The foundation of our unique advantage is the collective range of skills and knowledge amongst our senior professional team. All are experienced in estate and succession planning, with emphases on protecting clients’ assets, creating flexibility and delivering taxation benefits. Additionally, they each have unique, but complementary, professional interests and experience that enable Merthyr Law to provide the full spectrum of services required to meet the complex needs of the firm’s clients. If you are interested in working at Merthyr Law, please CLICK HERE and use the form to send us your resume and cover letter.

  1. KEY PERSONNEL

    Steve Grant – Director
    Director, Steve Grant, has specialist expertise in the area of tax effective business and investment structures which has protected the estate and/or business interests of many clients. Steve has long been recognised as an expert in estate and succession planning. His focus is on ensuring clients’ interests can and will be transferred down from generation to generation without loss to outsiders and ensuring clients’ home and investment assets are quarantined from the risks of their business activities. Steve regularly lectures to CPA Australia, the University of Queensland, the Taxation Institute of Australia and directly to groups of accountants and financial planners upon request. Add vCard to Outlook

  2. Kieran Hoare – ILP Director
    His accreditation as an SMSF Specialist Advisor™ is what differentiates ILP Director, Kieran Hoare from other lawyers.Today the importance of managing superannuation assets in estate planning and administration matters should not be underestimated. Kieran’s specialist knowledge allows him to provide invaluable advice particularly with respect to estate planning, SMSF compliance, disputes with the ATO and the best use of permitted investment structures and gearing strategies for SMSF. Kieran is also experienced in a wide variety of commercial applications including business structure and taxation advice, commercial sales and negotiations, acquisitions, governance agreements, estate and succession planning and related transactions. Kieran is a member of the Taxation Institute of Australia, the Queensland Law Society, Family Businesses Australia and SPAA. Add vCard to Outlook
  3. Marie Sheehy – Senior Associate
    Senior Associate Marie Sheehy’s keen negotiation skills and intuitive understanding of a client’s business enable her to tailor commercial/contractual and taxation advice. Her focus is on limiting risk and maximising asset protection. Marie works autonomously and within legal and accounting teams on multi-million dollar negotiations for share sale agreements, contract business sales, put and call option agreements and joint venture agreements.
    Her commercial expertise is a valuable asset when she is dealing with clients’ estate and succession issues. Marie is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Add vCard to Outlook
  4. Emma Meadth – Senior Associate
    Emma Meadth brings an extra dimension to Merthyr Law’s estate and succession planning team – family law. Emma is a senior associate with Merthyr Law and has 15 years of experience in estate administration, planning, business succession and family law. Her experience and interest in ensuring clients have the most effective estate, business and succession plans in place have led her to become a registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and is the former Business Development Co-ordinator for the QLD Branch of Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP). Add vCard to Outlook
  5. Shannyn Hillyard – Associate
    Merthyr Law associate Shannyn Hillyard is based at our Gold Coast office. She excels when working with clients to solve their estate and succession planning issues incorporating effective Wills, Family Safety TrustsTM, Disability Trusts and business structures. Shannyn, who has a double degree in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management),.was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2008 after completing a one year traineeship at Merthyr Law. Add vCard to Outlook
  6. Theohari Simos – Solicitor
    Theo was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in December 2009 after completing her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology. Theo was attracted to Merthyr Law due to its reputation as a friendly work environment offering great opportunities for mentoring of young professional staff. Add vCard to Outlook
  7. Reanna Spits – Solicitor
    Reanna is Merthyr Law’s newest recruit. After graduating from QUT, Reanna spent a few years working at the Department of Justice and Attorney General in Criminal Law and now joins the professional team with a view to broadening her experience across the commercial and taxation fields.
  8. Basil Karsas – Solicitor
    Basil was recently admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland. In line with the firm’s philosophy of offering professional development opportunities to highly motivated young solicitors, the Merthyr Law team welcomed Basil in January 2011. Add vCard to Outlook
  9. Natalie Taylor – Trainee Solicitor
    Natalie is currently undertaking an intense legal training and practice in Civil Litigation, Commercial and Corporate Law, Property Law, Family Law; and Wills and Estates under the mentorship of Merthyr Law Directors Steve Grant and Kieran Hoare. She is no stranger to Merthyr Law having joined the firm in 2008, initially as a secretary, then as a paralegal and researcher supporting the lawyers in the office and now as a Trainee Solicitor. Add vCard to Outlook

SUPPORT STAFF

admin and support team

The Merthyr Law Administration Team:
At the head of the administration team at Merthyr Law is Finance Manager Fran Fitzsimmons. With more than twenty years experience, Fran joined Merthyr Law in 2006 and has witnessed significant growth in the office with both professional and support staff. She is instrumental in keeping the office running smoothly.

Maura Drew is our in-house accountant responsible for financial reporting, analysis and providing assistance to the Finance Manager. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland, with 20 years of experience in management accounting.

Andrea Connolly, the firm’s Marketing Manager, is responsible for all marketing initiatives. She is passionate about customer service and effective communication and works closely with the professional staff to enhance their relationships with clients and the Firm’s network of referrers.

Frances Grassick is our paralegal clerk and has more than 10 years’ experience in conveyancing and property matters.

Belinda Adams is an essential part of our organisation providing assistance to our entire administration team.

The Merthyr Law Secretarial and Support Team: The experienced team of legal secretaries at Merthyr Law is managed by Tracey Hannant. Tracey is also secretary for director Steve Grant and senior associate Emma Meadth. Courtney Hamilton is responsible for secretarial support for associate Shannyn Hillyard and trainee solicitors Natalie Taylor and Basil Karsas. Jacqui Ryan has progressed through the ranks at Merthyr Law and now provides secretarial support to senior associate Marie Sheehy and solicitor Theo Simos. You will meet Courtney Trent when you first walk into or call the Merthyr Law office in Brisbane. Courtney is our receptionist and provides overflow secretarial support around the office. As a law clerk, Ben Chahoud primary duties involve office support as well as research to support the lawyers at the firm. Ben is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Law and Commerce degree at the University of Queensland.

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