Lawyers for Small Business in Sydney
Our small business lawyer team helps Sydney businesses with company structuring and formation, contract drafting and review, litigation, and acquistion.
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8000+ Contracts Reviewed
2000+ Businesses Advised
$120M+ in Disputes Resolved
40+ Years Combined Legal Experience
What Is A Small Business Lawyer, And When Do You Need One in Sydney?
A small business lawyer is a commercial legal specialist who advises business owners on the legal decisions that directly affect how they operate, grow, and protect their business. They focus on the practical legal challenges that come with running a business, from setting up the right structure to resolving disputes that threaten your livelihood.
At Lazarus Legal, our business lawyers for small business help founders and owners with the following scenarios:
You are registering a company or reconsidering your business structure
You are hiring your first employee or expanding your team
A supplier or client has presented you with a contract to sign
A business partnership or co-founder relationship is breaking down
You are in the process of buying or selling a business
A client, supplier, or contractor is threatening legal action against you
You are negotiating or signing a commercial lease for a new premises
You have built something valuable and need to protect it legally
Why Choose Our Small Business Lawyer Sydney Team
Lazarus Legal offers decades of experience, transparent pricing, and genuine local knowledge, all focused on one thing: practical legal support that delivers real business outcomes.
- 40 Years of Commercial Law Experience. With four decades in the practice, our team brings deep commercial insight to every matter, so you get advice that is grounded in real-world outcomes, and not just legal theory.
- Flexible Pricing That Works for Small Businesses. We offer fixed project fees for clearly defined matters and monthly retainer options for businesses that need ongoing support.
- Sydney-Based, Locally Grounded. We work within the Sydney market and carry in-depth knowledge of NSW state laws, local commercial practices, and the regulatory environment your business actually operates in.
Legal Support Built Around Your Sydney Small Business
Business Structure & Formation
Choosing the right business structure from the start affects everything from your tax obligations and personal liability to how easily you can bring in investors or sell the business down the line. We advise on company registration, trust structures, partnership arrangements, and shareholder agreements, making sure your foundation is legally sound and commercially practical from day one.
Contract Drafting & Review
Every business relationship you enter carries legal risk, and that risk lives in the contract. We draft and review employment agreements, intellectual property licences, and commercial leases to make sure your interests are protected, your obligations are clear, and there are no surprises buried in the fine print.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Business disputes are costly, disruptive, and rarely come at a convenient time. Whether you are facing a contractual disagreement, a partnership breakdown, or a claim from a client or supplier, we work to resolve matters as efficiently as possible, pursuing negotiation and settlement first, and litigation only when necessary.
Business Buying & Selling
Buying or selling a business is one of the most significant financial decisions you will make. Without proper legal oversight, the risks are substantial, from undisclosed liabilities and poorly structured deals to contracts that leave you exposed after settlement. We guide you through due diligence, negotiations, and contract execution to protect your position at every stage.
Our Small Business Lawyer Team vs Generalist Lawyers
Not all lawyers understand what it actually means to run a small business. A specialist small business lawyer brings focused commercial experience to every matter, where a generalist may bring breadth but not the depth your business needs.
| Lazarus Legal | Generalist Lawyer | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | ✔ Commercial law and business matters exclusively | Covers multiple areas of law across different client types |
| Advice Style | ✔ Practical, outcome-focused, and commercially minded | Legally thorough but not always commercially contextualised |
| Client Understanding | ✔ Familiar with the pressures, risks, and priorities of running a business | May lack direct experience with SME-specific challenges |
| Pricing | ✔ Offers fixed fees and retainer options suited to small business budgets | Typically hourly billing with less predictability |
Meet Your Small Business Legal Team
CEO, Notary Public
A commercially minded litigator with 50 years of experience across business disputes, transactions, and franchising, Barry brings the kind of hard-won instincts that only come from building and defending businesses from the ground up.
Director, Principal Solicitor
Admitted in both Australia and the UK, with experience as a barrister, in-house legal director for a global consumer brand, and founder-focused advisor, Mark brings a rare blend of courtroom credibility and real-world commercial strategy to every matter.
Associate Lawyer
With a background spanning venture capital, fund management, and commercial legal practice, Chen brings sharp commercial insight to business structuring, M&A, and corporate matters, giving clients advice that is grounded in how businesses actually operate.
What Businesses Say About Lazarus Legal
“Mark was efficient, professional and conducted everything in such a timely manner with excellent attention to detail. I was very new to the world of small business legalities and he was patient and took the time to take me through all the finer details to ensure it was clear and I was comfortable. I would highly recommend him!”
“Lazarus Legal are amazing. Absolute game changers. A friendly and dynamic team with fabulous offices. Good listeners with genuine knowledge of all sectors. Fast thinkers and really take the time to understand your business. What I love most is they work with and wholeheartedly encourage start ups. Highly recommend. “
- Don't wait for the risks to get bigger
Consult With A Small Business Lawyer Today
- (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 Small Business Lawyer Sydney Team Answers Your Questions
What does the ATO consider a small business?
For most tax concessions, the ATO defines a small business as one with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million. Aggregated turnover includes your own annual turnover plus that of any connected or affiliated entities, which means you cannot split a business across multiple structures to artificially qualify. The threshold that applies to you can vary depending on the specific concession you are accessing, so it is worth confirming your eligibility with a legal or tax adviser before relying on any concession.
How do I register a small business in Sydney?
The process depends on your chosen business structure, which is the first decision to make before any registration takes place. Once you have settled on a structure, most Sydney small businesses will need to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) through the Australian Business Register (ABR), register a business name with ASIC through the Australian Government’s Business Registration Service, and if operating as a company, obtain an Australian Company Number (ACN) before the ABN can be issued.
Getting the structure and registrations right from the start matters, as the decisions you make here directly affect your tax obligations, personal liability, and how easily the business can grow or be sold down the track.
Does the Australian Consumer Law apply to small businesses?
Yes, on both sides. The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is a set of national consumer protection laws that apply the same way in each state and territory across Australia. As a small business, you are obligated to comply with the ACL when selling goods or services to consumers, including obligations around consumer guarantees, misleading conduct, and product safety.
Your business may also access certain rights under the ACL if you meet the definition of a consumer when purchasing goods or services. You can also seek to have an unfair contract term in a small business standard form contract declared void. The ACL is enforced nationally by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and in NSW by NSW Fair Trading.
How much do small business lawyers charge in Sydney?
Fees vary depending on the lawyer’s experience, the complexity of the matter, and how the work is priced. The hourly rate for a lawyer in Sydney can range from $250 plus GST for a junior lawyer, up to $600 plus GST or more for an accredited specialist. For defined tasks such as contract reviews or business formations, many commercial law firms offer fixed fees, which give you cost certainty before work begins.
At Lazarus Legal, we offer fixed fees for projects with defined scope. Company registration, for example, starts at $1,000, while contract drafting and review typically range from $500 to $5,000 depending on the purpose and complexity of the document. Retainer arrangements are also available for businesses that need ongoing legal support at a predictable monthly cost.
How do I check if my contracts with clients and suppliers are legally binding?
Under Australian contract law, four core elements must all be present for an agreement to be legally binding: offer and acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations, and certainty of terms. A signed document is a strong indicator, but signature alone does not guarantee enforceability if any of these elements are missing or the terms are too vague to be enforceable.
Under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999, electronic communications have the same legal effect as paper documents for contract formation, meaning an email exchange can create a binding contract if it contains all four elements. If you are unsure whether a contract you use is enforceable or whether it adequately protects your position, having it reviewed by a small business lawyer before a dispute arises is far less costly than resolving one after.
Principal Solicitor, Director, Lazarus Legal
With experience spanning private practice in Sydney, tenure as an NSW barrister, in-house legal leadership for Monster Energy across the EMEA region, and founder-focused advisory work, Mark brings a rare depth of commercial and legal experience to every business matter. He regularly advises Sydney small business owners on contracts, business structuring, dispute resolution, and intellectual property, and has been doing so for over a decade.
Page Published: 09 October 2025 | Updated: 08 May 2026