John Armfield

Barrister and Mediator

John was admitted to the Bar in 1983 and has practised continuously since admission almost exclusively in family provision and estate litigation.

He is an accredited mediator with the NSW Bar Association under the National Mediator Accreditation System.  John is frequently engaged in either face-to-face or online mediations.

He has successfully mediated many estate disputes and enjoys the challenge of assisting parties to arrive at a quick and cost-effective resolution of their disputes.

John’s expertise has been recognised in the Doyle’s Guide in 2015, 2017 – 2020, 2022 and 2023 as a Pre-eminent Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Junior Barrister.

He has spoken at many continuing legal education conferences in relation to estate litigation including family provision law, testamentary capacity, informal wills, estoppel in estate litigation and the rights of beneficiaries to obtain information in relation to the administration of trusts.

Admissions

Court-appointed Mediator

Admitted to the Bar (New South Wales): 1983

Accredited by the NSW Bar Association as a mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System

Areas of Practice

Equity & Trusts

Family Provision

Mediation / ADR

Succession / Wills & Probate

Professional Memberships

Member, New South Wales Bar Association

Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

Speaking Engagements

Sir Ninian Stephen Lecture: 2018

2014: Professional Negligence and Will Making, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

John has also presented numerous papers on the following topics:

Statutory Wills

Undue Influence and Coercion in Wills

Applications for Family Provision Orders

Judicial Advice in Estate Dispute Matters

Informal Wills – A Cross-Jurisdictional Companion

How to Get the Best Results in Inheritance Mediation

Professional Negligence and Will Making

Beneficiaries and Estate Administration

Contested Probate Matters in Practice

Testamentary Capacity

Competing Claims

Establishing Capacity when Capacity is in Issue

Notional Estate Disputes in current cases

The Pursuit of Justice

Select Cases

Re Estate Gowing; Application for Executor’s Commission [2014] NSWSC 247 – application for executor’s commission

Kastrounis v Foundouradakis [2012] NSWSC 264 – family provision-related property transactions

Hawkins v Barkley-Brown [2010] NSWSC 48 – application for executor’s commission

Scott v Scott [2009] NSWSC 567 – family provisions case

Sleboda v Sleboda [2008] NSWCA 122 – unconscionable conduct

CONTACT

+61 2 9232 8803
+61 2 9223 8018
[email protected]