A lawyer since 1981, David became a director of Donaldson Trumble on joining the firm in July 2007.
Prior to that, David had spent 17 years with the firm Stedman Cameron, the last ten as the sole principal of the firm. He merged the Stedman Cameron practice with Donaldson Trumble at the time he joined the firm.
David’s practice is varied, but is primarily across the areas of property, wills and probate.
His property clients include developers (both building and land developers), buyers and sellers or property, and landlords and tenants.
In the area of wills and probate, he prepares wills and powers of attorney and assists in their administration. And where necessary he makes or defends claims against them. On request David will act as executor.
To do all those things properly it is necessary to have an understanding of income tax, GST, (stamp) duty, trade practices, planning, trust law and the many rules and regulations that impact upon the decisions that clients want or need to implement.
He has that understanding, and often that is sufficient. He has access to lawyers and other professionals with skills in other areas, and the ability to recognise when the skills of those experts are required. And also the ability to recognise when he specifically, or the law itself, cannot provide a result that will benefit the client.
But his practice is broader than that. David is probably better known for his legal advice and commentary on 774 ABC Melbourne as part of the Jon Faine programme. He has been doing that programme, and others before it, for over 26 years. The questions he answers are not limited to property, wills and probate. His aim is to solve problems.
Outside the practice, David provides hands on assistance (legal and non legal) to a number of not for profit organisations.
