Master the legal strategies to locate, protect, and distribute cryptocurrency, cloud data, and digital assets in modern probate administration.
Succession and probate practice is undergoing a profound transformation as personal and financial lives increasingly move into digital spaces. From cryptocurrency holdings and online accounts to electronic notes and informal digital expressions of testamentary intent, modern estates are becoming more complex, fragmented, and jurisdictionally diverse. These shifts are challenging traditional approaches to will drafting, estate administration, and dispute resolution.
This course explores the evolving landscape of digital estates and modern probate practice in Australia. It examines how courts and practitioners are adapting established succession principles to digital evidence, including informal electronic wills and cross-border asset structures. Drawing on recent case law such as Wheatley v Peek [2025] NSWCA 265, the session provides practical guidance for solicitors navigating digital assets, managing multi-jurisdictional estates, and addressing emerging risks in contemporary succession practice.
Key Topics Discussed:
Special Counsel | Artemide
Robert O’Harae is a Special Counsel at Artemide Law, where he leads the Wills, Estates, and Succession practice. He is an experienced lawyer specialising in estate planning, complex succession structures, probate matters, and contested estate litigation. His work spans both advisory and dispute resolution contexts, with a strong focus on delivering practical, commercially sound outcomes for clients navigating sensitive family and inheritance issues. Robert also advises across broader commercial law matters and is recognised for his calm, strategic, and empathetic approach to resolving disputes. He regularly assists clients with business succession planning, asset structuring, and estate-related litigation, combining technical expertise with a strong understanding of family and commercial dynamics.
