Commercial lawyers in Sydney
Commercial Law for Real Businesses-Contracts, Disputes & Business Law
About CIA Lawyers
Navigating Commercial Legal Challenges with Confidence
At CIA Lawyers, our experienced commercial lawyers are ready to assist with all your business legal needs, ensuring clear advice and practical outcomes at every stage. Our dedicated team of admitted legal professionals brings in-depth knowledge across every area of commercial law in NSW, providing high-quality guidance tailored to the specific structure, risks, and goals of your business.
- In-depth knowledge across contracts, business structuring, leasing, and dispute resolution
- Tailored legal strategy built around your business goals and risk profile
- Committed to advocating for your best interests in negotiations and in court
- Straightforward process with transparent costs and no unexpected fees
- Professional and direct approach focused on practical commercial outcomes
- Proven track record representing Sydney businesses in courts and tribunals across NSW
"Trust CIA Lawyers to help you navigate complex legal processes and achieve your desired outcomes."
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Commercial Law Services CIA Lawyers Handle in Sydney
Commercial law covers every legal relationship a business enters into. From the structure you set up on day one through to the contracts you sign with clients, suppliers, and landlords, the decisions you make have legal consequences that follow the business for years.
SMEs represent 98% of all businesses in Australia. Yet most commercial law firms in Sydney are structured around the needs of large corporations and ASX-listed entities. CIA Lawyers works with business owners directly, offering commercial law services sized and priced for real businesses.
Business Contracts and Agreements
This is where most commercial legal problems start. A contract prepared by the other side almost always favours them. We draft, review, and negotiate:
- Supply and distribution agreements
- Client service contracts and terms and conditions
- Subcontractor and independent contractor agreements
- Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality deeds
- Partnership and joint venture agreements
- Settlement deeds
Australia’s unfair contract terms (UCT) regime, expanded under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) in November 2023, now applies to standard form contracts with small businesses. The ACCC’s enforcement priorities for 2025-26 specifically include harmful cancellation terms, automatic renewal clauses, and one-sided termination rights. Having your contracts reviewed against the current UCT framework is not optional for any Sydney business dealing with SME clients.
Business Structuring and Setup
The structure you choose at the start affects your tax obligations, personal liability, and how the business can grow and be sold. We advise on:
- Sole trader vs company vs trust vs partnership
- ASIC company registration under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
- Shareholder agreements and governance documents
- Family trust deeds and corporate trustee arrangements
Shareholder and Partnership Agreements
A shareholders’ agreement sets out how ownership, profits, decisions, and disputes between co-owners will be managed. Without one, those matters are governed by default provisions in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), which rarely reflect what the founders actually intended.
We draft shareholder agreements that cover:
- Voting rights and decision-making thresholds
- Profit distribution and dividend policy
- Transfer restrictions and pre-emptive rights
- Exit mechanisms, including buy-sell provisions
- Dispute resolution between shareholders
Business Sales and Acquisitions
Buying or selling a business is one of the most legally significant transactions a Sydney business owner will make. We handle:
- Asset sale vs share sale structuring and advice
- Legal due diligence on contracts, leases, employees, IP, and compliance
- Sale of business agreements and completion mechanics
- Restraint of trade and non-solicitation clauses
- ASIC filings and regulatory compliance on completion
Commercial Leasing
Signing a commercial or retail lease without legal advice is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes Sydney businesses make. We review and negotiate:
- Retail leases under the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW)
- Commercial and office leases
- Make-good obligations and bank guarantee requirements
- Rent review mechanisms and demolition clauses
- Options to renew and assignment rights
Debt Recovery for Businesses
Three-quarters of Australian businesses were affected by late payments in 2024, according to Small Business Loans Australia research. We pursue outstanding debts through:
- Formal letters of demand
- Statutory demands under Section 459E of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) for debts owed by companies
- Local Court and District Court proceedings
- Enforcement of judgments, including garnishee orders
Commercial Litigation
When a dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, we represent Sydney businesses in:
- Contract breach and enforcement claims
- Misleading or deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL)
- Debt recovery litigation
- Injunctions to prevent ongoing harm
- Appeals and enforcement proceedings
Contact us for a personalized eligibility check
Meet Our Team
Practice Director
Ishraque Ahmad
Paralegal
Simran Ghimire
Knowledge Manager
Yuri Kazak
Legal Associate
Claudia
Legal Associate
Sumaia Islam
Lawyer
Jonathan Greete
Sales & Marketing Associate
Thunh Mai Le
Sales & Marketing Manager
Eduardo Mora
Operational Manager
Safat Ul Azam
Why Choose Us
Every person who handles your matter at CIA Lawyers is a qualified, admitted lawyer. You are not being passed to a paralegal or an advisory consultant. You are working with someone who carries full legal professional responsibility for the advice they give you and can appear for you in court if required.
We tell you what your legal position actually looks like before you commit to any course of action. If a contract claim is unlikely to succeed, or if the cost of pursuing it outweighs the realistic recovery, we will say so clearly and help you find a better path. This firm does not generate fees by encouraging litigation that is not in a client's interest.
CIA Lawyers handles commercial law alongside immigration, criminal, and traffic law under one roof. This matters for business owners who need legal help across multiple areas without managing relationships with several different firms. We know your situation, and you do not need to re-brief a new team every time a different legal issue comes up.
We are not a corporate firm trying to accommodate small business clients on the side. The majority of what we do is focused on the real, practical legal needs of Sydney businesses and the people who run them.
We provide upfront costs disclosure before any work begins. Fixed fees are available for defined-scope work, including contract reviews, letters of demand, and business structuring. Your first consultation costs nothing.
Common Commercial Legal Problems Sydney Businesses Face
The commercial disputes and legal problems that land on our desk most frequently follow patterns that are very recognisable to any business owner in Sydney.
A client is not paying and is not responding
Late payment is the most common commercial problem in Australia. A formally worded letter of demand from a lawyer changes the dynamic significantly. Most debt recovery matters resolve at this stage without needing to file court proceedings.
A business partner is not pulling their weight, but will not exit
Without a shareholders' agreement, resolving this is significantly harder. Options include oppression remedies under Section 232 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or, for partnerships, dissolution proceedings under the Partnership Act 1892 (NSW). Early legal advice is critical because the wrong move can create liability.
A contract was signed, and the other party is not performing
Whether the issue is a supplier delivering defective goods, a client refusing to pay, or a contractor abandoning the job, the contract terms and any relevant consumer law protections determine your options. We assess your position and advise on the fastest path to resolution.
The landlord is applying unreasonable make-good costs at the end of a lease
Make-good disputes are common in Sydney at lease expiry. What you are required to return the premises to depends entirely on how the make-good clause was drafted and whether it was limited during negotiation. We advise on whether the landlord's demands are enforceable and represent you in any dispute.
A former employee is breaching a restraint of trade clause
Restraint of trade provisions are enforceable in NSW but only to the extent they are reasonable in scope, geography, and duration. We assess enforceability and, where appropriate, apply for an urgent injunction to prevent ongoing damage.
A standard form contract contains terms that may now be unenforceable
Since the expanded UCT regime commenced in November 2023, standard form contracts used with small business counterparties must be reviewed for compliance. The ACCC's 2025 enforcement action against Mable Technologies, where the company admitted to including multiple unfair terms in its standard form agreements, is a clear signal that regulators are actively pursuing non-compliant contracts.
What Sets us Apart
FAQ
A verbal contract can be legally binding in New South Wales if it satisfies the core elements of a valid contract: offer, acceptance, consideration, and intention to create legal relations. The problem is proving what was agreed upon when a dispute arises. Courts look at the conduct of the parties, any written records, including emails and text messages, and witness evidence. For any arrangement involving significant money or ongoing obligations, a written contract is always necessary. If you are already in a dispute over a verbal arrangement, a commercial lawyer can assess whether you have an enforceable claim.
Australia's unfair contract terms (UCT) regime applies to standard form contracts entered into with consumers and small businesses. Since November 2023, the regime has been significantly expanded under amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth). Terms that are void under the regime include those that allow one party to unilaterally vary or terminate the contract, impose disproportionate financial penalties, or limit one party's ability to seek legal redress. Businesses that use standard form contracts with SME counterparties need to review those contracts against the current framework. The ACCC has named UCT compliance as a priority enforcement area for 2025-26.
A statutory demand issued under Section 459E of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) requires a company to pay a debt of $4,000 or more within 21 days. If the company does not pay or apply to a court to have the demand set aside within that window, it is presumed to be insolvent. The creditor can then apply to wind up the company. There are no extensions to the 21-day period. If your business has received a statutory demand, contact a commercial lawyer immediately. There are grounds to have one set aside, including a genuine dispute about the debt, but the application must be filed within 21 days.
A straightforward contract review by a commercial lawyer in Sydney typically costs between $500 and $1,500, depending on the length and complexity of the document. More complex agreements,s including shareholder agreements, business sale contracts, and commercial leases,s cost more. CIA Lawyers offers fixed-fee contract reviews so you know the cost before we start. The more relevant comparison is the cost of a contract dispute in the District Court, which can exceed $50,000 in legal fees for a defended matter.
Yes. A shareholders' agreement protects majority and minority shareholders alike. For a majority shareholder, it provides a clear mechanism to deal with a non-performing or uncooperative minority shareholder without needing to go to court. Without one, a minority shareholder may use the oppression provisions in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to challenge decisions you make, even where your intentions were entirely reasonable. A well-drafted shareholders' agreement sets out exit mechanisms, dispute resolution procedures, and decision-making rules that protect everyone and reduce the risk of costly litigation between co-owners.
Other Services we provide in Sydney
- Civil Law
- Appeals & Reviews
- Family law
- Criminal Law
- Traffic Law
- Sports Law
- Commercial law
Strong Local Presence in Sydney
Based in Sydney, CIA Lawyers provides immigration legal services across Sydney CBD, Parramatta and Western Sydney. Our team regularly works within Australia’s legal and migration framework, with experience appearing before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA), the Federal Court and other relevant jurisdictions. Being locally based means we understand how migration matters are handled within New South Wales and at the federal level. We are familiar with court procedures, tribunal expectations and Department of Home Affairs processes, allowing us to prepare cases thoroughly and represent clients with confidence.