CASE: Flourentzou v Spink [2019] NSWCA 315

In 2012, Dianne and Mario Flourentzou purchased a property in Casula to live in with their three children.

Dianne's mother, Ricky Spink, contributed $165,000 towards the purchase and renovation of the Casula property on the understanding that she could live with them at the property for the rest of her life.

Within 3 years, relationships had soured and Ricky was kicked out of the family home.

Was there any way she could get her money back?

CASE: Croft v Sanders [2019] NSWCA 303

When Warwick Croft made his last Will in 2013, he was 82 years old and suffering from delusions. He believed that four of his daughters were scheming against him, that they worked in a brothel and were sending prostitutes to knock on his door late at night. He talking about seeing things in his backyard - a black panther, huge owls, and one of his daughters running down a fence.

Croft's Will left most of his $3 million estate to one of his six daughters, Anna. Two of the daughters, Leah and Esther, challenged the Will on the basis that their father lacked capacity when it was made.

The Court was required to determine to what extent Croft's Will was influenced by his delusions and what was a reasonable response to his daughters taking their mother's side in his divorce.

CASE: Council of the Law Society of NSW v Zhukovska [2019] NSWCATOD 66

Recommended by Leah Murphy (formerly Leah Johnson)

Myroslava Zhukovska was the solicitor for Dulcie Barbara Heane who was elderly and living in aged care.

Within a short period of time, Zhukovska got financial control of Dulcie's money, sold Dulcie's home, made unsecured loans from Dulcie's money to her clients and herself, and paid herself $76,000 for all her work from Dulcie's money.

Can a lawyer do all that and still be permitted to practice law?