Establishing and maintaining a successful business requires many legal and commercial considerations.  As accredited specialists in Commercial Law, we can help your business succeed.  We can assist whether you are starting a new business venture or where you have an established business.  It is always best to be proactive so as to avoid future problems.

When setting up a new business, we can support you in the following areas:

• Business structures
• Purchase of businesses
• Incorporation
• Shareholders agreements
• Contracts
• Trusts
• Franchising
• Trading terms and conditions
• Leasing.

We can help to maintain and develop your business with:

• Commercial and retail contracts
• Employment issues
• E-commerce
• Trade practices
• Taxation
  
• Intellectual Property.

We can assist in your exit from a business through:

• Sale of businesses
• Succession agreements.

Every business is dependant on the calibre of its employees.  Maintaining employee satisfaction and minimising internal disputes are central to creating a successful business environment. We can help to support your business with:

• Employment agreements
• Awards
• Redundancies
• Unfair dismissals
• Unlawful terminations
• Industrial disputes
• Internal workplace policies
• Work health and safety
• Adverse actions
  
• Mediation of workplace disputes.

As experts in Commercial Litigation, we are results driven in the resolution of all commercial disputes. Our lawyers are effective negotiators and astute problem solvers. We can fight for your rights when necessary but we can also seek to minimise the worry and expense of litigation by bringing matters to mediation sooner rather than later. However, if a resolution cannot be mediated between you and the other party, then we can rigorously represent you before the relevant court or tribunal.

Our Firm is knowledgeable in a wide range of commercial disputes in all courts and tribunals, including:

• Contract disputes
• Franchise disputes
• Disputes between directors, shareholders or business partners
• Debt recovery
• Commercial building disputes
• Tenancy disputes
• Real property disputes
• Employment and industrial disputes
• Anti-discrimination complaints
• Taxation disputes
  
• Infringement of intellectual property
  
• Planning and environment matters.
  

We also have several nationally accredited Mediators who can assist with early dispute resolution.

Anyone can be faced with financial difficulties, whether personally or in their business.  We understand the problems that can arise and our team is experienced in assisting companies, trusts and individuals to deal with:

• Bankruptcy
• Voluntary administration
• Liquidations
• Receiverships
• Recovery and corporate restructuring strategies
  
• Debt recovery.

We endeavour to steer clear of worse case scenarios and we work hard at preferred alternatives so that your business can survive a financial crisis and your personal assets are protected.

As accredited specialists in Property Law, we are experienced in providing practical solutions in all aspects of Property Law to support you in accomplishing your property goals while also managing the risks involved.  We can assist you with:

• Sales or purchases of domestic or commercial property
• Commercial leases
• Property or lease disputes
• Property development
• Subdivisions of land
• Construction contracts
• Mortgages
• Non-sale transfers
  
• Asset and investment restructuring.

A business needs to be “handed over” carefully when the current owners are no longer able to continue in the business.  Also, upon death or permanent disablement, unique and complex issues can arise for business people. As accredited specialists in Wills & Estates, we help business people plan well for the future by providing expert assistance with succession and estate planning, including:

• Tax effective business structures
• Buy/sell agreements
• Shareholder and unitholder agreements
• Intra family agreements
• Complex wills including testamentary trusts
  
• Self managed superannuation fund issues.
• family businesses (private and listed)

For over 50 years, we have assisted charities and other ‘not for profit’ organisations on a range of legal issues, including:

• Companies limited by guarantee
• Incorporated associations
• Formation of charitable trusts
• Corporate governance
• Tax exemptions on income and tax deductibility for gifts
• ATO and ACNC compliance
• Fundraising issues
• Formation of public and private ancillary gift funds
  
• Dispute resolution
• Employment issues, including employee disputes and employment agreements
• Property and commercial transactions
• Trademarks, copyright and other intellectual property
  
• Expert advice to churches and other religious organisations, independent schools and tertiary institutions, and aged care providers