Recently an article written about our Principal, Mittu Gopalan, was featured on the Sydney Morning Herald. She has received an outpour of support and is grateful for the kindness shown by so many people in the Australian community. The article has now been featured all over Australia and we are thankful of the continued support.
The article was written by our very own Maneesha Gopalan! A heartfelt and well-written piece on the effects words can have on one’s self-worth, and the effects racism still has in Australian society.
Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting year 10 student Hemisha, for her work experience. We thoroughly enjoyed having her and her enthusiastic personality around the office. Read below for Hemisha's experience at our firm in her own words.
"This week I embarked on my Year 10 Work Experience at Freedman and Gopalan Solicitors. Upon entering the workplace I had certain expectations and Freedman and Gopalan exceeded these expectations. They greeted me with kind, caring staff members who were ready to help at a moment’s notice and truly made me feel welcome at this prestigious law firm. This week I filed, archived, attended court, scanned and collated documents and assisted secretarial staff. I learnt many new skills and made plenty of new friends. I learnt how to destroy files, archive, use programs, conduct myself in a professional and appropriate manner and come to terms with the city around me.
The reason I chose to do my Year 10 Work Experience at a Law Firm was because I have an interest in legal matters and was still unsure if the path of becoming a lawyer was what I truly wanted to do. I embarked on this week with trepidation and curiosity and now finally after concluding my work experience and spending the last 5 days at Freedman and Gopalan I have decided that I am still unsure about becoming a lawyer. However, this week was very insightful into the everyday life of a lawyer and has cleared my doubts and perceptions I had in place before entering the workplace. I’ve learnt that the life of a lawyer often follows a schedule but is often unpredictable as well. I’ve learnt that becoming a legal representative means you deal with people from all walks of life and that sometimes you put must put your personal views aside for the benefit of a case.
I had multiple surprises this week and was lucky enough to attend court twice, once for a criminal and the other for a family court matter. One surprise for me this week was how friendly and welcoming the staff at Freedman and Gopalan were. Both the criminal and family courts were very different and similarities between the two were stark. The atmosphere of both courts was subdued and serious and a contrast between the two courts was that they both had different court proceedings. The criminal case I viewed was a mention compared to the interim hearing of the family court. The mention featured a magistrate and the interim hearing, a judge. In the interim hearing there was also a court officer, a transcriber and a trainee judge, a very rare sighting which I was lucky enough to see.
Overall, my week at Freedman and Gopalan was a pleasure and I was lucky enough to have been accepted for this opportunity at their firm. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and would recommend to anyone looking for Year 10 Work Experience to apply at Freedman and Gopalan to experience the life of a lawyer, meet their caring and charismatic staff that made me feel like a part of a team and for the new experiences and skills that I got to learn."
Recently, there were incidents where a wife, along with her boyfriend, were found guilty of murdering her husband. The incident took place in Melbourne, the wife having been torn between the two men in her life and proceeded to choose her boyfriend and made plans with her boyfriend to poison and murder her husband. The boyfriend, Mr Kamalasanam, and the wife, Ms Sam, were sentenced for Mr Abraham’s murder by the Victorian Supreme Court as of 21 June 2018.
Ms Sam has been jailed for 22 years with a minimum of 18 years before parole can be obtained. Her boyfriend, Mr Kamalasanam, has been jailed for 27 years with a minimum of 23 years before parole can be obtained. The husband, having been poisoned with cyanide in his drink, would have had an excruciating death, the Court noted.
This murder could have been avoided if the wife had asked for a separation and divorce.
Another incident that took place in Bega, New South Wales South Coast on 22 June 2018 was a severe bullying situation.
A year seven student was thrown to the ground by her attacker, a thirteen-year-old classmate! The teenage girl was punched in the face, thrown to the ground by her hair, and repeatedly kicked. The footage was captured on a mobile phone by another student, who filmed the attack but failed to intervene or stop the attack.
The victim is suffering serious injuries that were caused to her face and body. Her attacker was charged by the police for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation with intent to cause fear or physical harm. The attacker has been granted bail but has been Ordered to appear at a Children’s Court next month.
A common reason why a child becomes a bully is because he or she lacks attention from a parent at home and lashes out at others for attention. This is a learned behaviour that can be unlearned. To help a child stop bullying, ask him or her to talk to a teacher, a guidance counsellor, or other school officials. An appropriate doctor could also help to an extent.
These incidents confirm that people fail to give consideration to the actual “human life.” It makes us question our values and respect the rights of every individual and to understand and accept our own value, and cherish our own right to life, the freedom to be protected and to protect the intrinsic value and potential of every individual, making absolutely no discrimination whatsoever. Spheres of human value encompasses morality, human traits, human endeavours and social order.
If you believe that you have an issue or know someone who is facing an issue or has an issue they would like to be addressed, advise them to seek appropriate and relevant counselling. For example, if they’re facing issues relating to marriage, they should be then seeking help from marriage counsellors. If kids are encountering issues relating to bullying or self-confidence, they should be speaking with their social counsellors at school to be guided appropriately, or their parents should ensure they are taken to their local GP to make a referral to the appropriate entities/organisations who can guide them.
Any issue that a parent sees, or a friend or partner observes in another person should be addressed as early as possible, and any issue that you believe you might have can have a right and proper solution, rather than you believing that you have no other choice and adopting drastic measures.
We can ensure that your future continues to be secured and appropriate remedial actions are undertaken at each juncture.
Please do not hesitate to contact Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors if you wish to discuss any legal issues to arrive at a proper solution that is legally fit for you and family.
Recently, we had year 10 student, Isata Yansaneh-Harleston., do work experience with us at our firm. We thoroughly enjoyed having her and were really encouraged by her enthusiasm and hard work. Read below for Isatah's experience at our firm in her own words.
"There’s always an amazing feeling when you state, you want your future occupation to be one as hugely respected as being a Lawyer, it certainly makes your parents proud. However, despite my knowledge on how rejoiceful and proud my parents will be when I obtain my law degree(s) I still knew that there was going to be a considerable amount of work and dedication that will need to occur in being a lawyer and so I took this short week as a way of gaining a boost of reassurance; that this was what I definitely wanted to become or to enlighten me in going into another field for my next work experience opportunity. Now don’t get me wrong I knew that I couldn’t just discard my dream career due to one negative experience or stop trying to venture into other fields because my time at Freedom and Gopalan Solicitors was undeniably amazing, as stated before my experience would only enable me to ask the question: is being a lawyer what I really want to become?
“Is this what I really wanted to do”? This question lingered on in my mind after I completed tasks, while I had nothing to do and during my observation of this firm’s environment. I’ve concluded that It most certainly is.
The reasoning behind my conclusion doesn’t lie primarily on my experience at F & G solicitors but merely due to my observations of some of the cases I was able to read. Reading the cases and seeing almost the whole process of each one brought within in me an urge to be a part of the process and aid these individuals as much as possible through the legal field. This ‘urge’ I know will modify into immense passion that in turn will assist me to get through university and law school.
I was astonished by how well I was able to adapt to this firm’s environment. Finding out about how the environment in a law firm is like made me very anxious as I wasn’t sure rather I would completely hate it or adjust to it very well. Thankfully, I felt completely comfortable and fine with it, my sudden adjustment to the environment assisted me in concluding that, a career in law is something I most definitely want to venture in.
During my week at F & G Solicitors I was treated with immense respect and felt very welcomed. I was very pleased to see a great relationship between the solicitors, secretaries and interns; I hope to one day be fortunate enough to work at a firm where such relationship is present. It was also very evident from my first day that they care tremendously for their clients and future clients.
I’m very delighted and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to have done my work experience at, Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors as I know that my time here will never be forgotten and has inevitable changed my doubts for the best.
Overall, work experience week for me was and still is extremely important mainly because I knew it would aid me in concluding rather: if being a lawyer was what I really wanted to become- which it is."
Please contact Freedman and Gopalan Solicitors today on 02 8917 8700 to see how we can help you in your separation.
Are you getting married soon? If the answer is yes, then undoubtedly you will have so much to do in the lead up to the big day. You have to choose the perfect dress, a memorable venue, delicious cake and the rings. However, many couples will not have a lawyer on their wedding to-do-list. The harsh reality is that 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce in Australia. While it may be highly unromantic or alarming otherwise to be discussing and negotiating prenuptial agreements, but the sooner you do, the better it is. It will eventually save you when the due time comes to distribute the assets.
Long gone are the days when a prenuptial agreement was a term confined to celebrities and power couples. Nonetheless, young couples who are getting married, with a limited amount of assets and intending to start a life together, are usually exempt from a prenuptial agreement. In the event that both parties possess a significant amount of assets before entering into a marriage, a prenuptial is highly recommended in that scenario.
What is a Prenuptial Agreement?
A prenuptial agreement (‘prenup’) is a legally binding financial agreement entered between two people in a relationship who intend to wed or live in a de facto relationship. In Australia, prenuptial agreements are known as Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs). The document confirms:
- What each of the parties had before the relationship;
- Has brought into the relationship; and
- How finances will be divided and sorted between the two parties if a separation or divorce occurs in the future.
Due to the fact that prenuptial agreements are generally attached to a social stigma, many Australian couples do not consider it before they tie the knot as research indicates only 14% of Australian engaged couples have signed prenuptial agreements. Prenuptial agreements are the seatbelt to any relationship, especially when you consider the fact that every third marriage in Australia potentially ends in divorce according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
If you have any questions about an existing prenuptial agreement, or you'd like to consider entering into a prenuptial agreement, give us a call on 02 8917 8700 or fill out the enquiry box and we will get back to you ASAP!
Lending money can be a stressful and unpleasant experience. If you have loaned money to friends, family or close associates, the process of recovering the money can also take an emotional toll. Consequently, deciding when to collect – and when to forget – is critical.
There are several factors you might want to consider when deciding whether to collect a debt.
1. Has the debt simply been overlooked or forgotten?
Depending on your relationship with the debtor, a friendly reminder can often be more productive than a formal letter of demand.
2. How much time will you spend pursuing the debt?
Time is money, so if the debt is small, it is sometimes more effective to spend time looking for new business.
3. How long have you waited to collect your debt?
Some time limits apply to debt collection. If you wait too long, you may not be able to pursue what you are owed.
4. Is the debtor able to pay?
Consider whether the debtor is solvent. If they will be unable to pay you even once they’ve liquidated their assets, it may be best to negotiate a payment plan or engage in External Dispute Resolution.
If the debtor is still unable to pay, you may be able to retrieve the funds from a guarantor or co-borrower. You could also enforce your legal claim to a security interest (if you have one) such as a charge over the debtor’s mortgage or their company’s assets.
Forgiving a debt can be a very challenging process, especially as doing so involves relinquishing a right to collect what you are owed. Engaging an experience lawyer can help you determine when and how to pursue a debt.
If you require any further assistance in recovering a debt or wish to speak to a legal professional to assess your individual circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact our office on 8917 8700.