Lawyer NSW
Contract Lawyer
Our contract lawyer team helps Sydney businesses by reviewing, advising on, managing legal risk, and settling disputes in commercial contracts.
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What Is A Contract Lawyer, And When Do You Need One?
A contract lawyer drafts, reviews, and negotiates the agreements that hold your business relationships together. Their job is to make sure the terms protect your interests, comply with Australian law, and stand up if a dispute later arises.
At Lazarus Legal, our contract lawyer team regularly helps Sydney business owners with the following scenarios:
You're signing a contract that you did not draft
A contract you're reviewing feels one-sided or unclear
You're having trouble understanding the key terms in a contract
You want to negotiate specific contract terms
A contract has been breached or wrongfully terminated
You're about to enter a high-value or long-term agreement
The contract you're reviewing will impact business operations
A contract dispute is starting to emerge
Why Choose Lazarus Legal's Contract Review Lawyer Team
When you engage our contract lawyer team, you get genuine commercial law expertise, upfront fixed-fee pricing, and a Sydney-based firm that drafts and reviews every agreement to comply with NSW and Australian law.
- Commercial law expertise, not just contracts. We do not look at contracts in isolation. Our team works across the full spectrum of business law, so your agreement is reviewed by someone who understands the structuring, tax, employment, and dispute issues sitting behind it.
- Fixed fees, agreed upfront. You know what the work will cost before we start. No hourly surprises and no open-ended bills, just a clear fixed fee set at the outset.
- Sydney-based and NSW law compliant. We are a local Sydney firm you can meet in person, and every contract we draft or review is checked against current NSW and Australian law so your agreements hold up where it matters.
Types of Contracts We Advise On
Our contract review lawyer team advises on a wide range of commercial agreements. Below are the most common contract types we work with and the key risks we help identify.
| Contract Type | Key Risks Our Contract Lawyers Assess |
|---|---|
| Commercial contracts | Enforceability of core obligations, allocation of risk between parties, limitation and exclusion of liability clauses, termination rights, dispute resolution mechanisms, and whether the contract terms reflect the commercial intent of the arrangement. |
| Service agreements | Scope of services, performance standards, payment terms, termination for convenience, liability exposure for service failures, and gaps between what is promised commercially and what is legally required. |
| Employment contracts | Compliance with Australian employment law, termination provisions, notice periods, restraint of trade clauses, confidentiality obligations, and risks arising from inconsistent or unfair contract terms. |
| Independent contractor agreements | Contractor versus employee classification risk, control and delegation provisions, intellectual property ownership, liability allocation, and compliance with sham contracting laws. |
| Supplier and vendor contracts | Supply obligations, delivery and acceptance terms, pricing adjustments, risk of delays or non-performance, indemnities, and remedies available if contractual obligations are not met. |
| Partnership agreements | Decision-making authority, profit and loss allocation, exit mechanisms, dispute resolution processes, and risks arising from unclear responsibilities or roles between partners. |
| Shareholder agreements | Minority shareholder protections, transfer restrictions, deadlock provisions, director powers, exit strategies, and alignment with the company constitution. |
| Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements | Scope of confidential information, permitted disclosures, duration of obligations, enforceability of restraints, and practical remedies if confidentiality obligations are breached. |
Meet Your Contract Lawyer Team
CEO, Notary Public
Barry brings the commercial instincts of a founder and litigator to every contract, drawing on decades of business transactions, franchising arrangements, and contract disputes.
Director, Principal Solicitor
Mark combines years of experience across private practice, the bar, and in-house legal director roles to draft and negotiate contracts that are built to last.
Associate Lawyer
With a background in fund management and compliance, Chen combines legal precision with commercial insight to review and structure contracts.
What Businesses Say About Lazarus Legal
Betty Vu
“Lazarus Legal recently assisted me with preparing my contract and I couldn’t be more pleased with their service. They were thorough, professional and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. Communication was prompt and they make sure every detail was handled with care. I highly recommend their services to anyone needing reliable legal support.”
Ken Littlewood
“Mark and Barry are fantastic. They took the time to make sure I got the best result and understand the complexities of the documents created. High quality work, very professional, very thorough and highly recommended. Thanks, guys!”
- Don't sign and hope for the best
Start By Booking a Contract Review
- (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 Contract Lawyer Team Answers Your Questions
What happens in a contract review?
A contract review lawyer reads the agreement in full, identifies the clauses that create risk or work against you, and explains what they mean in plain English. At Lazarus Legal, that covers the commercial terms (payment, scope, termination), the risk allocation (liability, indemnities, warranties), and compliance with Australian law, including the unfair contract terms provisions of the Australian Consumer Law. You receive clear advice on what to accept, what to push back on, and the amendments we recommend before you sign.
How much does it cost to get a contract reviewed in Sydney?
Prices vary widely. Fixed-fee contract review packages advertised in Sydney start at around $900 plus GST, while hourly billing for contract reviews generally falls between $100 and $500 per hour depending on the lawyer’s seniority and the complexity of the agreement. A short supply agreement sits at the lower end, while a shareholders agreement or business sale contract costs considerably more.
At Lazarus Legal, contract review, advice, and amendment starts at $1,500, with the final fee agreed upfront and varying depending on the complexity of the agreement.
What happens if there's no written contract?
You may still have a legally binding contract. Under Australian contract law, verbal agreements and agreements formed through conduct are enforceable if they contain the four essential elements: offer and acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations, and certainty of terms.
The practical problem is proof: without a written record, the parties often disagree about what was actually agreed. Some contracts must also be in writing to be enforceable at all, including contracts for the sale of land, guarantees, and consumer credit contracts. If you are operating on a handshake, confirm the key terms in writing as soon as possible, even by email.
What is an unfair contract term and how do I know if mine has one?
An unfair contract term is one that creates a significant imbalance between the parties, is not reasonably necessary to protect the advantaged party’s legitimate interests, and would cause detriment if relied on. Common examples include one-sided termination rights, automatic renewals, unilateral price changes, and broad indemnities.
The stakes have risen sharply: since 9 November 2023, the Australian Consumer Law prohibits unfair terms in standard form contracts with consumers and small businesses, with maximum penalties for companies of the greater of $50 million, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover. The protections cover businesses with fewer than 100 employees or turnover under $10 million, which captures most Australian SMEs. If your standard terms have not been reviewed since the changes, that is the surest way to find out.
What makes a contract unenforceable in Australia?
A contract can fail for several reasons: it is missing an essential element, a party lacked legal capacity, the agreement involves an illegal purpose, or consent was obtained through duress, undue influence, or misrepresentation. Certain contracts are also unenforceable unless they are in writing, such as those dealing with land, guarantees, or consumer credit.
Individual terms can be struck out even where the contract survives, for example unfair terms in standard form contracts, which courts can declare void under the Australian Consumer Law. A review before signing is the cheapest way to find these problems; a courtroom is the most expensive.
Principal Solicitor, Director, Lazarus Legal
Mark Lazarus is a Director at Lazarus Legal, admitted as a solicitor in NSW and England and Wales and called to the NSW Bar. With more than 20 years across private practice, the bar, and in-house roles, including as Legal Director for Monster Energy across EMEA, Mark has drafted, reviewed, and negotiated commercial contracts on both sides of the table. He brings that dual perspective to every review, knowing where agreements go wrong and how to fix them before they're signed.
Page Published: 01 January 2026 | Updated: 12 June 2026