John Armfield
Barrister and Mediator
John specialises in estate litigation. He has been listed in Doyle’s Guide as a pre-eminent junior counsel in Wills and Estates Litigation in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2015.
He regularly acts as a mediator with respect to family provision claims.
Regularly advising and appearing for plaintiffs and estates in relation to matters in the Equity Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, John has extensive experience also representing clients at mediations and informal settlement conferences.
His practice has a strong emphasis on probate, family provision applications and will construction. He has also appeared in applications seeking a review of orders allowing commission to executors.
John regularly presents papers at legal conferences in relation to wills and succession law and was recently a keynote speaker for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), of which he is a member, in Hobart.
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
Equity & Trusts
Family Provision
Mediation / ADR
Succession / Wills & Probate
Member, New South Wales Bar Association
Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
- 2018: Sir Ninian Stephen Lecture
- 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
- 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
+61 2 9232 8803 
+61 2 9232 8018
armfield@me.com
John Armfield
Barrister and Mediator
John specialises in estate litigation. He has been listed in Doyle’s Guide as a pre-eminent junior counsel in Wills and Estates Litigation in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2015.
He regularly acts as a mediator with respect to family provision claims.
Regularly advising and appearing for plaintiffs and estates in relation to matters in the Equity Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, John has extensive experience also representing clients at mediations and informal settlement conferences.
His practice has a strong emphasis on probate, family provision applications and will construction. He has also appeared in applications seeking a review of orders allowing commission to executors.
John regularly presents papers at legal conferences in relation to wills and succession law and was recently a keynote speaker for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), of which he is a member, in Hobart.
Appointments and 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
- 2018 Sir Ninian Stephen Lecture
- Professional Negligence and Will Making, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners – 2014
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
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
+61 2 9232 8803 +61 2 9232 8018
armfield@me.com