Chris Quilter

Chris Quilter has been a partner at BSS since 1988 and focuses on the areas of Estate Planning, Property Law (buying, selling and leasing) and general advice for individuals and businesses.

He attended Normanhurst Boys High School and graduated from Sydney University with degrees in Law and Science.

Chris’ strengths as a lawyer are found in his ability to find practical solutions to problems, understand people, and working hard to get things done. He has a strong work ethic. His science training helps give Chris a practical problem-solving ability and a logical approach to sort out legal issues.

He has over three decades of legal experience, working in a number of areas of law, dealing with matters large ($70+ million) and small, and acting for a wide range of clients – which results in a broad legal knowledge and a perspective which helps to understand the “big picture” of any client legal problems. This broad experience helps when advising clients on estate planning matters – an area of law which often requires an understanding of personal liability, trusts, property law, duties and taxes, company structures, and most of all – people and family relationships.

He is a Notary Public and attained accreditation as a mediator. This was done to develop his skills in alternate dispute resolution processes and to better assist clients wanting a practical alternative to the court system.

Chris has broad social and community interests and has been involved in a range of community activities, including:

• Children’s sport; involved with soccer, rugby, swimming and cricket with numerous roles as coach and manager; running canteens, marking grounds and generally providing support in a positive manner.
• Honorary solicitor for a community-based scheme, aimed at keeping elderly people in their home environment by the use of technology; and community assistance for a number of years via Rotary.
• Secretary of the North Metropolitan Law Society, representing lawyers from North Sydney to Hornsby, and Ryde to St Ives.
• Honorary solicitor on the Royal North Shore Hospital Ethics Committee for over 7 years, and pro bono work for 30 years carrying out estate planning and general advice for seriously ill patients at RNSH.
• Since 2000, Chris has been a football (soccer) referee in the Gladesville Hornsby district, and has spent many years as Vice President of the Referees Association. Being a lawyer and refereeing have much in common; both need an understanding of rules/laws, but what makes a good referee (and a good lawyer) is the ability to understand people and knowing how to manage those people in difficult times.

Chris is married with 3 adult children. His diverse interests include sport, the beach, travel, and time spent enjoying good food and wine with family and friends.