Ben Carroll

Specialises in: Complex Commercial Agreements, Business Structures, Leasing, Conveyancing, Business Sales/Purchases, Commercial Litigation, Wills & Estates Administration, Estate Litigation.

Ben commenced working with Stone & Partners in 1998 as a law clerk while still a law student at Southern Cross University. He was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1998 and became a partner in the firm in 2003. Ben is now the Director of S+P Walters.

Ben is a very experienced lawyer and a highly regarded experienced commercial lawyer. He deals with the sales and purchases of businesses, including advice on business structuring. He has acted for regional financial institutions in advising on the appropriate securitisation of loans and the preparation of loan securities. Ben is also experienced in drafting complex commercial agreements, including constitutions, special resolutions,  co-ownership agreements, partnership agreements, shareholder agreements, loan agreements, cross-collateralisation agreements, supply agreements, distribution agreements, confidentiality agreements and Heads of Agreement. He also has a particular interest in estate planning and the use of testamentary trust Wills.

Ben is also an experienced litigator who has regularly conducted very complex litigation in the Supreme Court. He is experienced in litigating contract disputes, partnership disputes, shareholder disputes and claims involving disputed estates.

Ben has a common sense approach to litigation, and looks for pragmatic and cost-effective solutions. He is very familiar with alternative dispute resolution procedures and has participated in many informal settlement conferences, mediations and arbitrations. Not all matters can be resolved without proceeding to a hearing, however, and Ben is also very experienced at running trial litigation with some of the top barristers.

Ben lives in Lismore with his wife and three children. He is active in the community and is on the pro-bono panel of the NSW Cancer Council, providing estate planning services for cancer patients who would otherwise be unable to pay for such advice. He is the Deputy Chair of the board of “Our House”, a facility providing low-cost accommodation to users of the Lismore Base Hospital, including carers of children in the special care nursery, cancer patients and their carers and other patients of the hospital. He is also a past President of the Goonellabah Preschool, and the Lismore Workers Rugby League Club.

Ben holds degrees in Environmental Science and Law. He has a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practices and Taxation Institute of Australia certificate in Foundation Tax.