Contract & agreement disputes
Breach, termination, repudiation and the disputes that follow. We advise on your position before it is formalised, while the best moves are still available.
Commercial law · Melbourne & Victoria
Strong positions. Commercial outcomes.
When a deal breaks down, the outcome turns on the contract, the evidence and a clear-eyed view of what the fight is worth.
We advise businesses and individuals across Victoria, negotiating where it works and litigating properly where it does not.
- Contract & payment disputes
- Business & property disputes
- Negotiation & mediation
- Court & VCAT litigation
Commercial disputes in Victoria
Understand your position before choosing your next move.
Negotiation, mediation and proceedings each have a place. We assess the contract, correspondence and evidence alongside the cost, risk and commercial value of each option.
We build that position from the first conversation. We tell you plainly what the claim is worth, what it will cost to pursue or defend, and where the commercial exit is, and we keep that assessment updated as the matter moves.
What we can assist with
From the letter of demand to the final judgment.
We act for claimants and respondents across the life of a commercial dispute: the early positioning, the negotiation, the proceeding and the enforcement.
Debt & payment recovery
Letters of demand, statutory demands and recovery proceedings, run proportionately to the amount at stake and the prospects of actually collecting.
Business & partnership disputes
Disagreements between business partners, shareholders and joint venturers, including exits and buyouts, resolved with the business kept in mind.
Property & lease disputes
Commercial and retail lease disputes, contracts for the sale of land and off-the-plan issues, informed by the firm’s property law depth.
Building & construction disputes
Domestic building contract disputes, defects and payment claims, coordinated with the experts whose evidence decides them.
Negotiation, mediation & settlement
Structured negotiation and mediation, and settlement deeds drafted so the dispute actually ends when it settles.
Litigation at VCAT & in court
Proceedings at VCAT and in the Victorian courts, prepared properly, run efficiently and always weighed against the commercial outcome.
Judgments & enforcement
A judgment is only worth what it recovers. We advise on enforcement options, payment arrangements and defending enforcement fairly.
How we work
A direct path from issue to resolution.
We work out what the dispute is actually about, the documents and law that govern it, and what a good outcome looks like for you. Then we advise clearly and act decisively.
Understand
The contract, the correspondence, the money at stake and the outcome that matters to you.
Advise
A straight assessment of your position, your options, and the realistic cost and timing of each.
Act
Demands, negotiation, mediation and proceedings, carried through to resolution and enforcement.
When to seek advice
Early advice keeps your options open.
The most valuable advice in a commercial dispute is usually given before the dispute exists on paper. Positions taken in early correspondence are difficult to walk back, and deadlines start running whether or not you are ready.
Engage us when:
- 01Before you signWe can review the contract while its terms are still negotiable, which is when a dispute is cheapest to prevent.
- 02Payment stopsWe can position the recovery correctly from the first demand, before the debtor’s position hardens or assets move.
- 03A demand or proceeding arrivesWe can assess it quickly and respond in time, because default judgments and missed limitation dates are avoidable losses.
- 04Before you terminateWe can check the right to terminate and the process for it. Wrongful termination can turn a strong position into a liability.
- 05The relationship is worth keepingWe explore ways to resolve the dispute while preserving a contract, tenancy or partnership where that remains practical.
Start with a straight answer
Get a clear view of your dispute.
Start with a brief outline of the dispute and any deadline. We will discuss whether we can assist and arrange a suitable way to review the relevant documents.