The Go To Team For Estate & Succession Planning

The thing we hear most from our clients as they leave the office having signed their Wills and other estate planning documents, is how relieved they are to have their plan in place, knowing that their wishes will be fulfilled and their loved ones are protected. Almost without exception, they will also say that the process was much easier than they thought it would be and that the guidance provided was invaluable. We’ll provide the peace of mind that your plan is in place.

Brien Leibinger Principal
LL.B (U.Q.), Grad. Dip. L.P. (Q.U.T.)

Brien Leibinger is an experienced local Cairns lawyer whose main areas of practice are personal estate planning and Wills, business and farm succession planning and commercial law.

Brien’s focus and passion is helping clients put in place a personalised estate plan that will protect their wealth while they are accumulating it and then allow them to pass that wealth onto their family so that it is effectively retained for the family’s benefit.

One of Brien’s strengths is his ability to analyse complex legal issues and documents and provide his clients with a clear understanding of those issues and documents.

Brien regularly gives presentations about estate and succession planning issues to local accountants and financial planners, clients of those firms and to local community groups.

Brien Leibinger

Maree Clark Associate
LL.B (Hons1) (U.Q.)

Maree Clark is an Associate with Brien Leibinger Lawyers and has extensive commercial law experience (having been admitted as a solicitor in 1993).

Maree has particular legal expertise in the following areas:

  • buying and selling farming properties;
  • farm leasing;
  • buying, leasing or changing the zone of water allocations;
  • buying and selling businesses; and
  • commercial property purchases and sales.

Maree is knowledgeable in body corporate law and in providing advice to clients who are buying and selling body corporate management rights.

Maree also assists clients with their estate planning and she regularly advises executors and administrators in the administration of deceased estates.

Maree is a long term resident, having moved to Cairns in 1994 (yes, she is almost a local) and worked with a couple of other well regarded law firms in Cairns before joining Brien Leibinger Lawyers in 2013.

Maree Clark

Rita Zappulla Accountant
CFP®, BComm, CA

Rita is a Cairns local, who completed a Bachelor of Commerce in 1988 from the University of Queensland.

Rita has been employed with several leading accounting and financial planning firms before deciding in late 2014 to start her own consulting business; SMSF Strategic Advisors.

In 2000, Rita began work as a financial planner and specialised in superannuation and self-managed superannuation funds advice, retirement planning, estate planning and succession planning.

Rita is employed by Brien Leibinger Lawyers to provide estate planning advice and advise clients on how their superannuation and investments affect their estate assets. Rita Zappulla is a Certified Financial Planner, Registered Tax Agent and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountant Australia.

Rita Zappulla

Louise Horne Secretary

Louise joined the team at Brien Leibinger Lawyers in June 2018. Having moved to Cairns from Adelaide (for a 1 year working holiday) in 1990 Louise commenced work in the legal industry in 2004.

Louise has gained extensive experience across a range of legal areas including Commercial, Litigation and now Estate Planning and Deceased Estate Administration.

Louise is your first point of contact when you phone our office or drop in to visit us for an appointment. Louise can assist you in scheduling appointments or for any enquiries you may have for any additional information or fact sheets.

When she’s not working Louise is an ever practising gardener and Mum.

Louise Horne

Client Testimonials

Brien Leibinger took much of the mystery out of our Estate Planning process through clear communication (verbal and written) and frequent use of hand drawn white board flow charts. This made it much easier for us to understand the process and options with our reasonably complex personal and business interests. Brien cuts through a lot of the legal jargon and put it into layman’s terms for us. We finished the process very happy knowing that we have done best we could do by our survivors with documents we are confident reflect our wishes.

Rob and Annie Webber - Coffee Works Pty Ltd

Brien is fantastic!!! ... We have always found his work to be of a very high standard. Brien’s correspondence is fast and efficient. He is extremely thorough and takes great pride in his work. We have always found his advice to accurate and insightful. Brien has always been very easy to communicate with. He doesn’t leave us behind with legal terminology that we don’t understand. We plan on keeping Brien as our legal advisor and we believe we would have to go a long way to find an equal. We would highly recommend Brien Leibinger Lawyers to both business owners and any individuals in need of a very good lawyer.

Peter & Chelley Howe - Rock Ridge Farming Pty Ltd

I can honestly say that with your professional equipping, there were no times when any real dramas eventuated where with you were not able to find the best advice which you gave, for which our family and I are truly grateful. Allow me to thank you once again, and to this my family wish me to add their appreciation. If I were asked to recommend you and your staff for your personal care, understanding, and professionalism, this I would do without hesitation.

George Tung Yep - Retired Bishop of the Anglican Church in Australia

We have appointed Brien Leibinger Lawyers to undertake the legal affairs related to the purchase of several commercial and private properties in Cairns. In addition, Brien has attended to private family matters including the formulation of Wills for the family. I have found Brien Leibinger Lawyers very efficient, cost effective and diligent in the various assignments. Apart from the legal issues, I have found Brien to be a good friend and his advice from time to time has been very valuable. I would not hesitate to recommend Brien Leibinger Lawyers to anyone requiring a good lawyer in Cairns.

Sir Peter Barter. GCL, OBE, Kt - Melanesian Tourist Services Ltd

I cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and excellent advice during the process of reviewing, updating and redrafting the multiple documents within my Estate. The legal complexities of the various documents were clearly explained and I felt comfortable in requesting multiple changes to the drafts ensuring their integrity and that the outcomes in each of the documents was exactly what I wanted and could be easily understood in plain English rather than legal jargon.

Patsy Bjerregaard AM

I feel extremely fortunate to have been referred to Brien Leibinger. From the beginning, Brien has been such a diligent and supportive solicitor, especially during the complex execution of my mother’s will. Brien won my trust and respect very quickly and he can be counted on to get the job done and achieve the best possible outcome in a timely and proficient manner. It has been an absolute pleasure to have Brien as my legal representative. I highly recommend him to my friends and colleagues.

Dr Karen Benn

© Brien Leibinger Lawyers 2024

Brien Leibinger Lawyers has merged with WGC Lawyers from 1 July 2023.

Brien Leibinger Lawyers has merged with WGC Lawyers from 1 July 2023.

WGC Lawyers has a widely acknowledged reputation for providing high quality legal services to its clients in its chosen practice areas says Brien Leibinger

Visit The WGC Website