Two Wentworth Succession Conference
Full Day Conference
The Two Wentworth Succession Conference is a full-day annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) conference hosted by Two Wentworth Chambers. The day features speakers from the Two Wentworth succession team, experienced solicitors and members of the judiciary.
Topics at the 2027 Conference will include:
The Honourable Justice Michael Meek | Keynote Address
Chris Wood SC, Andrew Stevens and Hannah Cohley | Abuse Claims in Estate Litigation
Heather Baker and Edwina Chappel | Contested Probate Judgments
Paul Bolster and Katelin Whitley | Independent Administrators and Insoluble Problems
Vicki Geraghty | Applications for Approval of Inter Vivos Releases of Family Provision Rights
Ari Katsoulas | What did the Will Mean? Recent Decisions on Will Construction
Anna Bartolo | Professional Negligence in Wills & Estates
Will Noonan | Certificate evidence and other means of proving entitlements on intestacy
The chair for the 2027 Conference will be Craig Birtles.
Speakers
The Hon Justice Michael Meek
The Honourable Justice Michael Kingsley Meek is a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Equity Division. He was sworn in on 5 May 2022, following approximately 30 years at the NSW Bar.
Chris Wood SC
Christopher Wood SC is a Senior Counsel at 13 Wentworth Chambers. He was called to the New South Wales Bar in 2001 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2019. Christopher has a broad equity and commercial practice, with particular experience in trusts, wills and probate, family provision, real property, insolvency and complex equitable disputes.
Katelin Whitley
Katelin Whitley is the Principal of Bestic Law and a dual Accredited Specialist in Wills & Estates Law and Property Law. She practises primarily in succession, trust and property matters, with extensive experience in contested estates, family provision claims, testamentary capacity and undue influence disputes, will construction and complex estate administration.
Heather Baker
Heather Baker is a Senior Associate at Teece Hodgson & Ward and a solicitor qualified in both New South Wales and England & Wales. She practises predominantly in wills and estates, with particular experience in complex estate planning, contested estates, testamentary capacity, family provision and estate administration. Heather previously served as tipstaff to the Honourable Justice Hodgson when His Honour was Chief Judge in Equity and has practised in Sydney, regional NSW and England. She developed the Succession Law elective at Charles Sturt University, where she continues to lecture, and was recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Rising Star.
Edwina Chappel
Edwina Chappel is a Senior Associate at Teece Hodgson & Ward practising in estate planning, estate administration and contested estates. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Technology Sydney and a Master of Applied Law majoring in Wills and Estates from the College of Law. Edwina is a full member of STEP, serves on the STEP NSW Committee and chairs its Emerging Professionals Sub-Committee. Her practice also includes acting in matters involving court-appointed administrators and applications for judicial advice. Edwina has been recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Rising Star in both 2025 and 2026.
John Armfield
John Armfield is a barrister and accredited mediator at Two Wentworth Chambers and one of New South Wales’ most experienced succession practitioners. Called to the Bar in 1983, John specialises in family provision, probate, contested estates, trusts and estate litigation. He is a regular presenter on succession law and has written and spoken extensively on testamentary capacity, informal wills, estoppel and beneficiaries’ rights. John is also an experienced mediator of estate disputes and was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2026 as a Preeminent Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.
Paul Bolster
Paul Bolster is a barrister at Two Wentworth Chambers with a broad practice spanning succession, equity, trusts, commercial litigation and administrative law. He was called to the Bar in 2007 after previously practising as a solicitor and holds an LLB from UNSW and an LLM from the University of Sydney. Paul regularly acts in succession and probate matters, including family provision and trust disputes, and brings extensive experience from complex public and regulatory proceedings. He was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2026 as a Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.
Ari Katsoulas
Ari Katsoulas is a barrister at Two Wentworth Chambers specialising in estate litigation, equity and commercial disputes. Called to the Bar in 2014, Ari has particular expertise in family provision claims, contested probate, testamentary capacity, undue influence, informal wills, trust disputes and equitable claims. Prior to joining the Bar, he worked with PwC Australia’s Private Clients Tax & Legal team advising private companies, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Ari is a member of the NSW Bar Association Succession & Protective Law Committee and is regularly recognised by Doyle’s Guide for his work in wills and estates litigation.
Craig Birtles
Craig Birtles is a barrister at Two Wentworth Chambers specialising in succession, probate, trusts, equity and family provision litigation. Before being called to the Bar in 2017, Craig practised for almost a decade at specialist succession firm Teece Hodgson & Ward. He is a member of STEP and the NSW Bar Association Succession and Elder Law Committee and regularly appears in significant estate and trust disputes in the Supreme Court of NSW. Craig was named Lawyer of the Year for Trusts & Estates in 2024 and was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2026 as a Preeminent Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.
Andrew Stevens
Andrew Stevens is a barrister at Two Wentworth Chambers practising exclusively in equity and succession law. Called to the Bar in 2015, his practice includes probate, family provision, contested estates, testamentary capacity, will construction, trusts and equitable claims. Andrew holds a Master of Laws majoring in Wills & Estates and regularly presents continuing professional development seminars on succession law. He appears principally in the Supreme Court of NSW and has acted in numerous significant succession and equity matters. Andrew was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2026 as a Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.
Vicki Geraghty
Vicki Geraghty is a barrister practising from Two Wentworth Chambers in Sydney and Blackburn Chambers in Canberra. Called to the Bar in 2024, she practises in succession, family law, crime and public law, with particular experience in matters involving intersecting legal and factual issues. Before joining the Bar, Vicki held senior executive positions in education and governance. She holds a Juris Doctor from the Australian National University, a Master of Teaching from the University of New England and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics from Macquarie University.
Hannah Cohley
Hannah was called to the bar in 2023 and specialises in all aspects of insurance law and insurance litigation including coverage issues, general liability, financial lines, property and general commercial litigation.
Caitlin Angus
Caitlin Angus is a barrister at Two Wentworth Chambers practising in succession law, equity, trusts, property and commercial litigation. Called to the Bar in 2022, Caitlin is a member of the NSW Bar Association Succession and Protective Law Committee and has appeared in a growing number of probate, estate and trust matters. She is also a Sessional Academic at the University of Wollongong and co-author, with Justice Michael Meek, of the sixth edition of Thomson Reuters’ Australian Legal System. Caitlin was recognised by Doyle’s Guide in 2026 as a Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Junior Counsel.
Anna Bartolo
Anna Bartolo is a barrister and current reader at Two Wentworth Chambers, having been called to the NSW Bar in September 2025. Before coming to the Bar, she practised for more than 13 years as a solicitor in New South Wales, Queensland and London, developing substantial experience in insurance litigation, professional negligence and complex commercial disputes. She regularly appears in the District Court and Supreme Court of New South Wales and accepts briefs across a broad range of civil matters. Her current practice areas include commercial law, professional negligence, insurance, building and construction, medical negligence and personal injury.
Will Noonan
Before coming to the Bar, Will was a Senior Associate in wills and estates litigation at both Lang Noonan Legal and Teece Hodgson & Ward, giving him a strong specialist succession background before commencing practice as counsel. In 2025, he served as Tipstaff to the Probate Judge, the Honourable Justice Slattery AM AM (Mil) RAN, in the Equity Division of the Supreme Court of NSW. William “Will” Noonan is a barrister and current reader at Two Wentworth Chambers, called to the NSW Bar in May 2026. His practice is focused squarely on equity and succession law, including estate litigation, family provision claims, property disputes, trusts and fiduciary disputes.
Venue
The Olive Grove is located at Forresters Beach just north of Terrigal on the scenic NSW Central Coast and is approximately a 10 to 15 minute drive from The Entrance and Terrigal. See The Olive Grove for details.
Accommodation is available, although limited, onsite at the adjoining Quarters Forresters Beach, as well as at a range of other locations including the nearby Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific, a short 10 minute drive away.
Post Conference events
Delegates are invited to mingle and enjoy a complimentary cocktail or non-alcoholic refreshment at the conclusion of the conference.
A three course dinner will be provided in the conference room at the conclusion of the full day program. If you wish to attend the dinner you can purchase an additional ticket at the time of booking for the full day conference.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
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