The Financial Bloke Podcast with Murray Crawford, Director, CLO Lawyers
CLO Lawyers Director Murray Crawford recently sat down with The Financial Bloke, Ben Law, to talk about relationship breakdown and its impact on family wealth. You can hear the whole conversation in Episode 16 of The Financial Bloke Podcast, “Don’t Let Divorce Totally Destroy Your Wealth”.
Murray is a 35-year veteran of the legal profession and founding partner of CLO Lawyers.
Murray entered legal practice in 1987. He worked as a property and commercial lawyer before joining academia, teaching business and taxation law. In 2001 Murray returned to private practice and established the legal firm MG Crawford and Co. Following a merger with the legal firm Laherty and O’Sullivan in 2007, Murray founded CLO Lawyers.
In recent years, fuelled by his personal experience of divorce, Murray has expanded his interest in Family Law and completed a Masters in Applied Family Law.
As explained in the podcast, Murray is the son of a Gippsland logging contractor and the first family member to attend University. He commenced studies in accounting due to his family’s small business background. But the law was his destiny.
Murray’s legal knowledge, informed by his personal experience of separation and divorce, enables him to guide clients through the emotional and procedural aspects of relationship breakdown.
Murray recommends that parties decide whether the relationship breakdown is irretrievable before exploring legal options. If the relationship is not over, he suggests seeking help from a counsellor.
In the podcast, Ben and Murray discuss the difference between a marriage and a de facto relationship and the applicability of the Family Law Act to both.
Murray recommends that anyone contemplating separation make financial provision for themselves in the immediate post-separation period and get personal counselling for support.
He talks about the benefits of accessing legal advice early following separation. Also, he recommends making a new Will and Enduring Power of Attorney.
Murray uses plain English to explain the technical aspects of property settlement claims, including the formal approval of property settlement agreements and binding financial agreements (including “pre-nuptial” agreements).
The podcast also touches on parenting matters and child support.
What is Murray’s overarching advice? Avoid taking a litigious, adversarial approach to divorce. Do not fan the flames of discontent.