Commercial Lawyers in Melbourne for Business

Commercial Lawyers in Melbourne

Melbourne has a deep pool of commercial law firms, from large practices on Collins and Bourke Streets to smaller firms in Southbank and South Melbourne that act mainly for family businesses. Many handle the everyday legal work a business needs, such as contracts, leases, business sales and company structures. Others put more of their time into larger corporate deals and finance.

Choosing well often comes down to fit. A firm that already acts for businesses of your size and industry may understand your problem faster and spend less time getting up to speed. Ask who will do the work day to day, and whether the firm has tax or property lawyers you can call on if the matter grows.

Madgwicks Lawyers
Level 6, 140 William Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9242 4744

Madgwicks Lawyers runs a commercial practice from William Street in the Melbourne CBD. Its commercial work covers franchising, finance, intellectual property, privacy and data security, mergers and acquisitions plus tax and structuring matters. Clients include private companies, franchisors, lenders, manufacturers, builders and property developers, along with accountants and superannuation funds. The firm also has corporate and dispute resolution teams that commercial clients can draw on, and it describes its approach as responsive and built on long term relationships.

Macpherson Kelley
Level 7, 600 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 8615 9900

With offices in the Melbourne CBD and Dandenong as well as interstate, Macpherson Kelley has a commercial team that advises on banking and finance, competition and consumer law, franchising and intellectual property. Its commercial work also covers mergers and acquisitions, privacy and trade, along with tax and structuring, including work for international clients investing in Australia. Corporate and property practices sit alongside the commercial group for clients whose needs go beyond contracts.
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Russell Kennedy Lawyers
Level 18, 500 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9609 1555

Russell Kennedy’s Corporate and Commercial Advisory team acts for public and private companies, family businesses, investors and financiers, as well as government bodies and foreign corporations. Typical work includes commercial agreements, procurement and tenders, corporate governance and business structuring. The team also advises on Corporations Act compliance, competition and consumer law, foreign investment approval and business succession. Its Melbourne office is on Bourke Street, with a second office in Sydney.
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Sladen Legal
Level 17, Tower Five, Collins Square, 727 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3008
Tel: (03) 9620 9288

Working from Collins Square, Sladen Legal focuses on private enterprise. Its business law team advises family and founder led businesses, along with high net worth families, not for profit organisations and accountants. Services include family business governance and family constitutions, business structuring and restructuring, asset protection, commercial contracts and succession planning. The team works with the firm’s tax and trust lawyers, and the firm also runs dispute resolution and property groups.
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Pearce Webster Dugdales
Suite 1, Ground Floor, 99 Queens Bridge Street
Southbank VIC 3006
Tel: (03) 9614 5122

Based in Southbank, Pearce Webster Dugdales handles commercial agreements such as share sale, franchise, supply and loan agreements, as well as retail and other leases for landlords and tenants. The team also advises on employment contracts and terminations, and on business structures and acquisitions, including due diligence. Its lawyers draft and negotiate documents and act in disputes, using mediation and litigation as a last resort. Some are Law Institute of Victoria accredited specialists.
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Batten Sacks
Level 5, 60 Albert Road
South Melbourne VIC 3205
Tel: (03) 8680 5555

From its South Melbourne office, Batten Sacks advises businesses at every stage of their life, from setting up to selling. Its commercial lawyers help clients choose a structure, whether a sole trader, partnership, company or family trust, and act on the purchase or sale of businesses and shares. The team also drafts and negotiates terms of trade as well as joint venture and shareholder agreements, with a stated focus on practical solutions.
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Legal costs and what your lawyer must tell you

Commercial work is often billed at hourly rates, although some firms quote fixed fees for set tasks such as a shareholder agreement or a lease review. Guidance from the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner says written costs disclosure must be given where costs are between $750 and $3,000, with more detailed disclosure required above $3,000. Your lawyer must also explain your right to negotiate costs and the billing method, and to ask for an itemised bill.

Ask early how the firm will update you if the scope of the work grows. A short written brief of what you want done can make quotes from different firms easier to compare.

Lease and business disputes

Many commercial matters in Melbourne involve leases. According to Business Victoria, retail lease disputes must first be referred to the Victorian Small Business Commission before they can progress, and the VSBC offers low cost mediation for these matters. A commercial lawyer can often help you prepare for mediation and weigh up a settlement offer.

Disputes that do not resolve may go on to VCAT or the courts, which usually adds time and cost. Getting advice before you sign a lease or a sale agreement is often cheaper than fixing a problem later.