Shareholder Agreement Lawyers
Our shareholder agreement lawyers help businesses put clear, practical agreements in place to protect ownership, manage risk, and support long term growth.
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When Do You Need Shareholder Agreement Lawyers?
Shareholder agreement lawyers draft, review and structure ownership documents that protect your equity and decision-making rights before you bring on co-founders, investors or business partners. Our shareholder agreement lawyers typically assist with the following scenarios:
You're launching a startup with co-founders and need to document equity splits
An investor is coming in and you need to structure their rights and protections
You're buying into an existing business as a new shareholder
Your partnership has evolved beyond your original handshake deal
You're issuing shares to employees through an ESOP or incentive plan
A fellow shareholder wants to exit and you need clear buyout terms
You're restructuring ownership after a capital raise
Your current shareholder agreement was drafted years ago and your business model has changed
How Lazarus Legal Helps With Shareholder Agreements
At Lazarus Legal, our shareholder agreement lawyers focus on proactive risk management. We work with business owners, directors, and investors across NSW to draft, structure, and review agreements that are commercially practical and legally robust.
Tailored Drafting For Your Business Structure
Every company is different. As such, we do not rely on generic templates. Instead, we:
- Assess your business structure, shareholding breakdown, and growth plans
- Identify potential risk areas based on the industry and ownership mix
- Draft clear provisions that align with your commercial objectives
- Ensure consistency with the company constitution and the Corporations Act 2001
Our aim is to produce a document that is easy to understand and workable in practice, not just legally compliant.
Strategic Structuring Of Rights And Restrictions
The structure of a shareholder agreement can significantly affect control and value. We assist with:
- Determining appropriate share classes and voting rights
- Structuring pre-emptive rights and transfer restrictions
- Designing decision making thresholds for reserved matters
- Aligning director appointment rights with ownership interests
We consider both present needs and future scenarios, including capital raising, expansion, and exit.
Independent Review And Risk Identification
If you have been provided with a draft agreement, our shareholder agreement lawyers conduct a detailed review to identify:
- Imbalanced rights between majority and minority shareholders
- Unclear or inconsistent provisions
- Missing protections for key stakeholders
- Practical risks in enforcement or implementation
We provide clear advice on what the agreement means for you and recommend amendments where necessary.
Our role is preventative. By addressing structural and drafting issues early, we help clients avoid disputes before they arise.
Key Provisions Our Shareholder Agreement Lawyers Help With
A well drafted shareholder agreement should address more than just share ownership. Our lawyers assist with drafting and advising on critical provisions, including:
Ownership and capital structure
A shareholder agreement should record initial shareholdings, capital contributions, and any different share classes with their associated rights. It should also address future share issues and anti dilution protections. Clear documentation of ownership reduces confusion and aligns expectations from the outset.
Decision making and control
The agreement should define board composition, director appointment rights, reserved matters, and voting thresholds for major decisions. Well structured control provisions support efficient management while ensuring appropriate oversight.
Transfer of shares
Transfer provisions set out how shares can be sold or transferred, including pre emptive rights, tag along and drag along rights, and restrictions on transfers to competitors. These clauses help maintain stability and control over ownership.
Exit and succession
The agreement should outline buy back mechanisms, valuation methods for departing shareholders, and the treatment of shares on death, incapacity, or insolvency. Clear exit pathways reduce uncertainty and disruption.
Restraints and confidentiality
Restraint and confidentiality clauses protect goodwill, client relationships, and sensitive information. Non competition, non solicitation, and confidentiality obligations must be reasonable and enforceable under Australian law.
Funding and dividends
The agreement should address additional capital contributions, funding shortfalls, dividend policies, and profit distribution. Clear financial rules reduce friction and set expectations around returns.
By carefully drafting these provisions, our shareholder agreement lawyers help create certainty, preserve relationships, and protect business value.
We used Lazarus Legal for a capital raise and some related corporate work, and they were excellent from start to finish. Straight-talking, responsive, and commercially minded — exactly what you want in a lawyer. They kept things moving, explained the options clearly, and made what could have been a drawn-out process quick and stress-free. Highly recommend.
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 trademark 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 smart legal minds with a real understanding of commercial challenges.
The Australian Furniture Association and its members have significantly benefitted from the expertise and legal advice given by Mark Lazarus and the team at Lazarus Legal. As one of our many preferred partners, Lazarus Legal continues to offer the support required to manage customer and community expectations from organisations such as ours. Our needs are often complex and a bit out of the box, so we’ve been very satisfied with the agility and flexibility provided by Lazarus Legal. We highly recommend Lazarus Legal to other associations and businesses.
- Prevention is better than repair
Put Clear Shareholder Protections In Place
Your Questions Answered By Our Shareholder Agreement Lawyers
How much is a shareholder agreement?
Shareholder agreement costs depend on complexity, number of shareholders, and whether you need strategic structuring or basic documentation. Simple two-founder agreements with standard provisions typically cost between $2,500 and $4,500. More complex arrangements involving investors, multiple share classes, or sophisticated exit provisions generally range from $5,000 to $8,500. We provide fixed-fee quotes upfront so you know exactly what you’re paying. Most founder disputes cost significantly more to resolve than proper documentation costs upfront.
Can I write my own shareholder agreement?
While it is possible to draft your own shareholder agreement using an online template, doing so carries significant risk. Templates are typically generic and may not reflect your specific ownership structure, comply with Australian corporate law requirements, align with your company constitution, or address foreseeable future scenarios such as capital raising or shareholder exits.
A poorly drafted agreement can create ambiguity, increase the risk of disputes between shareholders, and ultimately undermine the value and stability of the business. Engaging experienced shareholder agreement lawyers ensures the agreement is properly tailored to your circumstances, legally compliant, and commercially sound.
What are the benefits of having a shareholder agreement?
A properly drafted shareholder agreement provides several important benefits:
- Clarity about rights, obligations, and decision making processes
- Protection for minority and majority shareholders
- Certainty around how shares can be transferred
- Structured exit mechanisms for departing shareholders
- Alignment between shareholders on the future direction of the business
By setting expectations in advance, the agreement reduces the likelihood of conflict and supports long term stability.
What happens if you don't have a shareholder agreement?
Without a shareholder agreement, the relationship between shareholders is primarily governed by the Corporations Act 2001 and the company constitution. This can result in limited protection for minority shareholders, no clear mechanism for resolving ownership deadlocks, uncertainty around share transfers, and greater vulnerability if conflict arises. Relying solely on statutory default rules rarely reflects the commercial realities or practical needs of a privately held company.
Does a shareholder agreement need to be notarised?
In Australia, a shareholder agreement does not generally need to be notarised to be legally binding, but it must be properly executed by the parties, supported by consideration, and consistent with applicable legislation. We ensure all execution requirements are correctly satisfied so the agreement is valid and enforceable.