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Deborah Kliger
Expertise
Deborah provides expert legal counsel across all areas of wills, estates, and succession law. Based across our Melbourne and Mount Waverley offices, she specialises in complex estate planning, probate, and the administration of deceased estates.
As an Accredited Specialist, Deborah is recognised for her high-level expertise in drafting testamentary trusts and navigating estate litigation, including Part IV family provision claims. Since being appointed a Principal Lawyer in 2025, she has continued to lead clients through sensitive legal matters with a focus on strategic clarity and empathetic service.
Deborah is an active member of the Law Institute of Victoria. She is committed to ensuring that her clients' wealth is protected and that their succession goals are achieved with precision and care, providing tailored solutions that address the unique needs of individuals and families.
Deborah regularly acts in estate litigation in Victoria, including:
Part IV family provision claims (issuing and defending claims)
Applications for approval of compromise
Contested probate and caveat proceedings
Informal will and limited grant applications
Applications to pass over, remove or replace executors or trustees
Proceedings involving self‑managed superannuation death benefit disputes
She also assists clients with all aspects of probate and estate administration, including:
Applications for Probate and Letters of Administration, including unusual or complex grants and revocation of grants
Estate administration, with a particular focus on contested estates and independent administrations
Deborah’s practice also covers comprehensive estate and succession planning, including:
Wills ranging from simple wills to complex testamentary trust wills
Enduring powers of attorney and appointments of medical treatment decision makers
Superannuation death benefit nominations and broader succession planning for personal and family wealth
About Deborah
Deborah joined the firm in April 2019 as an Associate. Prior to joining, she worked at several long-established suburban firms, practising principally in wills and estates. She also gained valuable experience in family law and property law, giving her a well-rounded understanding of, and holistic approach to, wills and estates matters.
Deborah Kliger has been recognised for the second consecutive year in Doyle’s Guide 2025 as a Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer (Vic), a reflection of her expertise and strong reputation in the field. She has also been named a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards in both 2021 and 2022, in the categories of Senior Associate of the Year (SME Law) and Mentor of the Year.
In addition to her practice, Deborah has held a range of volunteer legal and governance roles in the not-for-profit sector. In 2021, she served as the Immediate Past President of Victorian Women Lawyers, the peak representative body of women lawyers in Victoria, and as the Victorian Director of the national body Australian Women Lawyers.
Outside of work, Deborah enjoys pilates, meditation, learning languages and wine tasting.
Qualifications
Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice – The College of Law
Bachelor of Laws – Monash University
Bachelor of Arts (Japanese major) – Monash University
Accredited Specialist – Wills & Estates – Law Institute of Victoria
Admissions
Supreme Court of Victoria
Memberships and Committees
Law Institute of Victoria (including the Succession Law Section)
The College of Law Victoria Academic Review Committee and Mentor (for the College's in Practice Component Program)
Resources
Our Wills & Estates team has prepared a series of practical FAQs on wills, estate planning, probate, VCAT administration, guardianship and elder law, which are available on our Wills & Estates page. These FAQs explain common issues that arise in planning for the future and administering estates, and outline the key steps involved in putting effective arrangements in place and resolving estate-related issues.