Legal work in the city runs on different problems to the suburbs. Apartments instead of houses, owners corporations instead of back fences, and commercial leases where the rent review clause matters more than the address. We act for buyers, sellers, tenants and small businesses across the City of Melbourne, Port Phillip and Yarra.
Apartments and owners corporations
An inner-city apartment purchase lives or dies on the owners corporation certificate. Levies, the state of the maintenance fund, a pending special levy for cladding rectification or a lift replacement, and any current litigation are all disclosed — but only to someone who reads the certificate properly and knows what an unfunded sinking fund implies about the next five years of ownership. We read it, and we tell you what it means for what you are about to pay.
Off-the-plan in the towers
Melbourne’s CBD, Docklands and Southbank sell heavily off the plan, and those contracts are drafted hard in the developer’s favour. The sunset date, the developer’s right to vary the plan, what happens to your deposit if the build stalls, and the stamp duty consequences of settling on a different apartment to the one you chose are all worth understanding before you sign, not after. We review off-the-plan contracts as a fixed fee.
Commercial and retail leasing
City tenancies carry the highest rents and the longest commitments of anything we see. Whether your lease falls under the Retail Leases Act 2003 changes the entire negotiation — the disclosure you are owed, the outgoings a landlord can pass on, and the minimum term you are entitled to. We check that first, then work through the clauses that will cost you real money in year four: rent review mechanism, make-good, assignment on sale of the business, and personal guarantees.
Trade marks for city businesses
Hospitality, agency and professional-services businesses in the city trade on their name more than most. We handle availability searches before you commit to signage, then classification and filing with IP Australia.
Common questions
Do I need to come into the city to meet you?
No. We work by phone, email and video, and documents are signed electronically or witnessed by arrangement. Most clients never need a face-to-face meeting — though we are happy to arrange one where a matter genuinely calls for it.
What should I check before buying a CBD apartment?
The owners corporation certificate above all — levies, fund balance, planned works and any special levy already flagged. Then the building’s cladding status, short-stay letting rules in the OC rules, car park and storage cage title, and whether the apartment is on a separate title or a shared one. We cover all of it in a contract review.
How we can help
Conveyancing
Fixed-fee residential, commercial, strata and off-the-plan settlements — contract reviews, searches and a settlement day that runs on time.
Learn moreProperty & Leasing
Commercial, retail and residential leases drafted, reviewed and negotiated — plus tenancy disputes, VCAT and Small Business Commissioner matters.
Learn moreWills & Estate Planning
Wills, powers of attorney and advance care directives drafted or updated, so the people you care about are not left guessing.
Learn moreIntellectual Property & Trade Marks
Trade mark searches, IP Australia applications and brand protection strategy — so the name you built stays yours.
Learn moreOther Practice Areas
Commercial agreements, business structuring, disputes and the matters that do not fit a neat category. Ask us — we will tell you honestly.
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