Name: Andrea Michaels
Title: Managing Director
Business name: NDA Law Pty Ltd
Website: http://www.ndalaw.com.au/

How long have you been working with family businesses?
We had a family carpentry business so pretty much all my life! As a lawyer, it’s been close to 20 years, mainly dealing with structuring, estate planning and business succession planning, tax advice, general commercial advice and governance.

What’s one of the most common mistakes you see in family businesses?
Not talking about the real issues and not planning ahead are the biggest mistakes. And also not getting timely expert advice.   We can’t be good at everything and sometimes even a quick chat with an expert can set you down the right path.

What is your “uh ha” moment with your clients?
When they realise…lawyers aren’t that scary! It’s when they realise you are genuinely there to help them sleep better at night. And when they realise they aren’t the only ones this [whatever the situation is] has happened to.