Eastern Melbourne
Commercial lawyers advise businesses on contracts, company structures, buying and selling businesses, intellectual property, tax, debt and insolvency.
123 firms
Balwyn North, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Probate Professionals The provides legal services in Balwyn North, VIC. Listed practice areas include Domestic Violence & AVOs, Business & Commercial Law and Property & Conveyancing.
Lilydale, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Williams & Lay Lawyers provides legal services in Lilydale, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Toorak, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
Zolis Lawyers provides legal services in Toorak, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Property & Conveyancing and Family Law.
Small and medium businesses usually need a lawyer at the moments that carry real risk: setting up the structure, signing a lease or major contract, raising money, taking on a partner, buying or selling the business, or dealing with a dispute or unpaid debt. A commercial lawyer who understands your industry can save money by fixing problems in the documents before they become disputes. Larger firms offer specialist teams in areas such as competition law, privacy and banking, while many regional firms cover the everyday needs of local businesses and farms.
Legal issues are among the most common reasons small businesses fail. Prevention costs far less than disputes.
Businesses operate under federal company, tax and consumer law plus state laws on leasing, licensing and property.
Understand the next step
Start with the commercial objective: entering a contract, changing ownership, raising finance, resolving a dispute or managing risk. Identify the legal entity and who may give instructions. A company, its directors and its shareholders do not necessarily have the same interests.
When comparing Box Hill, Ringwood, Glen Waverley and Doncaster firms, look for the practice area that matches the work required. Reviewing a sale contract and handling an existing property dispute are different engagements.
For business & commercial, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant VIC experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Eastern Melbourne. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
Explain the transaction, amount involved, parties and desired result. Provide the current agreement and relevant entity or trust details.
Ask which risks need legal, accounting, tax or technical advice. Identify essential terms and those you are willing to negotiate.
Agree who negotiates, approves documents and tracks continuing obligations. Clarify whether post-completion advice is included.
Request a defined scope or staged budget with assumptions about document review and negotiation rounds. Personal guarantees, tax and related disputes may need separate work.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Highlight signing dates, finance conditions and demands. Raise an inability to meet debts immediately so appropriate advice can be identified before further commitments.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
You can register a company yourself. A lawyer is useful for the shareholders agreement, the right structure for tax and asset protection, and making sure your contracts and terms protect you.
Yes. Leases often run for years and can include costly obligations such as make-good, outgoings and personal guarantees. Some states also have retail leasing laws that affect your rights.
A lawyer can send a letter of demand, and if that fails, start recovery proceedings. For companies, a statutory demand can be an effective option in the right circumstances.