliance, tax training tax due diligence.

Kim is a partner in the firm's Dispute Resolution & Litigation practice, with a particular focus on insolvency, complex commercial disputes, and class actions. In insolvency-related matters, she regularly acts on behalf of insolvency practitioners, advising on all matters arising in the administration or liquidation of the company and has conducted applications to Court for directions, undertaken liquidators’ examinations, prosecuted proceedings against directors, advisors and other...

Adam Laidlaw is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Adam, who practices law in Melbourne, Australia, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ian has extensive experience in a wide range of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law disputes and transactions covering all intellectual property regimes including patents, copyright, trade marks and related competition law issues, with a particular emphasis on strategic intellectual property litigation. Recently Ian’s practice has involved major national and multi-jurisdictional patent litigation in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, and resources/metallurgical sec...

Keith is a key figure in tax advisory, having been in significant roles within the profession for over 20 years. He was appointed by the Federal Government to the Board of Taxation in March 2004 and was appointed Deputy Chair in May 2011. Keith’s involvement with the tax profession has extended to Chairman of the Public Accountants Committee, Victorian President, National Councillor and Chairman of the Taxation Centre of Excellence and the National Tax Advisory Committee for CPA Austral...

Robert Josephs is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Equity Law. Robert, who practices law in Melbourne, Australia, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Deborah is a principal lawyer in Harwood Andrews’ wills and estates law practice team. Deborah is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a specialist in Wills and Estates. Deborah has worked for various law firms in Geelong. Deborah has a caring and compassionate approach and aims to provide a solution that works for you. Deborah has in excess of twenty years’ experience in all areas of wills and estate planning, testamentary trusts, estate administration, estate litigatio...

Neil is a Principal in the business law area, with a particular focus on taxation advice and disputes. Taxation law is a complex area. Neil’s aim is to provide technical expertise to clients, commercially applied and in a friendly and approachable manner. Neil’s practice involves advice, audits, disputes, and transactions. The client mix includes both family groups and business enterprises. Neil also regularly assists professional advisors, including tax agents, accountants and fi...

Perry Q Wood is Immediate Past President of the Australian Institute of Administrative Law and one of Australia’s leading administrative and migration lawyers. Consistently ranked by Doyle’s, he is recognised as one of Australia's best migration lawyers. He practises in all aspects of Australian migration law, acting for both corporate and individual clients, including in crimmigration and deportation matters. Mr Wood is a former Senior Member / Practice Leader of Australia's admi...