Commercial Lawyer Brisbane, Queensland & Australia

What can our Commercial Lawyer in Brisbane help you with?

A Commercial Lawyer Brisbane businesses engage can help with commercial contracts, business ownership arrangements, transactions and legal risks affecting business operations. 

Blaze Business & Legal provides Commercial Law Services for business contracts, ownership arrangements, corporate decisions and commercial transactions. Our senior Commercial Lawyer, Rachelle Hare, has 25+ years of experience working with companies and individuals to help you understand your legal and commercial risks, as well as drafting, reviewing, or negotiating stronger Commercial Contracts, protecting your business and making commercial decisions

Our services include Contract Drafting, Contract Reviews, Contract Negotiation, Business Structuring, Corporate Governance and pre-litigation Commercial Dispute advice.

When should you hire a Commercial Lawyer?

You should consider engaging a Commercial Lawyer before signing a significant contract, changing business ownership, bringing in investors or entering a major transaction. Advice may also be needed when another party alleges a breach, withholds payment or proposes terms that could expose your business to substantial liability.

Common reasons to seek advice include:

• Reviewing an agreement from a customer, supplier or contractor before signing

• Establishing a company or changing business structures

• Preparing a Shareholder Agreement, Directors Agreement or Company Constitution

• Buying or selling a business, introducing investors or planning exits

• Responding to a contractual dispute or negotiating settlement terms

• Considering directors’ obligations or Corporate Governance requirements

Early advice can leave more negotiation time and allow the parties to change terms before becoming bound. After signing, the available options depend on the agreement and circumstances.

Commercial Law Services for Brisbane businesses

Commercial Contract Drafting, Reviews and Negotiation

Rachelle drafts, reviews and negotiates Commercial Contracts for new and existing business relationships. These include supplier agreements, service contracts, customer terms, distribution agreements, Terms of Trade, confidentiality agreements, Heads of Agreement and other Business Contracts.

A Contract Review examines what each party must deliver, when payment is due and how liability is allocated. Depending on the agreement, Rachelle may review payment triggers, service levels, quality standards, liability caps, indemnities, warranties, variations, termination rights and dispute mechanisms.

She also considers unfair contract terms, IP ownership, confidentiality, operational flexibility and whether the written obligations reflect the agreed deliverables, assumptions and turnaround times. Contract Negotiation may address restraint clauses, price review windows and the time available to negotiate important changes.

See our Contract Review Services if you have an agreement ready for review.

Business Structuring and Setup

We provide Legal Services for Business Structuring, including business structures and setup, company establishment, ownership arrangements and restructuring.

A business may operate through a sole trader, company, partnership, family trust, unit trust or a combination of entities. Rachelle advises on the legal arrangements and prepares documents within the agreed scope.

The work may involve Company Constitutions, ownership chains, equity arrangements, investment vehicles and relationships between corporations and individuals. The proposed company structure must reflect who owns and controls the business, how decisions are made and what happens when ownership changes.

Clients should obtain appropriate tax and accounting advice on taxation implications before implementing a structure.

Shareholder Agreements and Ownership Arrangements

Rachelle prepares and negotiates Shareholder Agreements, Directors Agreements and related ownership documents.

These agreements can address voting rights, funding, equity, vesting, share transfers, investor protections, deadlocks and exits. The provisions should reflect how the owners intend to work together and what happens if their circumstances change.

Rachelle has negotiated and drafted ownership agreements for a business she owns with a business partner. She understands the decisions owners need to make about control, remuneration and leaving the business.

Corporate Governance and Directors’ Obligations

Our Corporate Governance Legal Services cover directors’ obligations, company decision-making and the documents governing corporate authority.

Rachelle advises on Company Constitutions, board and shareholder approvals, delegations and governance procedures. She also assists with governance arrangements connected with investors, ownership changes and mergers and acquisitions.

The applicable requirements may involve the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ASIC compliance and existing company documents. Specialist regulatory matters can be referred where necessary.

Business Sales, Purchases and Succession Planning

We advise on business sales and succession planning, business purchases, mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructuring.

Rachelle can assist with Heads of Agreement, due diligence, business sale agreements, share sale agreements and Contract Negotiation. Depending on the transaction, the work may include vendor finance agreements, warranties, indemnities and continuing obligations.

For construction businesses, the review may also involve ongoing project contracts, guarantees and liabilities that remain after completion.

Commercial Leases and Business Premises

We review and negotiate Commercial Leases for businesses entering, renewing or changing lease arrangements.

Relevant terms include rent, outgoings, permitted use, options to renew, price review windows, security, make-good obligations and landlord obligations. Retail shop leases may involve additional statutory requirements.

Rachelle has negotiated Commercial Leases for her own businesses. Commercial and industrial property transactions requiring specialist conveyancing or property advice can be referred to an appropriate practitioner.

Employment and Contractor Agreements

We prepare and review Employment Contracts, independent contractor agreements and related commercial documents.

These may address remuneration, responsibilities, confidentiality, IP ownership, restraint clauses and termination rights.

Issues involving the Fair Work system, industry awards, industrial relations, workplace policies or workplace health and safety rules may require specialist advice. We can identify those issues and arrange an appropriate referral.

Commercial Disputes and Pre-Litigation Negotiations

Rachelle assists with contentious and non-contentious commercial matters, including contractual disagreements, payment disputes and negotiations before litigation.

Her work may include reviewing contractual rights and evidence, preparing correspondence, participating in mediation and drafting negotiation and settlement documentation. Debt recovery issues may require an initial review of the agreement and payment obligations.

Blaze Business & Legal does not conduct litigation or represent clients in court or tribunal proceedings. Formal debt recovery proceedings and litigation assistance are referred to specialist lawyers.

Specialist Commercial Law and Regulatory Issues

Some Commercial Law matters involve specialist legislation or Legal Services outside our usual scope. Where appropriate, we can provide high-level general advice within our competence and refer clients for detailed advice or representation.

These issues may include:

• Australian Consumer Law compliance: Advertising claims, pricing displays, customer terms, refunds and guarantees, warranties against defects and internal refunds processes

• Privacy and digital business: Privacy Act compliance, data breach response plans, website terms, acceptable use policies and cloud document sharing

• Intellectual property protection: IP ownership, trade marks, trade mark registration, relevant classes, brand protection and enforcement

• Corporate and financial matters: ASIC compliance, investment vehicles and specialist financing arrangements

• Employment and property regulation: Industrial relations, workplace health and safety rules, commercial and industrial property transactions and relevant Brisbane City Council requirements

We confirm whether Blaze Business & Legal can undertake the specific work or whether you would do better engaging a lawyer with the relevant specialisation. This distinction is important where regulatory action, reputational issues or litigation may arise.

Ongoing Commercial Legal Support

Our External General Counsel Services provide ongoing legal support to businesses managing regular contracts, transactions and governance issues.

The agreed scope may cover Commercial Agreements, negotiations, Corporate Governance, risk management and an internal playbook for recurring legal processes.

Businesses receive senior Legal Advice without employing an in-house lawyer. Matters outside the agreed scope can be separately quoted or referred.

Why engage Blaze Business & Legal?

Our clients work directly with Rachelle Hare, a Commercial and Construction Lawyer with more than 25 years of legal and commercial experience.

Rachelle has worked in top-tier law firms, held senior in-house legal positions and spent six years working full-time as a Commercial Manager. She has also owned her own trading businesses, negotiated Commercial Leases and prepared agreements governing her own business interests.

Her small business experience and work with major construction organisations give her insight into how contractual obligations affect businesses of different sizes.

Rachelle considers whether proposed terms reflect the commercial deal, who carries the risk and how the agreement will operate. Clients receive advice directly from the lawyer responsible for their matter.

Commercial Legal Advice for construction and other businesses

Blaze Business & Legal primarily advises construction, civil and infrastructure businesses, including builders, contractors and subcontractors.

We also provide Commercial Law Services to small and medium-sized businesses in professional services, transport, logistics, manufacturing, development, ICT, allied health and other industries.

Construction businesses may need both Commercial Law and Construction Law advice. A subcontract raises project-specific obligations, while a Shareholder Agreement or business acquisition concerns the wider business.

We identify the relevant Legal Services when assessing the proposed engagement.

How to engage our Commercial Lawyer

1. Contact Rachelle

Call Rachelle or send us a message about the agreement, transaction, ownership arrangement or dispute. Explain the issue, any deadlines and the documents available.

You can ask about availability and turnaround times if the matter is urgent.

2. Agree on the scope and fees

Rachelle assesses the proposed work and confirms the appropriate fee arrangement.

For defined work, we provide a fixed-price quote. If the matter cannot initially be scoped, we can provide our hourly rates and agree to work on that basis until a fixed-fee scope can be established.

Complex matters may involve scoping work in phases. We confirm the agreed deliverables, assumptions and turnaround times before undertaking the relevant work.

3. Complete the engagement and receive advice

We complete the required conflict checks, identification and onboarding procedures before commencing work.

Rachelle then provides the agreed Legal Services. For standard Legal Reviews, the usual deliverable is a detailed email identifying material issues and recommendations in priority order.

Read how to engage Blaze Business & Legal for more information.

Online and in-person Commercial Legal Advice

Clients can engage Rachelle from Brisbane, elsewhere in Queensland or anywhere in Australia. We use video calls through Microsoft Teams, electronic document review and digital signing where suitable.

In-person meetings can also be arranged at clients’ business premises.

If you’re looking for Australian qualified lawyers in Commercial Law, BBL provides direct access to an experienced Australian Commercial Lawyer. Rachelle undertakes the Legal Services personally.

FAQs About Commercial Lawyers in Brisbane

1. What Commercial Law Services does Blaze Business & Legal provide?

Blaze Business & Legal provides Commercial Contract Drafting, Contract Reviews, Contract Negotiation, Business Structuring, Corporate Governance, ownership agreements, transaction advice and pre-litigation Commercial Dispute assistance. See our Commercial Law Services for related legal work.

2. When should I engage a Commercial Lawyer?

Businesses should consider engaging a Commercial Lawyer before signing significant agreements, changing ownership arrangements or entering major transactions. Advice may also be needed when a contractual dispute arises.

3. Can your Commercial Lawyer establish a company or advise on trusts?

Our Business Structuring Services include company establishment, ownership documents and advice on arrangements involving family trusts and unit trusts. Taxation and accounting advice may also be required.

4. Can your Commercial Lawyer advise on Corporate Governance?

Rachelle advises on Company Constitutions, directors’ obligations, corporate approvals and governance procedures. Specialist regulatory issues can be referred where appropriate.

5. Does BBL provide specialist regulatory and intellectual property advice?

We can provide high-level general advice within our competence on matters involving intellectual property protection, Australian Consumer Law compliance, Privacy Act compliance and related issues. Detailed specialist work may require referral.

6. Does Blaze Business & Legal represent clients in court?

We provide pre-litigation Commercial Dispute advice and negotiation assistance. Litigation and court or tribunal representation are referred to specialist practitioners.

7. How much does Commercial Legal Advice cost?

We provide fixed-price quotes for work with an agreed scope. Where the work cannot initially be defined, we can discuss hourly rates until a fixed-price scope can be established.

8. Can I get Commercial Legal Advice online?

Clients throughout Australia can obtain Commercial Legal Advice through video calls, electronic document review and written advice. Most matters do not require an office visit.

9. How do I contact Rachelle Hare?

Call Rachelle Hare on (07) 3063 3373 for a free initial chat or send us a message. Explain the legal issue and identify any important dates.

Contact our Commercial Lawyer in Brisbane

For Commercial Contracts, Business Structuring, Corporate Governance, business transactions or pre-litigation Commercial Disputes, call Rachelle Hare on (07) 3063 3373 for a free chat or send us a message.