Conveyancing and Horse Meat: What’s the Common Thread?

conveyancing and horse meat

I think everyone by now has heard of the horse meat furore unfolding in the UK and Europe; the widespread contamination of processed beef products with up to 100% horse meat. How is this relevant to legal services pricing?  Simple really, it doesn’t matter whether you are talking processed meat or dubious legal services at the end of the day you get what you pay for.

We find this across all spectrums of legal services but particularly in the area of conveyancing.

People who shop around for the lowest price conveyancing are simply kidding themselves if they think they are going to get the same quality of service and professionalism as they would from a firm like ours and it never ceases to amaze that there are people dealing with the biggest investment of their lives, literally hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is going to be a home to their family for years to come, ringing around amongst the horse meat traders of the profession and then react in shock and horror when the standard of service doesn’t live up
to expectations.

For most people buying or selling a home is a very, very stressful time for them and their partner.  If issues arise people want them resolved immediately, if they have questions they want them answered, if things start to go wrong they want good sound legal advice.  All of a sudden that tender sirloin steak that was priced too good to be true turns out to be horse meat.

The trouble with cut price conveyancing firms is that because they are doing it so cheap they have to cut costs and cut corners.  What else can they do?  If they don’t they will go broke (and many of them do).

The trouble nowadays with the internet is that people think they have done their research in selecting a conveyancing firm simply by Googling “conveyancing” and then filling in an online quote.  That’s not research.  Speaking to family and friends, asking them who they used, were they happy with the service, were phone calls returned promptly,  was the firm competent in the advice they gave. That’s research.

Fortunately our clients are a bit more discerning and for that matter so are we in selecting clients to act for.  If someone is after “the cheapest quote” for conveyancing we are happy to send them elsewhere.  We’re by no means expensive but you can’t deliver good, competent professional advice at horse meat prices.

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McLaughlin & Associates: 9th Biggest Annual Tea

Local businesses dig deep for Cancer Council’s great fundraising drive!

The cold weather did not dampen the spirit of local business in helping out in the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.  John McLaughlin from local legal firm McLaughlin & Associates Lawyers, hosted his 9th annual fundraising drive for the Cancer Council with many local business identities attending.  The morning raised $3,455.35, a record for the event.

Representative from Cancer Council, Hayley Mill, wrote to thank Mr McLaughlin: “It was really lovely to see to the community coming together to support your morning tea.  It goes to show how much people respect you and your organisation. I can’t believe how much was raised”.

Mr McLaughlin acknowledged that the success of the morning centres around the efforts of his staff, all of whom contributed by baking, and making a delightful banquet of cakes, slices, soups, and sandwiches as well as the support of local businesses donating raffle prizes including Connect Finance Queensland (Steve Cooke), Consulting IT (Anthony Fensom), Coffee Club (Barry Lane), LeReve Skin Care (Faizey Greaves), Cathy’s Private Hair Studio (Cathy Wardlaw), Springwood Office Choice (Brian Gainsford), Miss Massuse, Hyperplex Cinemas Loganholme, Lifestyle Health Club, Metropolitan Funerals, Focus on James, Southern Cross Accounting (Tracey McGuinness), Print Giant,

Several local businesses also provided cash donations including PT Partners Accountants, Tall Trees, Shine Lawyers, and the biggest of all Bendigo Bank who donated $1,500.00. The event keeps getting bigger each year and John said he is hoping next year, the 10th anniversary will be bigger and better than ever.

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Children’s Issues

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children issues

As child custody lawyers, today I will talk about children’s issues when couples separate. Since 1996, the Family Law Act was amended whereby the words “custody”, “access” and “guardianship” are no longer used. Court orders in relation to children now include:

Residence – defining the person with whom a child is to live;
Contact – defining the extent of contact between a child and another person;
Specific Issues – defining various aspects of parental responsibility.

Both parents have full responsibility for the children until they reach the age of 18 years unless a Court orders otherwise. This responsibility remains whether or not you decide to remarry or have other children.

If couples agree as to residence and contact I recommend that a written agreement be signed by the parties and filed with the Court. These agreements are known as “Consent Orders”. The reason I recommend this is that unfortunately, sometimes relations between a couple deteriorate after separation and whilst the parties are on good terms these matters should be resolved, especially where the children are young.

If unfortunately, parents can’t agree on matters relating to their children then the matter is referred to the Court and a Judge will make orders specifying with whom the children are to reside and the terms of contact for the non-resident parent.

If the matter is referred to the Court the Judge’s first and foremost concern is “what is in the best interests of the child”, not what is in the best interests of Mum or Dad. What is in the best interests of the child, as regards with whom that child lives with, how often a child has contact (if at all) with the non-resident parent etc.

It is also open to grandparents to make application to the Court for contact with their grandchildren as normally it is in the child’s best interests that they have such contact.

If you need to contact child custody lawyers, please call us on 07 3808 7777 or send us an email.

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