Thomas Ashton
Director
Thomas Ashton is the Director of Ashton Estate Lawyers, which he established after 10 years practising as a solicitor with an exclusive and specialised focus on wills and estate law – primarily in Queensland but with an abundance of experience Australia-wide. That experience has covered the full range of succession law, with broad experience across each of the estate planning, estate administration and estate litigation areas.
​
Thomas is passionate about all aspects of succession law, whether it be problem solving challenges presented by estate planning, assisting with administration of complex and intricate estates, or litigating estate matters to ensure the best possible outcome for clients.
​
He thoroughly enjoys the process of getting to know clients and their circumstances, needs and intentions, and formulating estate planning strategies such as wills, powers of attorney, superannuation and entity structuring to ensure that clients’ testamentary intentions are fulfilled in a practical and effective manner.
​
Thomas’ compassionate and understanding approach has been appreciated by numerous clients over the years in assisting them through the unfamiliar and daunting task of administering estates. He has conducted matters concerning the administration of numerous estates of all sizes, including many unusual aspects associated with applications for probate and letters of administration, as well as executors’ commission claims, removing executors for failing to properly administer an estate, conducting guardianship and administration applications for adults with impaired decision making capacity, as well as advising local government councils and funeral directors about burial rights and disputes regarding burial and cremation disputes.
​
On the litigation front, Thomas has significant experience in the conduct of the full range of estate litigation, encompassing challenges to and overturning the validity of wills, seeking further provision from wills for clients improperly left out of a will, superannuation death benefit disputes and a whole heap more. Whether dealing with simple or complex matters, and whether it requires negotiation and out-of-court settlements or conduct of hearings and trials, Thomas has the experience to put forward clients’ best cases and seek the best possible outcome on their behalf.