http://news.smh.com.au/lawyers-welcome-inheritance-law-changes/20080127-1oeq.html

The NSW government has raised a valid point on the costs of families fighting over wills, lawyers say.

The NSW government will overhaul inheritance laws in a bid to cap the fees of lawyers, which in some cases exceed the final inheritance.

Mr Macken said the proposed amendments to the Succession Act 2006 would also bring NSW into line with national legislation and took into account the changing nature of families.

He said for example if a spouse remarried and had a second family, any children from a previous marriage had the ability to seek entitlements.

"The proposed amendments combine the best of the old with the new," he said.

"We applaud the government's respect for the interests of children by maintaining the clear rights of both minors and adult children to make a claim on a will under the family provision arrangements."

Mr Macken also welcomed moves to focus on the need for mediation in family disputes.

"For a long time now, the legal profession has been driving alternative dispute resolution," he said.

"These proposed amendments reinforce the importance of mediation in the case of family break-ups."