Position Vacant commencing in January 2012
A full time position is now available for an experienced legal secretary. Applications may be submitted by mail or email.
Clarence Valley Local Environmental Plan
The Clarence Valley LEP 2011 commenced 23 December 2011.
Identification
New laws commencing 1 November 2011 will require many clients to provide certain types of identification to their lawyer when dealing with land. Most usually a current NSW driver licence or commonwealth passport will be satisfactory.
Unfair terms in contracts
These can now be challenged under new consumer protection laws which commenced on 1 July 2010. The changes apply to standard forms of contracts for consumer goods or services. Consumer remedies include being excused from compliance with the unfair terms or damages.
Consumer credit
This will now be regulated nationally from 1 July 2010 and while most of the consumer protections remain the same as they were under the code the loans regulated have been expanded to include loans for residential investment property.
Personal Property Security
This new law to fully commence by February 2012 revolutionises the law in respect to mortgaging personal property such as motor vehicles or boats. It will affect you if you are buying a new car and profoundly affects the way borrowers will handle loans on personal property. The law will introduce a national register you can search to check if some one else claims an interest in the property.
Wills
On 1st March 2010 significant changes to the law commenced relating to what happens to your property when you do not have a will. The rights of a spouse in this respect are improved.
It is important to have a will to ensure it is up to date and takes changes in the law into account so that your property goes to the people you want it to go to and not who the Government says.
The NSW Government New Home Builder Bonus
This is a duty reduction to encourage the purchase of new homes.