Consultant, Acc. Spec. (Wills & Est.)
John always attends clients to provide professional advice and receive instructions. Having worked in legal practice since 1970, he brings extensive experience in all legal matters to these meetings.
John commenced working with his father Leonard Poole in 1964 and subsequently completed the legal studies course under the Solicitors Admission Board.
Estate Accounting
In 1995, John was invited to join the Law Society Committee for the establishment of the guidelines for accrediting solicitors in the area of Wills and Estates.
John’s work on the committee spanned 10 years, and involved setting papers for the assessment of candidates for accreditation, and then marking the papers. During that time there were frequent questions about preparing accounts for the court and executors’ commission. John always set the papers on this topic and marked them.
Expertise
In 2003, John became a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a worldwide body that unites lawyers, accountants and other professionals working in trust administration. He was accorded Honorary Accreditation in the area of Wills & Estates in 2007.
As well as being an Accredited Wills and Estates Specialist, John has interest and expertise in other legal areas, including:
- conveyancing
- wills
- executor’s commission – when executors and trustees apply for remuneration
- family provision claims – when family members seek a variation in the terms of will to answer a need
Presentations and papers
John receives many enquiries from other solicitors for assistance in preparing estate accounts and considering the issue of remuneration to executors and trustees by way of commission. John has presented several lectures on “The Importance of Accurate Estate Accounting and Entitlement of Executors to Commission” to other solicitors, as part of continuing legal education.
He has also presented many other papers on will preparation and estate administration. One such lecture, entitled “Where There is No Will, There May Still Be a Way”, focused on what to do when the deceased doesn’t leave a will. John has been called upon many times to give expert evidence for use in court proceedings relating to will and estates.