Adverse Possession – Squatters Rights in 2021by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers26 February 202119 June 2023KEY TAKE OUTS Adverse Possession, or ‘Squatter’s Rights’, is still a controversial topic in 2021. In Hardy v Sidoti (2020), the ownership of a small… Read More »Adverse Possession – Squatters Rights in 2021
Lime Scooters, are they Going to Become a Thing of the Past?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers15 February 202129 July 2025The US-based e-scooter company Lime Network has come under scrutiny by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after discovering that the company did not… Read More »Lime Scooters, are they Going to Become a Thing of the Past?
Can a Company Sue for Defamation?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers21 December 202024 January 2024KEY TAKE OUTS A Harris Park travel agency commenced defamation proceedings against a Sydney woman who was part of a mother’s Facebook group after publishing… Read More »Can a Company Sue for Defamation?
Keeping Up With Modern Awards: Upcoming Changes to the Children’s Services Award, to come into effect 1 November 2020by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers2 November 202028 October 2022The Fair Work Commission is currently undertaking their four-yearly review of the modern awards, under section 156 of the Fair Work Act 2009. Most recently,… Read More »Keeping Up With Modern Awards: Upcoming Changes to the Children’s Services Award, to come into effect 1 November 2020
Retrospective and future responsibilitiesby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers1 September 202022 February 2024The Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (“the Act”) received assent on 11 June 2020. The Act is a part of NSW’s response to the… Read More »Retrospective and future responsibilities
Reminder for Small Business Owners: Last day to apply for the Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grantby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers31 August 202030 July 2025The Small Business Recovery Grant provides small businesses and not-for-profit organisations who have experienced a decline in turnover as a result of COVID-19 with a… Read More »Reminder for Small Business Owners: Last day to apply for the Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant
Child Support – Do I need to pay school fees on top of child support?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers6 August 202012 March 2025KEY TAKE OUTS: Child support is governed by Services Australia and applies to guardians who were in a marriage or de facto relationship. It ensures… Read More »Child Support – Do I need to pay school fees on top of child support?
Deemed Supply – When Drugs in Your Possession Makes You a Supplierby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers3 August 202026 June 2024KEY TAKE NOTES Section 29 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) provides that those in possession of a “trafficable quantity” of a… Read More »Deemed Supply – When Drugs in Your Possession Makes You a Supplier
Purchasing in a mine subsidence areaby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers21 July 20204 April 2023Prior to 1 October 2019, a purchaser would be able to obtain a Section 15(B) & (C) Certificate which would confirm if the requirements of… Read More »Purchasing in a mine subsidence area
First Home Loan Deposit Scheme – Further Scheme Places To Be Releasedby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers1 July 202024 November 2023As of the 1 of January 2020, the Federal Government launched the 2020 First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (Deposit Scheme) to assist first home buyers… Read More »First Home Loan Deposit Scheme – Further Scheme Places To Be Released
Officers of a Corporation – Australian Securities and Investments Commission v King [2020] HCA 4by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers30 June 202014 February 2024On 11 March 2020, the High Court of Australia handed down a landmark judgment in the case of Australian Securities and Investments Commission v King… Read More »Officers of a Corporation – Australian Securities and Investments Commission v King [2020] HCA 4
Chimney smoke bothering you?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers22 June 202013 June 2025Updated Friday June 13, 2025 KEY TAKE OUTS: As winter settles in and wood heaters become a go-to heating method once again, we often get… Read More »Chimney smoke bothering you?
Owner Builder Obligationsby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers20 May 202013 April 2023KEY TAKE OUTS: It is important as an owner-builder to understand your responsibilities and obligations Be satisfied as to whether you need to have an… Read More »Owner Builder Obligations
Early Access of Superannuation – COVID-19by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers8 May 202028 July 2025Superannuation benefits are generally required to be preserved in the superannuation system until retirement and early release of superannuation benefits are only permitted in certain… Read More »Early Access of Superannuation – COVID-19
COVID-19: Recent changes to the Foreign Investment Review Boardby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers6 April 202024 November 2023The Foreign Investment Review Board or also known as FIRB was created to review applications for any foreign person who intends to invest in Australian… Read More »COVID-19: Recent changes to the Foreign Investment Review Board
Global Revolution on Working From home, But is Australia Ready?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers2 April 202028 July 2025As COVID-19 continues to spread, more employees are working from home than ever before. Many are doing so for the first time. Employers are innovating… Read More »Global Revolution on Working From home, But is Australia Ready?
New Age of Selling & Buying a House during COVID-19by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers26 March 202013 April 2023The buying and selling landscape is rapidly changing with the affects of COVID-19 being felt across the world. KEY TAKE OUTS: How will property sales… Read More »New Age of Selling & Buying a House during COVID-19
Going viral: Coronavirus Influence On Contractual Obligationsby Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers4 March 202022 February 2024As a result of the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, several regions have announced travel restrictions resulting in severe disruptions particularly in supply… Read More »Going viral: Coronavirus Influence On Contractual Obligations
Absolutely Gutted: MasterChef Has Bitten Off More Than He Could Chew!by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers18 February 202012 January 2023Following an ongoing investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman into employee wages, payroll errors dating back six years were recently identified with a number of… Read More »Absolutely Gutted: MasterChef Has Bitten Off More Than He Could Chew!
So you are a Foreign Purchaser – what next?by Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers2 February 202016 January 2024If you are not an Australia citizen or Australian Permanent Resident it is possible that you will be considered a foreign purchaser. If this is… Read More »So you are a Foreign Purchaser – what next?