Business and Commercial Lawyer - Sydney
Every business decision has a legal dimension. Connected Legal + Commercial gives Sydney SMEs commercially grounded legal advice — on contracts, acquisitions, shareholders agreements and disputes — so you can act with confidence, not guesswork. If you’re a smaller operation, our dedicated Small Business Lawyer Sydney service is tailored to your needs.
More than Contracts
Connected Legal + Commercial is a Sydney commercial law firm advising business owners, founders and executives at every stage of growth.
Whether you're starting out, scaling up, taking on a partner, or planning an exit, we provide strategic legal advice that reflects how business actually works - not just the legal framework around it.
Business structuring – setting up the right legal entity from day one, whether that's a company, trust, partnership or joint venture.
Shareholders agreements – protecting relationships, defining rights and locking in exit mechanisms before a dispute arises.
Commercial contracts – drafting, reviewing and negotiating agreements that protect your position across every deal you do.
Business acquisitions and sales – end-to-end support on buying or selling a business: due diligence, structuring, disclosure, and documentation.
Partnership and joint venture agreements - clear terms for working with others so everyone knows where they stand.
Privacy policies and website terms of use - compliant, practical documents your business and customers can rely on.
Employment agreements and employer advice- protecting your business through compliant contracts, policies and termination advice.
Dispute resolution – negotiation, mediation and litigation when commercial relationships break down.
Why Business Owners Choose Connected Legal + Commercial
We work primarily with SMEs - businesses with staff, doing real deals, but not yet large enough to have in-house counsel. That means you get advice that is commercially minded, not just legally correct.
Our lawyers advise across a wide range of industries, with particular depth in professional services, health and medical practices, marketing and retail. We understand the pressures and timelines of business deals, and we advise accordingly.
No jargon. No unnecessary steps. A member of the team will respond to you within one business day. And if a matter isn't right for us, we'll tell you - and point you to someone who can help.
Working with us is straightforward.
You start with a free Clarity Call – a 15-minute conversation to understand your situation and confirm whether we're the right fit. From there, we provide a clear scope of work and a fixed or capped fee estimate before any work begins.
We work with clients across Greater Sydney and nationally on matters that don't require your physical presence.
Our office is at Level 5, The Brewery, 5 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale – but most of our client work happens over video call and email.
The CL+C Business Law Experience
Is This the Right Time?
Commercial legal advice isn't only for businesses in crisis.
It's the right conversation when:
You're starting a business and want to get the structure right before you invest time or money
You're bringing on a co-founder or business partner and need a shareholders or partnership agreement to protect everyone
You're about to sign a significant commercial contract — a lease, supplier agreement, client service agreement — and want to know what you're actually agreeing to
You're buying or selling a business and need guidance on due diligence, structuring and documentation
A commercial dispute is escalating and you need to understand your legal position before responding
Your business has grown — new staff, new deals, new risks — and your legal foundations haven't kept pace
You want to protect your business with compliant employment contracts, privacy policies, or website terms
The right time is almost always earlier than you think.
Business and Commercial Law FAQs
-
Yes – a shareholders agreement isn't about distrust, it's about clarity. It defines what happens when circumstances change: if someone wants to exit, a dispute arises, or the business needs to make a major decision. Getting it right at the start is far cheaper than resolving a dispute later.
-
Act early and get advice before you respond. The way you respond to a dispute in its early stages can significantly affect your legal position later. Document everything - relevant contracts, correspondence, invoices and communications. Do not make admissions or concessions in writing until you have spoken to a lawyer. Most commercial disputes resolve through negotiation or mediation before reaching court. At Connected Legal + Commercial, we advise Sydney businesses on their options and represent them through each stage of a dispute.
-
Costs vary depending on the complexity of the matter. Simple contract reviews may be quoted as a fixed fee. More complex matters - business sales, shareholder disputes, significant negotiations - are typically handled on a fixed-scope or capped-fee basis. At Connected Legal + Commercial, we provide a clear estimate before any work begins, so you know what to expect. Book a free Clarity Call to discuss your matter and get a fee indication with no obligation.
-
Buying a business in NSW typically involves: a heads of agreement or letter of intent; due diligence on the financials, contracts, leases, staff and licences; structuring advice (are you buying assets or shares?); negotiation and drafting of the business sale agreement; and settlement. The process can take six to twelve weeks depending on complexity. We advise Sydney buyers on what to look for, what to negotiate, and how to structure the deal to minimise risk.
-
Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), Australian businesses with annual turnover above $3 million - and many smaller businesses in certain industries - must have a privacy policy. It must explain what personal information you collect, why you collect it, how it is stored and protected, and how individuals can access or correct their information. We draft compliant, plain-English privacy policies and website terms of use for Sydney businesses that reflect how your business actually operates.