Your corporate, commercial, and business interests are crucial to your success. That’s why Finn Roache makes it our business to help you manage, protect and govern yours.
Corporate, Commercial & Business Law
As a business owner, you operate in a complex regulatory environment.
We’ll help you proactively identify your obligations under company legislation, ASIC, ACCC and other regulatory bodies to enable you to develop a business strategy that allows you to meet them.
Navigate front end risks with commercial contracts and relationship agreements including franchises, partnerships and shareholder agreements drafted and reviewed by our experienced team.
Business structures
The right business structure is essential to protect your assets and allow you to scale up and protect your intellectual property. If you’re starting out, consider getting legal advice early so you don’t lock yourself into a structure that is a bad fit for your business.
The best structure for you will depend on the type of business you run, eventual goals and liability considerations. Finn Roache have overseen the implementation of a diverse range of structures for businesses ranging from sole traders to listed companies and managed funds. We also have extensive experience in stakeholder agreements and franchising.
Mergers, acquisitions and asset sales
Whether you’re acquiring or selling business assets, you want to make sure that all aspects of the transaction are properly documented. We will draft or review the many documents that cover all aspects of the acquisition and divestment of business assets and shareholding. This includes mergers, trade sales, IPOs and back door listings.
Mergers, acquisitions and sales also have a range of other legal implications. We will advise you on any real estate, intellectual property, finance and litigation considerations that might arise from the transaction.
Management
Getting the management and administration of your business right is essential. By developing protocols that are tailor-made for your business’s individual needs, you can set yourself up for future success. We will review and draft the documentation you need to set out individual and company responsibilities and ensure compliance with corporate law and governance.
Our advice on corporate and commercial law includes:
- Structuring your business to maximise financial outcomes, in association with your tax advisors
- Drafting and reviewing contracts and agreements
- Drafting and reviewing supply and distribution agreements
- Advice on your compliance obligations with regulatory bodies
- Buying and selling businesses, assets and shares
Don't hesitate to get in touch for initial advice on your matter
We can advise you on the prospects of success should you wish to bring a matter to Court.
B.Bus (Marketing), LL.B. (UWS)
GradDip in IP (UTS)
Registered Trade Mark Attorney
GradDip in IP (UTS)
Registered Trade Mark Attorney
Daniel is an experienced litigator and transactional lawyer, specialising in corporate, property, and intellectual property law. Frequently appearing in the Local, District, and Supreme Courts, Daniel is also experienced in leading and assisting in complex litigation in Australia and internationally. Advising high-net-worth individuals and SMEs alike, Daniel focuses on pragmatic solutions, and as result, has a reputation for achieving successful & desired outcomes for his clients. Daniel is also a member of the Commercial Law Association.
Key Expertise
- Commercial and residential Property and Development involving acquisition, sale, development, leasing and construction, subdivisions throughout the Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle areas
- Corporate & Commercial
- Trusts, Succession & Business Structuring
- Wills & Estates
- Employment Law
- Intellectual Property
- Private Client Legal Services
- Business and Company Sales & Acquisitions
- Mortgages & Business Finance
- Information Technology
- Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Area and Emphasis of Practice
John is a Commercial Lawyer providing a broad range of corporate, commercial and property legal services to a number of industries including the information technology and other technology industries, accountants and their clients, property and development industry, transport and tourism industries and a number of others. He specialises in Business Law and Property Law. John has broad experience in:
- Sale and acquisition of companies and businesses
- Structuring of businesses and other entities
- Personal structuring and succession planning
- Funding of companies and businesses
- Insolvency
- Trade Practices, Competition and Consumer Law
- Revenue Law
- Due Diligence
- Compliance
Recent Matters
- Identifying suitable property, due diligence, negotiation and acquisition of Sydney CBD building for private off-shore investor
- Range of development advice for a consortium of investors with a large project in the South West of Sydney
- Sale of industrial business by company share sale involving due diligence and protracted negotiation with shareholders in dispute
- Sale in one line of two iconic Sydney CBD properties
- Insolvency advice and preparation of Deed of Company Arrangement to restructure a trading company
- Range of intellectual property advice for a number of tourism industry entities
- Succession planning, restructuring and funding advice for corporate and family group of companies
- Negotiation and successful resolution of complex inter-company guarantee dispute
- Range of employment advice to tourism businesses and other small and medium enterprises
- Negotiation, drafting and settling of complex software development and escrow agreement for development of specialised software for Sydney based national business
Education
- University of New South Wales, Sydney – Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting, Finance and Systems)
- University of New South Wales, Sydney – Bachelor of Laws
- College of Law – Practical Legal Training
- Post graduate studies in Intellectual Property & Information Technology at University of New South Wales
- Accredited Specialist, Business Law (Law Society of New South Wales) (first group receiving this award)
- Accredited Specialist, Property Law (Law Society of NSW) (first group receiving this award)
Memberships
- Law Society of NSW
- Chairman of the Examination Committee for Business Law Specialist Accreditation for the Law Society of New South Wales
- Board Member of Uniting Resources of the Uniting Church of Australia (Synod of NSW and ACT)
- Member of the Statutory Corporation for the Uniting Church in New South Wales, The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW)
- Skål International Sydney North (Tourism industry group)
- Member of Australian Tourism Export Council Limited
Civic / Charitable Causes
- Long term affiliation and working with Uniting Church Synod (NSW and ACT) on a number of boards
- Member of a number of committees of Law Society of New South Wales over many years
- Member of Property Council of Australia and contributor to Legal Panel over many years (recently ceased for time commitment pressures)
- Sponsor of Australian Tourism Export Council Limited and regular contributor of published articles and speaking engagements
- Honorary Legal Counsel for Australian Tourism Export Council Limited
- Sponsor of National Tourism Alliance and contributor of published articles
- Honorary Legal Counsel for National Tourism Alliance
- Regular presenter at legal education forums for College of Law, Law Society of New South Wales and other private legal education institutions
Andrew has over 20 years experience as a lawyer practising in the Sydney CBD. In addition to private client, business succession and estate planning, he has an extensive background in commercial and residential property matters including large scale project developments, commercial leasing and associated banking and finance transactions.
As both a legal advisor and a non-executive director for listed and non-listed public companies Andrew also expertise in corporate and compliance work, company restructuring, business sales and acquisitions.
As a member of Sydney Cove Law Group which is a chambers style legal practice, Andrew is supported by three other solicitors, a qualified paralegal, law clerk and a secretary. His colleagues have expertise in intellectual property and trade marks law, wills and estate planning and commercial litigation.
Brendan Madigan is an experienced commercial lawyer admitted to the Supreme and High Court in 1994.
He delivers great advocacy and practical advice to his clients, offering a broad commercial practice, with particular focus on commercial, property, family and business Law.
Brendan has specific expertise in commercial dispute resolution and litigation. Having acted for politicians, large companies, small business owners, local councils, RTO’s, developers, builders, contractors, directors, CEO’s, workers, farmers, rural contractors, large national rural co-operatives and growers associations, Brendan’s approach is both diverse & need specific.
Brendan also holds the position of corporate counsel for a number of corporations.
Brendan has a particular interest in family law because he wants to be able to help people through what is one of the most difficult times of their lives. Brendan’s commercial background gives him the edge and experience to expertly advise on modest and complex property matters involving multiple assets, family companies, trust structures and superannuation interests.
Born and raised in rural Tumut NSW, Brendan commenced his legal career as an articled law clerk at his local firm Dawson Gain & Fletcher. After gaining valuable tuition and experience in general rural practice, Brendan began specialising in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. This led to him heading up the litigation practice group at a leading Gold Coast law firm in 2001. In 2006, Brendan Commenced his own firm, in Tweed Heads NSW, drawing on his experience in dispute resolution, and specialising in commercial, property, family and business law, and dispute resolution.
Special Counsel – NSW & QLD
Suzette has experience in property, commercial law and estate planning in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. Her experience in property and commercial law includes advising developers, land owners, farmers, business owners and private individuals in the areas of property development, commercial and retail shop leasing, commercial and residential conveyancing, business acquisitions and sales, community titles schemes, property development structuring and titling, trusts and general commercial transactions.
Suzette was admitted to practice in 2011 after completing her Juris Doctorate from Bond University. Suzette also holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Masters degree in Forensic Science.
Key Expertise
- Commercial Law
- Intellectual Property
- Employment Law
- Information Technology
- General Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Property Law
Area and Emphasis of Practice
Sarah assists a range of clients in providing both commercial and personal legal services across a variety of fields including the information technology, entertainment, property and building, and tourism industries, as well as providing legal services to clients within the non-for-profit sector (including religious organisations). Sarah also has extensive litigation experience across a number of jurisdictions, and has regularly appeared in the Supreme Court of NSW, Federal Court and Administrative Appeals Tribunal in a broad range of personal and commercial disputes.
Recent Matters
- Advising major corporate clients as to their legal rights and options in circumstances where complex contractual and commercial relationships have broken down, and assisting clients to negotiate practical commercial solutions
- Instructing and assisting Senior and Junior Counsel in complex matters before the Supreme Court of NSW involving contract law, consumer law and corporations law disputes
- Assisting prepare complex documentation to allow a client to successfully complete the off the plan sale and leasing of multi-levelled inner city mixed use stratum development
- Successfully acting to secure settlements, or otherwise overturn decisions by insurers to cease or decline to pay worker’s compensation entitlements, on behalf of injured workers
Education
- University of Technology, Sydney – Master of Laws (majoring in Health Law & Policy and Intellectual Property, conferred with Distinction)
- Canberra Institute of Technology – Diploma of Government
- The College of Law – Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
- The University of Sydney – Bachelor of Laws (conferred with Honours)
- The University of Sydney – Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (majoring in History and English, Honours in History)
Memberships
- Law Society of NSW
- City of Sydney Law Society
- The Lawyers Orchestra Incorporated Secretary and Public Officer
Key Expertise
- Corporate Law
- Capital Raising
- Commercial Law
Area and Emphasis of Practice
David specialises in corporate law, capital raising and commercial law. He adds significant depth to our corporate and commercial practice. With a background in banking law where he was the chief legal officer and a company secretary for an international bank, David has been in private legal practice in the financial services industry in his own firm since 2002. In that time David has developed a significant following of clients in the corporate advisory and capital raising areas. His practice entails many other areas of general commercial law.
- Corporate and commercial advice
- Corporate governance and compliance
- Board best practice
- ASX listing rules
- Equity capital markets transactions including IPOs
- Debt financing
- Mergers & acquisitions
- Financial services industry regulation
- Financial product development
Recent Matters
- Formation and restructure of foreign banks in Australia
- Merger of ASX listed companies
- $500 million US$ note issue by major ASX listed infrastructure company
- $100 million plus Accelerated rights Entitlement Offer for ASX listed resource company
- Various underwritten and non-underwritten capital raisings (IPO, rights issues, placements, security purchase plans and convertible note issues) totaling in excess of $2 billion for ASX listed companies
- Australian Financial Services Licence applications and amendment of licence conditions
- Unwinding of long established private company with assets in excess of $50 million and resolution of contentious shareholder disputes
- Due Diligence to support mergers and acquisitions
- Corporate investigation and Reports
- Establishment of various companies including shareholder agreements, joint development agreements and similar
- Representation of foreign shareholders
- Resolution of complex contractual disputes
- Settlement of various shareholder disputes
- Development of financial products in Australia and Asia: investment products, transaction services products and payment platforms
- Various property transactions; acquisitions, disposals, subdivision and leases
Education
- Bachelor of Jurisprudence
- LLB: Bachelor of Law
- Grad Dip CM: Graduate Diploma of Corporate Management
- AICD Company Directors Course
- Solicitor and Notary Public
Memberships
- Member: Law Society of New South Wales
- Fellow: Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Fellow: Governance Institute of Australia
- Fellow: Institute of chartered secretaries and administrators
Civic / Charitable Causes
- Australia Cambodia Foundation Inc
B.A., LL.M. (USyd)
Accredited Specialist, Business Law
Accredited Specialist, Business Law
Fashion lawyer, corporate and business advisor, intellectual property go-to guru. The son of the firm’s founder, Chris has more than a half century’s breadth of experience in legal issues affecting a diverse spectrum of industry, commerce, and high net worth individuals.
A sometime university guest lecturer, advisor to the Australian Law Reform Commission, honorary solicitor for the Australian Graphic Design Association, there are few legal issues in business and commerce that Chris has not dealt with.
He has been a Business Law Accredited Specialist for more than half his career, sits on the Law Society’s Business Law Advisory Committee and is an examiner in that discipline.
