Commercial Lawyer for NSW Businesses
Our commercial lawyer team advises NSW businesses on contracts, structuring, shareholder arrangements, business sales and purchases, commercial leases, and disputes.
Secure Your Legal Advantage
8000+ Contracts Reviewed
$10M+ in Commercial Deals Closed
2000+ Businesses Advised
40+ Years Combined Legal Experience
What Is A Commercial Lawyer, And When Do You Need One?
A commercial lawyer advises businesses on the legal side of how they operate, contract, and transact. If you are a founder, director, or business owner in NSW dealing with contracts, ownership structures, leases, acquisitions, or disputes, that is the work a commercial lawyer handles.
You need a commercial lawyer when a decision has legal consequences you cannot easily undo. The earlier you get advice, the more options you have. Lazarus Legal’s commercial lawyer team regularly assists with the following scenarios:
You need a contract reviewed, drafted, or negotiated
You’re setting up or updating your company structure
You're buying or selling a business
You’re negotiating a lease or property agreement
You need to protect IP or enforce confidentiality
A dispute has arisen and you need legal options
You need to meet regulatory requirements
Your agreements no longer fit your business
Why Choose Lazarus Legal For Commercial Law
Choosing the right commercial lawyer means looking beyond credentials to practical experience, transparent pricing, and a strong understanding of the legal and regulatory environment your business operates in.
- Depth of Commercial Expertise. Our lawyers are experienced across key practice areas including contracts, corporate structuring, franchising, transactions, and dispute resolution, with expertise on Australian legal frameworks such as contract law, the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, employment law, and the Corporations Act 2001.
- Transparent, Upfront Pricing. We scope and price commercial work before it begins; no surprise invoices, no open-ended retainers. Depending on the matter, we offer fixed fees for work with a clear scope, monthly retainer arrangements for ongoing legal support, and hourly rates where the work requires it.
- Local Insight, National Compliance. Our team is based in NSW with strong knowledge of NSW regulatory requirements, while ensuring advice aligns with broader Australian legal and compliance standards.
What Our Commercial Lawyers Handle
Contract Review, Drafting and Negotiation
Lazarus Legal commercial lawyers draft and review contracts for NSW businesses across supply arrangements, service agreements, joint ventures, and business sales. If the other party's standard terms shift the risk onto you, we identify exactly where and negotiate before you're locked in.
Business Structuring, Shareholder Arrangements and Transactions
We advise founders and operators on company structures, shareholder arrangements, and business acquisitions across NSW, including the due diligence process that most buyers skip. The pattern we see most often: undocumented equity arrangements that only become a problem once the business is worth something.
Commercial Leasing Advice
We review, negotiate, and advise on commercial leases across NSW, including make-good obligations, rent review mechanisms, and permitted use clauses that restrict how you can actually operate. Getting advice before you sign costs a fraction of what a disputed lease costs to exit.
Commercial Disputes and Contract Enforcement
We advise NSW businesses on contract enforcement, debt recovery, director disputes, and supplier or client conflict, with a focus on resolving matters before they reach litigation. Where proceedings are unavoidable, we build the commercial and documentary position that gives you the strongest footing for a favourable outcome or negotiated settlement.
Intellectual Property, Confidentiality and Ownership Issues
We advise on IP ownership clauses in employment and contractor agreements, licensing arrangements, and the confidentiality structures that stop a departing employee or co-founder from taking your systems or client relationships with them. Under NSW law, IP created by contractors using your resources is not automatically yours — the contract has to say so explicitly.
Meet Your Lawyers
CEO, Notary Public
Barry Lazarus is a commercial lawyer with decades of experience advising businesses on franchising, mergers and acquisitions, branding, trade mark protection and business structures.
Director, Principal Solicitor
Mark Lazarus is a commercial lawyer with experience across in-house legal leadership, commercial disputes and founder-focused advisory work.
Associate Lawyer
Chen Gabay is a commercial lawyer with a background that spans legal practice, venture capital and business operations.
What Businesses Say About Lazarus Legal
Colleen Whittaker
Chief Financial Officer, Hindsight
“I’ve worked with Lazarus Legal on several matters and have always been impressed with the level of service provided. They are professional and knowledgeable, and take the time to explain things clearly, which makes the whole process much less stressful. They have helped us with important contracts and trade marks, and every interaction has been professional and positive. Mark and his team are reliable, efficient, and genuinely focused on achieving the best outcome. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a commercial lawyer who provides not only expert advice but also outstanding client care.”
David Elliott
Chief Executive Officer, Raw & Fresh Pet Food
“We’ve worked with Lazarus Legal on several matters and couldn’t be happier with the professionalism, clarity, and strategic support they’ve provided throughout. Most notably, they guided us through a complex trade mark application, offering expert insight and genuine commitment to getting the outcome we needed. Their team is responsive, thoughtful, and easy to work with, which is a rare combination in the legal world. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a commercial lawyer who brings smart legal thinking and a real understanding of commercial challenges.”
- Growing your business?
Get A Commercial Lawyer On Board
- (02) 8644 6000
- info@lazaruslegal.com.au
- 1/422 Oxford St, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
- 5/133 Wakefield Street Adelaide SA 5000
- 1/14 Fremantle Street Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Our Commercial Lawyer Team Answers Your Questions
What does a commercial lawyer do?
A commercial lawyer advises businesses on the legal frameworks that govern how they operate, contract, and transact. They draft and review commercial agreements, advise on business structures, assist with acquisitions and disposals, handle commercial leasing matters, and represent businesses in disputes. The scope depends on the matter: a commercial lawyer working on a business acquisition is doing different work to one reviewing a supply agreement, but the underlying function is the same: identifying legal risk before it becomes a commercial problem.
At Lazarus Legal, we focus on giving NSW businesses practical advice at the point where decisions are still reversible.
When do I need a commercial lawyer for my business?
You need a commercial lawyer before you sign anything that binds your business for more than 12 months, involves a significant financial commitment, or affects your ownership structure. That includes commercial leases, shareholder agreements, business sale contracts, major supply or service agreements, and any arrangement where the other party has presented their own standard terms. Most commercial disputes we handle could have been avoided with legal input at the contract stage. After signing, the options narrow significantly.
We work with NSW businesses at the agreement stage, not just when something has gone wrong.
How much does a commercial lawyer cost in NSW?
Commercial legal fees in NSW vary depending on the complexity of the matter and the billing model the firm uses. Hourly rates for commercial lawyers at NSW firms typically range from $350 to $700 per hour, with some larger firms charging above that. Fixed-fee arrangements are available for defined scope work. Contract reviews, shareholder agreements, and standard commercial leases are commonly offered on a fixed-fee basis. The more clearly a matter can be scoped upfront, the more predictable the cost.
At Lazarus Legal, services pertaining to company formation and structuring can range from $1,000 t0 $3,500, depending on complexity. Contract drafting and reviews start at $500 for standard Privacy Policy & Data Protection Compliance and $2,500 to $3,500 for bespoke e-commerce terms and conditions. We scope and price commercial work before it begins so you know what you’re committing to. For more accurate fee estimates, please contact our team.
What is the difference between a commercial lawyer and a solicitor?
A solicitor is a qualified legal practitioner admitted to practice in Australia. A commercial lawyer is a solicitor whose practice focuses on business and commercial law matters. Every commercial lawyer is a solicitor, but not every solicitor is a commercial lawyer. The distinction matters when choosing who to work with. A solicitor with a general practice background may handle a commercial matter competently, but a lawyer who works exclusively in commercial law will have seen more of the patterns, clauses, and disputes that are specific to business transactions.
Mark Lazarus and the Lazarus Legal commercial lawyer team practise exclusively in commercial and business law for NSW clients.
Can a commercial lawyer help if I am in a dispute with a supplier or contractor?
Yes. Commercial lawyers advise on contract enforcement, negotiate settlements, and where necessary prepare matters for litigation or arbitration. If you have a dispute with a supplier or contractor, the first step is establishing what the contract actually says, and whether the conduct in question constitutes a breach, a repudiation, or something that falls into a grey area the contract does not address. Under the Australian Consumer Law, certain protections also apply to commercial dealings that go beyond what the contract itself provides.
Our commercial lawyer team assesses both the contractual and statutory position before recommending how to proceed.
How do I choose the right commercial lawyer for my NSW business?
Choose a commercial lawyer whose practice focuses on the type of matter you need help with, who works regularly with businesses at your stage, and who can tell you upfront what the engagement will cost. Relevant questions to ask:
- How many matters of this type have you handled in NSW in the last two years?
- Do you offer fixed-fee pricing for this work?
- Will the person I speak to at intake be the one doing the work?
Credentials, accreditations, and Law Society of NSW registration are baseline requirements. You can verify any NSW solicitor’s registration at the Law Society of NSW register. Lazarus Legal works exclusively with NSW and NSW businesses on commercial matters, with over 2,000 founders advised and 160+ capital raises completed.
Principal Solicitor, Director, Lazarus Legal
Mark Lazarus advises NSW businesses on commercial transactions, business structuring, commercial leasing, and dispute resolution. Before founding Lazarus Legal, he served as Legal Director at Monster Energy, where he managed commercial contracts and regulatory matters across the EMEA region. He has since advised over 2,000 Australian founders and supported more than 160 NSW capital raises.
Page Published: 02 July 2025 | Updated: 27 March 2026