Ramena Kako, TEP

Ramena has been listed in the 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019 editions of Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended  NSW Junior Counsel in the area of Wills & Estates Litigation

and in 2019 as Recommended Counsel for Australia in the area of Wills & Estates Litigation.

In 2016 Ramena was nominated as Woman Barrister of the Year (Women Lawyers Association of NSW).

Areas of Practice

• Equity & Trusts
• Inquests, Inquiries & Royal Commissions
• Mediation
• Wills & Probate (including Succession and Family Provision)

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Western Sydney

Diploma of Legal Practice, University of Western Sydney

Professional experience

Adjunct Lecturer, College of Law (Masters of Applied Law) Family Provision

Prior to coming to the Bar, Ramena was a solicitor at Teece Hodgson & Ward, Deacons and Henry Davis York. She was also Tipstaff to Justice Palmer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

Membership

Member, Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners

Member, American Bar Asociation

Member, Women in Banking and Finance Inc. (NSW)

Selected Cases

Estate of the late Shirley Gardner; Bernengo v Leaney [2019] NSWSC 1324 (Bell P) – intestacy – successful declaration as to existence of de facto relationship; alternative family provision claim.

Libbert v Mironow [2015] NSWSC 2153 (Brereton J) – s95 Succession Act approval of release of family provision rights.

Re M’s Codicil [2018] NSWSC 936 (Lindsay J)  successful contested court authorised codicil where earlier codicil of doubtful validity in context of large protected estate.

Estate Pamplin; Irwin v Pamplin [2017] NSWSC 1477 (Lindsay J): Competing Applications for letters of administration: de-facto v mother of deceased.

Mallouhi & Ors v Marsh [2016] NSWSC (Ball J) Family Provision claim by adult daughter/grandchildren, settled during hearing

Re: RB, a protected estate family settlement [2015] NSWSC 70 (Lindsay J, statutory will, protective jurisdiction, family provision releases)

Re: Dion Investments Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 367 (operation of s81 Trustee Act 1925)

Smith v O’Neill [2014] NSWSC 1119 (Hallen J, upholding gift to solicitor in will, knowledge & approval, s8 Succession Act)

Application of NSW Trustee & Guardian (Estate of Fuller) [2014] NSWSC 423 (Kunc J, Judicial Advice in an estate)

Application of NSW Trustee & Guardian (Estate of Foster) [2014] NSWSC 1633 (Brereton J, Benjamin Order, administration of an intestate estate)

Cirillo v Cirillo; Estate of CA Cirillo, deceased [2013] NSWSC 1797 (Lindsay J, probate caveat, indemnity costs)

NSW Trustee & Guardian v McGrath & Ors [2013] NSWSC 1894 (Young AJ, judicial advice, de facto relationship)

Coates v Wattson; Estate of Sullivan [2013] NSWSC 604 (Windeyer AJ, rectification of will)

Gulbis v Strikis [2012] NSWSC 807 (Slattery J, lien claim by solicitor/executor)

Guler v NSW Trustee & Guardian [2012] NSWSC 1369 (forfeiture rule/Family Provision, White J)

Hopwood v Hopwood (Plaintiffs, Family Provision claim, Supreme Court 2012, Hallen ASJ)

Application of the NSW Trustee & Guardian; Estate of Kijauskas – judicial advice (Supreme Court, Ball J, 2012)

Application of the NSW Trustee & Guardian; Estate of Diggle (judicial advice, Ball J, Supreme Court, 2012)

Gooding v Robinson (Family Provision claim, Estate, Notional Estate, Hallen ASJ)

Boughton v Jennings (informal will, Family Provision, members of household, 2012)

Watt v Israel (Family Provision, plaintiff adult daughter, 2012)

Wallace ats Amos, NSWSC, Slattery J (promissory estoppel claim against deceased estate, 2012)

Eddy v Barratt (Family Provision, adult daughter, Macready ASJ, 2011)

Morris v Hannagan [2011] NSWSC 1684 (co-executors, power of sale) (Rein J)

Application of Hegarty [2011] NSWSC 1194 (construction of wills, administration suit, non-charitable purpose trust) (Gzell J)

Telfer v Telfer [2011] NSWSC 1163 (Probate, resistance of removal of caveat, testamentary capacity & forgery issues) (White J)

Noonan v Johnson (NSW Supreme Court, 15 March 2011, Pembroke J.) – testamentary capacity, appeared for the beneficiary (St. Vincents Hospital) (settled at trial)

McQuade v Sheather & Ors (NSW Supreme Court, 2010) succession, injunction restraining solicitor distributing estate assets; opposing application to remove executor) – settled before trial.

Crawley, Re; Application of Crawley [2010] NSWSC 618 (statutory will)

Cemex Australia Pty Ltd v Takeovers Panel & Anor [2009] FCAFC 78 (misrepresentation in the conduct of a takeover)

Fenwick, Re; Application of J.R. Fenwick & Re Charles [2009] NSWSC 530 (succession, first NSW decision on court authorised statutory wills)

Refina Pty Ltd v Binnie [2009] NSWSC 311; and [2009] NSWSC 914 (property – adverse possession) and on appeal in the NSW Court of Appeal [2010] NSWCA 192

Publications:

• Establishing Capacity in Practice – Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Family Provision Claims by Step-Children in Australia
• To Release or Not to Release, that is the question! A consideration of Lodin’s case
• Court Authorised Wills, Protected Estates and Family Provision Issues
• Recent Developments in Family Provision Litigation
• Informal Wills
• Recent Developments in Estate Litigation
• Undue Influence and Solicitor’s Duties in Will Drafting
• Recent Developments in Wills & Estates
• Common Mistakes Made by Executors
• Will Drafting for Lawyers
• Executors Stepping Out of Line
• The New Succession Laws and their Impact on Estate Planning
• Trends in Estate Litigation
• Estate Planning and the Distressed De facto Relationship
• Important Changes to the Law of Wills and Succession in NSW