Services

Conveyancing

Renee Sapelli looks after the buying and selling of houses and businesses together with our Conveyancer Kymm Robinson in Cairns and Stacey McDonnell in Atherton. These are often the most expensive or serious purchases of your life and a mistake can be disastrous. By seeing us before you sign, we make sure that you avoid these common problems and mistakes whilst providing you with comprehensive advice on various aspects of conveyancing along the way.

Our conveyancing department prides itself on providing professional and competitive services, while at the same time being user friendly and more than happy to answer any of our clients’ queries. Why settle for anything but the best.

Business Estate/Succession Planning

One basic rule of thumb is that you should not enter into a business arrangement without having a clear plan on how to exit that arrangement. The four basic exits imposed on all business arrangements are summarised by death, illness, voluntary retirement and involuntary retirement. Valuation and funding for each of these events needs to be considered. Insurance can cover death or illness - more innovative ideas are needed for voluntary and involuntary retirement.

Keeping the farm/business in the family is another major concern for hard working families. Inter-generation succession planning is a key responsibility for one of our Principals – John Bottoms.

Family Law (inc. Property and Children)

If you have a problem with children (custody or access) or in dividing property after a separation we can assist you in working out (if at all possible) a fair and non contentious settlement in accordance with your rights and entitlements.

Accident & Insurance Law

Our team has experience acting for a number of insurers, including Lloyds of London and other P & I Clubs. We are a member of the Australian Plaintiffs Lawyers Association and as such, have access to extensive legal resources in order to prosecute plaintiffs' cases successfully.

Our team also has extensive experience in aviation and maritime injury litigation and Workplace health and safety. We offer town agency services in both Cairns and Tablelands for out of town lawyers acting for both plaintiffs and insurers.

Wills & Deceased Estates

“There are only two things which are certain in life – death and taxes”. If you consider how long and hard the average person must work to accumulate the possessions which form their estate (real and personal property), it seems like a waste if the time is not taken to specify what should happen to those possessions at the inevitable time of demise. Do not risk letting someone else decide how best to divide your estate and to who it is given.

Our team of experienced solicitors can assist you in drafting a will at an affordable price so that you have peace of mind that the people of your choice (beneficiaries) will benefit from your estate in whichever way you feel is appropriate. Many people will, at some time, be appointed as an executor of the estate of a deceased family member or close friend. In this time of grieving our team can provide cost effective advice as to what steps an executor needs to take and/or assist in the administration of the deceased estate.

Litigation/Insolvency Law

All areas of the law may involve court work and advocacy. All our solicitors have a solid background in litigation, debt recovery and insolvency which is absolutely essential in order to ensure our clients' rights are protected. The firm works in liaison with established and successful barristers including a number of leading Queens Counsel and can retain this expertise on your behalf.

We pride ourselves on handling difficult cases and enjoy a challenge.

Migration

If you are thinking of emigrating to Australia, Bottoms English Lawyers is one of the law firms who can assist you.

With two registered migration agents, John Bottoms registered in 1997 and Renee Sapelli registered in 2006, we are experienced in all types of visas with a particular emphasis on skilled, business, professional and employer sponsored visas. We are also able to assist with visas for family members and spouses including parents, defacto spouses and same sex couples.

It is important when considering your options you have a lawyer on your side who understands the migration laws in Australia. Both Mr Bottoms and Ms Sapelli are admitted in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. We will use our best endeavours to obtain the right visa to suit you.

We have assisted people to migrate to Australia from various countries across the globe. We will assist you at every step of the process.

Challenging Administrative /Local Government Decisions

Having problems with any government officials or departments? Anne English has been dealing with bureaucracy on behalf of clients in a broad range of business, primary industry, environment, aviation and maritime industries and in the Local Government arena for many years.

Anne and her team can ensure that administrative law principles such as natural justice and procedural fairness are applied to the consideration and assessment of all types of licenses, permits, conditions, applications, and decisions by regulatory authorities.

Criminal Law and Inquests

If you find yourself in a legal bind, our efficient team of solicitors can help you. We handle the defence of all types of criminal matters from the common, such as driving under the influence, to the extremely complex such as murder. Our team will analyse the circumstances of your matter, investigate the legal implications and provide you with affordable legal advice in everyday terms that you can understand.

We are committed to advising our clients of what they need to hear, without fearing that the advice may not be what our clients want to hear, so that the best possible outcome can be achieved. Our firm has acted for parties involved in inquests over the past 30 years and we appreciate the sensitivities of grieving family in such situations and the legal issues and closure that families seek during such proceedings.

Employment Law

The workplace can become hostile for both employee and employer. We are able to offer advice to both in these times of legislative change. Quick action on the part of either employee or employer can prevent the escalation of adverse situations. We have experience in the industrial courts at both Commonwealth and State levels.

We recommend early advice on either employer and employee rights before taking any steps that might have negative consequences for either or both and we adopt a settlement philosophy wherever appropriate whilst at the same time protecting our clients interests by proactive litigation whenever necessary.

Shipping, Fishing Law

Anne English has particular expertise in these areas and is able to assist in the sale and purchase of boats, arrest of vessels, transfer of fishing licences, disputes with government departments in relation to licence entitlements, structural adjustment programs, admiralty actions and all activities associated with maritime law.

Mining & Environmental Law

Mining law covering all aspects of mining and energy tenure applications, hearings, objections and environmental processes associated therewith and compensation agreements or hearings are another special interest topic of Anne English.

Anne has been involved in the strategy and planning of applications for mining and exploration tenements and is very familiar with the government processes relating to securing such tenements with a particular focus on resolution of native title issues in the mining context.

Native Title

Ever since the High Court decision in Mabo this area has been subject of confusion and misinformation as the various interests jockey with each other for public support. We can explain concisely how Native Title will affect you (if indeed it will at all).

We can also develop strategies to enable parties to deal with any problems that may result, plan and execute ILUA and RTN negotiations with native title holders and provide assistance to parties involved in native title disputes over land and waters.

The firm can also represent Native Title Applicants with the prosecution of their Native Title claims.

Rural Law and Agribusiness
Over 30 years the firm has provided advice on a wide range of rural legal issues to farmers, growers and pastoralists in a wide range of industries from bananas, seed merchants, sugar cane farmers, dairy farmers to cattle station proprietors.

Water rights, share farming, neighbour disputes, easements, the buying and selling of rural properties, land administration issues, adgistment and other leasing type arrangements affecting rural land, vegetation management issues and the defence of property owners against adverse government interference in their activities are just some of the many and varied areas of rural law covered in this section. Our Tablelands office in Atherton now provides a more convenient location for visits from our rural clients.