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Corporate & Commercial Law

Corporate law is, at its core, the discipline of making businesses work lawfully, efficiently and with a clear appreciation of risk. It is not paperwork for its own sake, nor academic theory dressed up as advice. It is the practical business of structuring enterprises properly, governing them sensibly, contracting with purpose, allocating risk with precision and ensuring that operational decisions are made on firm legal and commercial foundations.

Our work often begins with structure, because the shape of a business determines much of what follows; control, liability, tax outcomes, funding options and exit pathways. Whether it is a start-up establishing its first entity, a family business planning for intergenerational succession or a mature corporate group reorganising for growth, the architecture of the structure matters.

We work with boards, owners, financiers and accountants to select, implement and document structures that are commercially coherent and legally robust. Trusts, joint ventures, layered corporate groups and partnership-of-trusts models are part of our day-to-day work, understood not only in technical terms but in the context of many years of transactional and advisory experience.

Corporate governance is the next limb. Good governance is not about multiplying committees or producing centimetre-thick policies. It is about establishing decision-making systems that are proportionate, transparent and enforceable. We advise boards and management on directors’ duties, conflicts, capital management, constitutional frameworks and regulatory compliance, helping organisations build governance settings that support disciplined decision-making.

Our experience ranges from professional bodies with national membership structures through to charities seeking modernisation, companies limited by guarantee and private corporate groups dealing with succession and shareholder dynamics.

Contracting, for us, is not a document production exercise. It is the process of distilling a commercial relationship into a framework that is clear, enforceable and resilient when pressure is applied. Whether drafting foundational agreements – supply, distribution, services, manufacturing, IT or licensing – or negotiating more complex project documentation, we focus on contracts that are workable in practice. We interpret, renegotiate and troubleshoot contracts regularly, ensuring clients understand their rights, obligations and leverage at each stage of a relationship.

Competition and consumer law cuts across almost every commercial decision in Australia, where the market is relatively concentrated, regulators are active and the consequences of missteps can be significant. We advise on cartel risks, exclusive dealing, joint ventures, pricing strategies, ACCC investigations, advertising compliance and consumer guarantees. These issues shape how clients sell, market, collaborate and protect their reputations, and our role is to keep commercial strategies within legal boundaries while preserving flexibility where possible.

Intellectual property, privacy and data have moved from specialist corners of the law to the centre of commerce. We assist clients to register and enforce trade marks, protect copyright and confidential information, negotiate technology and software agreements, and develop privacy and data-governance frameworks that meet regulatory expectations and community standards. This includes work in e-commerce, software procurement and digital risk management.

Joint ventures, shareholder arrangements and investment structures demand both technical care and an understanding of human dynamics. Many ventures struggle not because the idea was flawed, but because the parties did not plan adequately for change. We establish frameworks for control, funding, disputes, exits and deadlock, and we guide clients through restructures and separations when relationships or market conditions shift.

Restructuring and sector-specific regulation complete the picture. Matters we handle range from mid-market joint ventures and franchising arrangements through to distressed corporate workouts, agribusiness export structures and compliance programs for multi-site corporate groups. Across all of this work, our approach is consistent: strategic, commercially focused and grounded in practical experience.

We are recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for our Corporate, Commercial, M&A and Governance expertise, a reflection of the trust placed in us by corporates, private companies, public entities and not-for-profits across Australia.

Why clients choose Hunt & Hunt

Commercial clarity: advice that helps leadership make real-world decisions, not pages of legal waffle.
Proven capability: recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for corporate, commercial, M&A, and governance work.
Cross-sector experience: multinationals, ASX-listed and private enterprise; health, distribution, logistics, tech and NFP; 40+ councils and statutory bodies..
Calm under pressure: pragmatic direction and fast turnaround when timing is critical.
Full lifecycle support: structuring → acquisition → governance → operations → disputes → exit.
Cost certainty: fixed, capped, retainer or milestone fee models available.

How we help

Our Corporate Law services are structured around the way organisations actually work.

Structuring & Transactions; Set the foundations

Outcome: organisations structured to support growth, protect assets and minimise friction.

What we deliver:

Corporate structuring / restructuring
Business & share sales
Joint ventures + strategic alliances
Capital structuring
Shareholder / partnership agreements
Succession + exit planning
Due diligence + risk allocation

When to call us:

New investment or JV
Growth or consolidation
Succession or exit

Commercial Contracts & Procurement; Get the deal right

Outcome: contracts that protect your interests and keep business moving.

We assist with:

Supply, manufacturing + distribution agreements
Business as usual (BAU) contracts and related issues
ICT, SaaS + cloud services
Franchise + agency arrangements
Procurement + tendering (RFQs, EOIs, RFTs)
Shared services + infrastructure agreements
Licensing + e-commerce

When to call us:

New supplier/customer relationship
ICT implementation
Major project delivery
Procurement reform

Governance, Risk & Compliance; Keeping the board confident

Outcome: defensible decision-making that meets regulatory expectations and supports leadership.

We provide:

Governance frameworks and strategic governance advice
Directors’ duties training and advice
Privacy + data management
Cyber + IP protection
Policy development
Cross-border investment

When to call us:

New director onboarding
Policy refresh
Regulatory change
Risk incident / breach
During a governance refresh

Competition & Consumer; Play hard, play fair

Outcome: compliant market conduct and strong consumer protections.

We advise on:

ACCC risks + investigations
Consumer guarantees
Misleading or deceptive conduct
Product liability + recall
Pricing + restrictive trade practices

When to call us:

Marketing campaigns
Product launch
ACCC engagement

Contractual Disputes; When things get bumpy

Outcome: the right resolution, commercially, legally and operationally.

We handle:

Contract enforcement
Shareholder + JV disputes
Alternative dispute resolution
Insurance + indemnity
Compulsory acquisition
Employment crossover disputes

When to call us:

Proposed termination of contact
Deal breakdown
Misrepresentation
Breach of contract

Need urgent help with a transaction or dispute?

Speak with our team, we’ll map your next steps today.

Get in Touch!

Mergers & Acquisitions

For growth, consolidation or exit, clear advice from pre-heads of agreement to completion.

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Commercial Contracts & Procurement

Protect your position without slowing momentum.

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Governance, Risk & Compliance

Practical governance frameworks that support good decisions.

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Who we support

Corporates and multinationals
Private enterprise
Local government + statutory bodies
Manufacturing and distribution
Health
Manufacturing + logistics
Tech + digital services
Professional services
Property + infrastructure
Not-for-profits

Results that matter

National logistics divestment: $180m sale, completed on time; proceeds secured and risk minimised.
Council governance restructure: improved accountability + operational stability.
JV dispute resolution: commercial settlement preserved value; costly, value destructive litigation avoided.
Tech procurement program: enterprise-wide ICT agreements delivered; risk balanced.

How we deliver practical solutions

Clear: straightforward advice + next steps
Commercial: grounded in industry, not theory
Defensible: structured to withstand scrutiny
Collaborative: integrated with leadership + advisers

FAQs

Yes. If there are unrelated founders or investors involved, a shareholder agreement is critical. Without one, disputes get expensive very quickly.

The big differences are liability transfer, tax treatment and risk allocation. The structure of the deal matters, so get advice early rather than cleaning up a mess later.

Before you go to market, and definitely before heads of agreement. The early settings on a deal tend to shape everything that follows.

Yes. Good legal structure early is usually far cheaper than fixing avoidable problems later.

Absolutely. We work with accountants and tax advisers all the time to make sure the legal and commercial pieces line up properly.