Commercial Lawyers in Perth for WA Business

Commercial Lawyers in Perth

Perth’s commercial firms range from large practices on St Georges Terrace and William Street to smaller offices in West Perth and Subiaco. Many act for family businesses on contracts, leases, business sales and company structures. Others spend more of their time on mining and resources work, capital raisings and foreign investment, which reflects the size of those sectors in Western Australia.

Fit matters as much as size. A firm that already acts for businesses like yours may get across your problem faster and spend less time catching up. Ask who will run the matter day to day, and whether the firm has property, employment or litigation lawyers on hand if the work grows. Some firms also keep regional offices, which can help if your business operates outside the city.

Rowe Bristol Lawyers
Level 6, Exchange House, 68 St Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9322 8111

Rowe Bristol is a Perth law firm working with businesses on corporate and commercial matters. Its team also handles building and construction law, dispute resolution and litigation, debt recovery, insolvency and property law. The firm is based in Exchange House on St Georges Terrace in the Perth CBD.

Robertson Hayles Lawyers
Ground Floor, Irwin Chambers, 16 Irwin Street
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9325 1700

Robertson Hayles is a Perth law firm that advises businesses on commercial, property and employment law. Its team also acts in civil litigation and settlements, and in personal matters such as family law, wills, estate planning, probate and inheritance claims. That means business owners can deal with one firm for both sides of their legal needs.

Lavan
Level 20, 1 William Street
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9288 6000

Lavan’s Deals and Corporate Advisory team works from William Street in the Perth CBD, advising companies, executives and investors. Its work covers general commercial contracts and business operations, mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings and corporate governance. The team also helps overseas clients with Foreign Investment Review Board approvals, and handles restructures, distressed transactions and turnaround projects. Separate property, employment and litigation groups sit within the same firm for clients whose matters grow beyond a single contract.
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Jackson McDonald
Level 17, 225 St Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9426 6611

From its reception on Level 17 of 225 St Georges Terrace, Jackson McDonald advises on commercial contracts, including procurement, supply chain and contracting work, which it says it approaches in a practical and pragmatic way. The firm’s website lists related practice groups for transactions and mergers, corporate advisory and compliance, banking and finance, foreign investment, technology and intellectual property. It also runs sector teams for mining and resources, energy, start ups and the charity and not for profit sector.
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Bennett
Level 14, Westralia Square, 141 St Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 6316 2200

Known mainly for litigation and dispute resolution, Bennett also runs a corporate and commercial practice from Westralia Square on St Georges Terrace, with a second office in Adelaide. The team works with emerging and established businesses, boards, founders, investors and advisers. Its work includes buying and selling private businesses, capital raisings, joint ventures and partnerships, commercial contracts and real property transactions, plus regulatory matters involving bodies such as ASIC, ASX and the ACCC. The firm says its litigation background shapes how it drafts deals and allocates risk.
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HHG Legal Group
Level 8, Cloisters Square, 863 Hay Street
Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9322 1966

HHG Legal Group helps business owners draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including standard terms put forward by suppliers, landlords and partners. The firm checks contracts for risks before they are signed and plans for situations such as a relationship breaking down, missed deadlines or one party going into administration. When a dispute arises, options range from a firm letter to negotiating an exit or taking the matter to court. Its business services team also covers mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, insolvency and regulatory matters, with offices in Perth and regional WA.
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Cocks Macnish
Ground Floor, 41 Colin Street
West Perth WA 6005
Tel: (08) 9321 6676

Mainly known for shipping and admiralty law, Cocks Macnish is a West Perth practice that also handles a broad range of general commercial work. Its general commercial page lists contractual matters and commercial disputes (including litigation and arbitration), trade finance and letters of credit, employment matters and consumer litigation such as misleading or deceptive conduct claims. The firm also acts on commercial and private property sales, purchases and leases, including agricultural property, along with general insurance and probate matters.
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Legal costs and what your lawyer must tell you

Commercial work is often billed by the hour, although some firms quote fixed fees for set tasks. According to the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia, written costs disclosure is required as soon as costs are expected to exceed $750, and a standard form may be used where total costs are likely to fall between $750 and $3,000. Clients also have the right to negotiate a costs agreement and a billing method, and to ask for an itemised bill.

If a disagreement about legal costs comes up, the Board can assist. A short written brief of what you want done can make quotes from different firms easier to compare.

Commercial lease disputes

Many commercial matters in Perth involve a lease. The Small Business Development Corporation runs a free dispute resolution service for leasing problems that the parties cannot sort out themselves. For retail shop leases, parties usually need a certificate from the Small Business Commissioner before they can apply to the State Administrative Tribunal.

A commercial lawyer can often help you prepare for mediation and weigh up an offer. Getting advice before you sign a lease or a sale agreement is often cheaper than fixing a problem later.