Commercial Lawyers Melbourne

A well-drafted contract protects your position, sets clear expectations, and provides a roadmap if things go wrong. A poorly drafted contract, or worse, no written contract at all, can leave you exposed to significant risk.

Our commercial lawyers draft, review, and negotiate contracts that protect your interests and minimise legal exposure. We handle supplier agreements, distribution contracts, service agreements, joint venture arrangements, licensing agreements, manufacturing agreements, and terms and conditions for goods and services.

Before you sign any commercial contract, let us review it. The cost of a contract review is far less than the cost of a dispute later.

Whether you’re a landlord or tenant, commercial leases require careful attention. The terms you agree to will affect your business for years rent increases, make-good obligations, options to renew, permitted use, and outgoings can all significantly impact your bottom line.

We advise on lease negotiations, rent reviews, make-good requirements, assignment and sub-leasing, security deposits, and lease disputes. For retail tenants in Victoria, we ensure compliance with the Retail Leases Act 2003 (VIC), including mandatory disclosure requirements, restrictions on lease terms, and tenant protections that many landlords and agents overlook.

Whether you’re leasing your first premises or negotiating a renewal, our commercial leasing lawyers help you secure terms that work for your business.

Choosing the right business structure affects liability, taxation, asset protection, and future growth options. The structure that suited you as a startup may not be appropriate as your business grows.

We advise on company formations, shareholder agreements, partnership structures, unit trusts, and corporate governance frameworks. For established businesses, we assist with restructures, director duties and obligations, ASIC compliance, and corporate governance under the Corporations Act 2001.

If you’re starting a new venture, bringing in partners or investors, or planning for succession, proper structuring from the outset saves significant time and money down the track.

Your brand, inventions, designs, and creative works are valuable business assets. Without proper protection, competitors can copy your work, dilute your brand, or exploit your innovations.

Our commercial lawyers help Melbourne businesses protect and commercialise their intellectual property through trademark registration and enforcement, licensing agreements, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, IP assignment clauses in employment and contractor contracts, and trade secret protection strategies.

Whether you’re launching a new brand or licensing your technology to others, our IP lawyers ensure your rights are secured and enforceable.

Business disputes are inevitable. Suppliers fail to deliver, customers don’t pay, partners disagree, and contracts are breached. When disputes arise, early legal advice can save significant time, money, and stress.

We represent Melbourne businesses in contract disputes, debt recovery matters, shareholder and partnership disputes, trade practices and Australian Consumer Law claims, and intellectual property disputes. Our approach prioritises practical resolution, through negotiation and mediation where possible, and through VCAT or court proceedings when necessary.

Not every dispute needs to go to court. We help you assess your position, understand your options, and choose the most cost-effective path to resolution.

Unpaid invoices affect your cash flow, your planning, and your ability to pay your own suppliers and staff. Chasing overdue payments is frustrating and time-consuming, time you should be spending on your business.

Our commercial lawyers help Melbourne businesses recover outstanding debts through formal demand letters, negotiated payment arrangements, statutory demands (for company debtors), and Magistrates’ Court and County Court proceedings.

We focus on cost-effective recovery strategies. Sometimes a well-drafted letter of demand is enough. Other times, court action is necessary. We advise you on the most appropriate approach for your situation.