Corporate, Commercial,
Property & Tax
Our team of experienced practitioners are highly skilled at understanding your business and its key commercial drivers, which enables them to provide strategic advice and to assist with all your corporate, commercial, taxation and property matters.
We have the expertise to assist you in navigating the taxation complexities of local and cross-border transactions including mergers and acquisitions, business structures and restructures, as well as assisting corporate tenants, landlords, owners and developers to achieve their desired outcome in their property transactions or projects.
Our Corporate and Commercial Services
Our team advises multi-nationals, ASX-listed corporations, developers, closely held family groups, emerging enterprises and start-ups across a broad range of industries.
Our team can assist with:
Mergers and acquisitions
Advising on and providing all legal services relating to mergers, divestments and acquisitions, including corporate and commercial, property, tax, FIRB approval of foreign investment, intellectual property, finance and employment law.
Corporations Act and ASX Listing Rules compliance
Advising on compliance and corporate governance issues, including directors’ duties, shareholder rights and obligations, Corporations Act and ASX disclosure requirements, financial reporting and continuous disclosure requirements.
Business structures and restructures (companies, joint ventures, partnerships and trusts)
Advising on commercial and tax implications associated with the establishment and restructuring of business structures, including (companies, joint ventures, partnerships and trusts.
In-bound establishment and structuring advice
Advising on commercial and tax structuring associated with in-bound investment, including FIRB approval.
Capital raising and finance (including share capital transactions)
Advising on capital raising and finance, including share capital transactions.
General commercial contracts
Advising on all aspects of contract negotiation and drafting robust commercial contracts that mitigate risk in accordance with the client’s business objectives.
Asset protection
Advising on effective asset protection structures.
Director indemnity and access documents (including for resident Australian directors)
Advising on directors’ duties, D&O insurance and director indemnities.
Business disputes and commercial dispute resolution
Representing client in pre-litigation commercial negotiations, mediations and ADR proceedings and providing all legal services relating to the conduct of commercial litigation in Australian State and Federal jurisdictions.
Executive service agreements
Advising on and drafting executive services and contractor agreements.
Emerging enterprises and start-ups
Advising emerging enterprises and start-ups on commercial and tax considerations associated with establishing their business structure.
Sports law
Advising on and drafting sporting and media contracts for elite athletes, coaches and other personnel.
Our Property Services
Our experienced team advises developers, landlords, tenants, closely held family groups, emerging enterprises and startups across a broad range of property and development issues.
Our team can assist with:
Property developments
Advising on and providing all legal services associated with property development projects, including due diligence; structuring advice; sales and acquisitions of development sites; development and sale of commercial, industrial and residential real estate projects; taxation advice, including land tax, GST and stamp duty; subdivisions; owners’ corporations; and property disputes.
Commercial, mixed use, land and apartment subdivisions
Providing all legal services associated with the development of commercial, mixed use, broad acre and large scale residential subdivisions, including townhouses and apartments.
Sales and acquisitions of commercial property
Advising on and providing all legal services associated with the sale and acquisition of commercial property.
Commercial leasing and licences
Advising on, drafting and negotiating commercial leases and licences; and representing landlords and tenants in lease disputes.
Due diligence
Assisting with due diligence relating to property development projects, sales and acquisitions of commercial property, and commercial leases.
Property disputes
Pre-litigation negotiation, mediation and ADR practices relating to property disputes and providing all legal services associated with property disputes in State Courts and Tribunals.
Our Tax Services
We advise multi-nationals, ASX-listed corporations, closely held family groups and emerging enterprises on their tax obligations under Australian law (State and Federal) and tax treaties.
Our team can assist with:
Capital gains tax
Advising on the capital gains tax implications of dealings with capital assets (such as real property, shares and trade marks), including liability, the occurrence of CGT events, exemptions and small business concessions.
Income tax
Advising on capital/revenue trading stock, characterisation and treatment, deductions, PSI, contractor and employee distinction, depreciation (including Division 40 and instant asset write off), and research and development.
Goods and services tax (GST)
Advising on all aspects of GST, including liability, administration and compliance.
State taxes (including payroll tax, land tax and stamp duty)
Advising on State tax liabilities including payroll tax, land tax and stamp duty, including eligibility for exemptions.
Tax disputes and tax dispute resolution (including administrative review)
Providing all legal services associated with the conduct of tax disputes and litigation in State and Federal Courts and Tribunals.
Voluntary disclosures
Advising on taxation liabilities and providing all legal services related to voluntary disclosures, including seeking remission of penalties and interest.
Applying for taxation rulings
Providing advice and preparing applications for taxation rulings to the Australian Taxation Office and the State Revenue Office.
Director Penalty Notices (DPNs)
Advising directors in relation to Director Penalty Notices and personal liability relating to unpaid or unreported Superannuation Guarantee Charges (SGC) and Pay as You Go (PAYG) liabilities.
Taxation audits
Advising on taxation liabilities and providing all legal services related to taxation audits, including corresponding with the Australian Taxation Office and State Revenue Office.
Taxation treaties and DTAs
Advising on Australian taxation liabilities, taxation treaties and DTA; and liaising with the Australian Taxation Office and foreign tax advisers and authorities to relieve double taxation and resolve treaty-related disputes, including using the Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP).
Our Experts in Corporate, Commercial, Property & Tax
- All
- Melbourne
Craig Finlayson
Timothy Creek
Jessica Sapountsis
Lawyer