Managing risk for commercial outcomes.

Disputes can be stressful, expensive, and time-consuming. They often pose significant (even existential) risks to businesses. You’re looking for decisive legal advice from lawyers who understand how to achieve a commercially sensible result, and who proactively manage a difficult, often unfamiliar, process. We are your destination firm.

Our dispute resolution team is widely recognised as a leader in resolving disputes, having worked across the full spectrum of commercial disputes in all Australian jurisdictions. We represent and are trusted advisers to many major South Australian businesses who count on us to achieve the best possible outcomes in actual and potential dispute scenarios. Many of our clients are of long standing, because relationships and repeat performance count.

Our approach is to work with clients to find the best approach in each situation. We recognise that not all clients want their day in court – sometimes, the strict enforcement of legal rights does not align with commercial interests. That’s why we look to manage the risk before a dispute escalates.

However, when disputes develop, we’re experts in managing the legal process with a proactive and positive approach. Your business will benefit from our knowledge and expertise executing on the technical requirements while providing strategic insight and keeping the desired commercial outcome in mind.

Expertise

Contractual disputes
Commercial and retail property and leasing
Corporate governance and directors’ liabilities
Responding to regulatory action
Franchise compliance and complaints
Product liability and professional negligence
Enforcement of intellectual property rights
Competition and consumer law
Corporate and personal insolvency
Building and construction disputes

Experience

A franchisor engaged our services in relation to arbitration proceedings conducted in the UK against a former franchisee to recover unpaid amounts due under a franchise agreement.
We acted for a waste management and recycling business seeking remedy for the defective construction of its processing facility.
The former directors of an insolvent construction group sought our advice on director penalty notices.
We have represented a major manufacturer in two sets of significant and complex proceedings before the Supreme Court against a customer after the breakdown of their commercial relationship, involving claims of breach of exclusive supply commitments, creation of sham entities and conspiracy.
We acted for an accounting practice in defending a claim that representatives of the business made false or misleading statements / engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct) by providing information in respect of a business venture.