Team
well established and here for you
The Team
Marguerite Lourens
Marguerite Lourens is a director of Haynes Leeuwin. Marguerite was originally admitted to practice as a lawyer in South Africa in 1995 and following her relocation to Australia was admitted as a lawyer in Western Australia in 2011.
Marguerite has extensive experience in the areas of wills, estate planning and estate administration. Her knowledge and experience includes preparation and advising on:
- simple and complex wills
- wills with testamentary trusts
- wills with life interests
- enduring powers of attorney
- enduring powers of guardianship
- applications for probate and letters of administration
- administration of deceased estates
- survivorship applications
- transmission applications
Marguerite is fluent in English and Afrikaans.
Outside of the office, Marguerite enjoys bush walking, travelling and spending time with her twin boys.
Paul Haynes
Paul Haynes is a director of Haynes Leeuwin. Paul immigrated to Perth in 1994, after many years practising in the UK.
Paul has extensive legal experience gained over many years of practice.
- Qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives in 1975
- Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales in 1978
- Admitted as a barrister and solicitor of WA in 1995, and of the High Court of Australia in 1996
Paul’s been involved in preparing Wills for many years. He has also acted in numerous cases proving Wills, and in cases of intestacy where there is no Will. He also prosecutes and defends actions involving contesting wills and claims on estates, appearing in all courts, including the Supreme Court of WA.
Outside of the office, Paul is an avid reader and enjoys spending time with his 5 granddaughters.
Nicole Woods
Graduating from UWA with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science (Psychology), Nicole was admitted to practice in 2000. She has worked at both large multinational and small boutique firms in Perth and Sydney, primarily in general commercial litigation.
In 2015 Nicole joined the Leeuwin team and since then has focused on contentious estate matters including Family Provision Act claims, proof of Will proceedings and trusts litigation. She also regularly appears in the State Administrative Tribunal for Guardianship and the Administration matters.
Outside of work Nicole is a keen coach and netball player.
Krysten Russo-Battagliolo
Krysten was admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2016 and joined the team in
2021.
Krysten practices exclusively in Wills & Estates and has considerable experience in obtaining grants
of probate and letters of administration, in both simple and complex matters. She also advises
clients with respect to the administration and distribution of deceased estates. Administering the
estate of a loved one can be a daunting and overwhelming task, and Krysten enjoys assisting clients to navigate through the legal processes during what is often an emotional and difficult time.
Krysten is experienced in preparing Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Enduring Powers of
Guardianship. She also has a sound understanding of Family Provision Act 1972 (WA) proceedings
and assists with aspects of these matters.
Outside of the office, Krysten enjoys spending time with her big Italian family, travelling and
attending Pilates classes.
Adriaan Van Staden
Adriaan practises primarily in Wills and Estates, assisting clients with estate planning and estate administration matters.
He also has experience in residential conveyancing and business sales and purchases, giving him a well-rounded understanding of personal and commercial transactions.
Adriaan is committed to providing clear, practical advice to help clients navigate important life decisions with confidence.
Shaun Latham
Shaun joined the Haynes Leeuwin team in 2023 as a paralegal while he completed the final stages of his Practical Legal Training. Shaun was admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2024. Prior to joining Haynes Leeuwin, Shaun gained some experience in the areas of Community Legal and Criminal Law.
Since joining Haynes Leeuwin, Shaun has predominantly worked in the litigation sector of the practice gaining experience in a number of contentious estate matters. Including:
- Claims pursuant to Family Provision Act 1972 (WA).
- Solemn Form Proceedings.
- Intestate estates.
- Dealings with the Public Trustee and other Government offices.
- Death Benefit Superannuation claims.
Outside of the office Shaun enjoys four-wheel driving, camping and fishing.
Alicia Amor
With over two decades working in the financial services, real estate and legal industries, Alicia provides our bookkeeping and trust account services. She holds a Certificate IV in Financial Services and is a Registered BAS Agent. Alicia has been a valuable member of the team for over ten years.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling and hiking.
Nicolene Theron
Nicolene joined the team at Haynes Leeuwin in 2020 to continue her career as legal secretary/personal assistant.
Since relocating to Australia in 2007, Nicolene has worked in small and large law firms in personal injury claims, and since 2016 in estate planning and estate administration.
Before her relocation, Nicolene worked as legal secretary for 16 years in law firms in South Africa, working closely with clients and in office administration, gaining experience in various areas of law.
Nicolene is fluent in English and Afrikaans. In her personal time Nicolene enjoys camping, reading crime novels, movies and spending time with her family.