Our fees
Every figure includes GST, states what it covers, and is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
Commercial & businessTrade marks & IPEmploymentProperty & conveyancingCommercial leasingADVO & APVOCriminal & trafficFamily lawWills & estatesTenancyStrataDebt recoveryPrivacy, data & complianceImmigrationAged care & retirement livingAged care & health providers
We don't charge for administration, sundries and stationery. The only additions are the search, certificate, registration and government fees, charged at what they actually cost us.
Commercial & business
Commercial work is quoted as a fixed fee once we have seen the document or the deal. These are the figures such jobs usually land on. Genuinely open-ended matters are quoted hourly.
How long it takesTwo to three business days for a contract review, faster if you are up against a deadline. Drafting a new agreement usually takes one to two weeks, most of which is you and the other side settling the commercial terms.
Contracts and terms of business
Contract review with written adviceUp to 15 pages. Marked-up copy, a written note on the clauses that matter, and a call to go through it.
$2,000
Terms of business or website termsFor a service business. Australian Consumer Law compliance and the unfair contract terms regime.
$2,750–$4,950
Supply agreement, draftingOne instrument, one round of revisions after your comments.
$3,850–$6,000
Distribution, agency or import agreementIncluding Japan-Australia and Korea-Australia arrangements. Governing law, territory, minimum volumes, termination.
$4,950–$8,250
Confidentiality agreementStandard bilateral NDA, drafted or reviewed.
$900
Shareholders or unitholders agreementDrag, tag, pre-emptives, deadlock, exit. Includes a conference with all parties.
$6,000–$9,900
Further negotiation roundsPer round, on an agreement already reviewed.
$1,000
Franchising
Franchise agreement review, franchisee sideAgreement, disclosure document, key facts sheet and lease or licence. Written advice against the Franchising Code of Conduct.
$3,300–$4,950
Franchise document suite, franchisor sideAgreement, disclosure document, key facts sheet and operations manual review.
From $12,000
Transfer or renewal of an existing franchiseConsent, deed of transfer, release and assignment of lease.
$3,850–$5,500
Business structuring and transactions
Company incorporation and structure adviceCompany, constitution, share structure and a written note on holding structure.
$2,400
Business sale or purchase, asset saleConsideration under $1 million. Contract, restraint, employee transfer and completion.
$6,000–$9,900
Legal due diligence reportContracts, leases, intellectual property, employment and disputes.
From $4,950
Trade marks & IP
Registration is class by class and cannot be broadened later, so the search is done first. IP Australia filing fees are set by the Commonwealth, are not ours, and are charged at cost on top of the figures below.
How long it takesA search and written advice come back within three business days. After filing, IP Australia usually examines within a few months, then there is a two-month opposition period once a mark is accepted. Budget six to nine months to registration on a clean application.
Before you file
Availability search and registrability adviceSearches of the Register and of common law use, with a written view on your prospects under s 44 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth).
$750
Classification and filing strategyWhich classes, which specification wording, and what it will and will not cover.
$1,000
Filing and prosecution
Trade mark application, one classPreparing and filing the application and reporting on examination.
$1,650
Each additional classFiled at the same time.
$550
Response to an adverse examination reportWritten submissions on citation, honest concurrent use under s 44(3)(a), or prior continuous use under s 44(4).
$2,000–$3,300
Evidence of use in support of a responseDeclaration, exhibits and submissions where the objection cannot be argued away.
$3,300–$5,500
Opposition, filing or defendingNotice of intention, statement of grounds and particulars, evidence stages.
From $5,500
Enforcement and dealings
Letter of demand, infringement or passing offInvestigation, letter and one round of correspondence.
$1,650
Licence or assignment of a trade markIncluding recordal with IP Australia.
$2,750–$4,400
Copyright and confidential information adviceOwnership, moral rights, contractor-created material.
$1,300
Domain name and business name disputesauDRP complaint or negotiated transfer.
$2,750
Employment
Employment work starts at $900. Under s 394(2)(a) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) the 21 days run from the dismissal taking effect, not from the day notice was given.
How long it takesAdvice on a dismissal is same or next business day, because of the 21-day limit. The Fair Work Commission usually lists a conciliation within a few weeks of lodgement, and most matters settle there.
Employers
Employment contract, draftingOne role. Award coverage checked, restraint drafted so it will hold up.
$2,000
Contract suiteUp to four role types. Award coverage checked for each, restraints drafted to be enforceable.
From $5,500
Contractor or consultancy agreementIncluding a sham contracting assessment.
$2,500–$3,500
Deed of release on exitDrafting and negotiation.
$2,200–$3,300
Advice on a disciplinary, performance or redundancy processBefore you act.
$2,000
Workplace policies
Single policyOne policy, drafted or reviewed against the law as it currently stands.
$900
Sexual harassment policy and complaints procedurePolicy plus the reporting and response process that has to sit behind it, so the duty is discharged in practice.
$1,650
Core policy setCode of conduct, work health and safety, bullying and harassment, leave, and flexible working requests.
$3,300
Full policy suite and employee handbookThe core set plus IT and social media, drugs and alcohol, privacy and employee records, performance and discipline, and the right to disconnect. Delivered as a handbook staff can be asked to read.
$4,950
Review of an existing policy setYour current policies checked against the law now, with a written note on what is missing and what no longer holds.
$1,650–$2,750
Employers now carry a positive duty to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sexual harassment, and not simply to respond once a complaint arrives after the fact. And the right to disconnect under s 333M of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) has applied to small business employers since 26 August 2025.
Employees
Advice on whether you have a claimEligibility, minimum employment period, which application, and the 21-day limit.
$2,000
Unfair dismissal applicationForm F2, lodgement and the conciliation conference.
$3,850–$5,500
General protections applicationForm F8, where the reason for dismissal involved a workplace right. No cap on compensation.
$4,400–$6,000
Employment contract reviewRestraint, notice, bonus, intellectual property and confidentiality.
$2,000
Deed of release reviewBefore you sign away your rights.
$1,000–$1,500
Commission and court
Fair Work Commission appearanceConciliation or hearing. Per appearance.
From $2,500
Property & conveyancing
The fees below are professional costs and include GST. Disbursements are extra. They are the searches, certificates, registration and transfer duty (still widely called stamp duty), which are set by others and charged to you at cost. You get an estimate of them in writing before you commit.
How long it takesA pre-purchase contract review is two to three business days. A standard residential purchase runs on a six-week settlement. Off the plan runs to registration of the plan, which can be years.
Buying
Contract review before you signFull review and a call. Credited against the purchase fee if you go on to instruct us.
$550
Residential purchaseEstablished property to $1.5 million. Review, exchange, enquiries, settlement.
$2,200
Residential purchase, higher value or off the planAbove $1.5 million, strata off the plan, or where a sunset clause, deposit bond or related-party arrangement is involved.
$3,850–$5,500
Commercial or industrial purchaseIncluding GST treatment, going concern and lease review.
From $6,000
Selling
Residential saleContract preparation with all prescribed documents, exchange and settlement.
$2,200
Sale with a tenant in place or a lease to be assignedAdditional to the above.
$1,000
Transfers and other dealings
Transfer between related partiesIncluding transfers between spouses and transfers following a family law order.
$2,400
Discharge or registration of a mortgage or caveatPer dealing.
$1,000
Subdivision or strata plan registrationScoped and quoted individually.
Quoted
Commercial leasing
Lease work is a fixed fee per document. What it comes to depends on whether the Retail Leases Act applies, because that changes how much of the document is actually negotiable. If the premises are used wholly or predominantly for a listed retail business, or sit in a retail shopping centre, the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) applies and overrides inconsistent lease terms.
How long it takesA lease review is three to five business days. How long the negotiation takes is set by the landlord.
Tenant side
Retail lease reviewWritten advice on the lease, the disclosure statement and your obligations under the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW).
$2,000
Commercial or industrial lease reviewMake good, options, outgoings, guarantees and bank guarantee.
$2,000
Negotiation with the landlordPer round, after the review.
$1,000
Landlord side
Commercial lease, draftingRegistrable lease, guarantee and bank guarantee provisions.
$3,850–$5,500
Agreement for lease or incentive deedFitout, rent-free and contribution arrangements.
From $3,850
Assignment, surrender or variation of leaseConsent, deed and negotiation.
$2,400
ADVO & APVO
Apprehended violence orders are dealt with under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW). Court appearances start at $2,500.
How long it takesThese move faster than anything else in the Local Court. A provisional order binds from service and the first mention is usually within days, so advice is same-day where it has to be.
Defending an order
Advice on an order served on youWhat the conditions prohibit, what consenting without admissions means, and what it affects.
$1,650
Court appearance, mention or interim hearingPer appearance.
From $2,500
Negotiating conditions or consent without admissionsWhere the order will be made but the conditions are the real issue.
$2,750–$3,850
Defended hearingPreparation, subpoenas, cross-examination of the applicant and any police witness.
From $6,600
Application to vary or revoke an orderMade under s 72A and determined under s 73 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW).
$2,750
Applying for an order
Private application for an APVOWhere there is no domestic relationship — neighbours, co-workers, former friends. Application, complaint and first mention.
$2,750–$3,850
Support where police have applied for an ADVO for youPreparation of your statement, liaison with the police prosecutor, appearance.
From $2,500
Breach proceedings
Charged with contravening an orderAn offence under s 14 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), carrying imprisonment. Plea and one appearance.
$3,300–$4,400
Defended breach hearingWhere a breach is denied and the matter is listed for hearing. Preparation, subpoenas if needed, and the hearing itself.
From $6,600
A breach is a criminal charge, not a variation of the order. Where the act constituting the offence was an act of violence against a person, s 14(4) requires a sentence of imprisonment unless the court otherwise orders; s 14(5) excludes offenders under 18, and s 14(6) requires reasons where imprisonment is not imposed. It is a separate matter from the order itself and is priced separately.
Criminal & traffic
All court appearances start at $2,500. Court filing fees, expert reports and interpreters are additional.
How long it takesAdvice before an interview is same-day where it needs to be. A Local Court matter that resolves on a plea is usually finished within two to three months. A defended hearing typically lands four to six months out.
Before a charge is laid
Advice while under investigationWhere police have attended, taken statements or executed a warrant but no charge has yet been laid. What is likely to follow, what your obligations are, and what to do if contact is made again.
$1,650
Attendance at a police interviewAdvice beforehand and attendance with you.
$1,650
Written advice on a court attendance notice or facts sheetWhere you stand, and whether you need representation at all.
$550
Local Court
Plea of guilty, one appearanceInstructions, subjective material, written submissions on sentence and the appearance.
$2,500–$3,850
Section 10 or conditional release order applicationWhere the aim is no conviction. Character material and submissions.
$2,500
Defended hearingPreparation, subpoenas, cross-examination. Half to a full day.
From $6,600
Court appearance, any additional dayMentions, adjournments, part-heard matters.
From $2,500
Traffic and licensing
Drink or drug driving, pleaIncluding a traffic offender program referral where it will assist.
$2,500
Licence appeal or suspension appealLocal Court appeal against a Transport for NSW suspension. 28 days to lodge.
$2,500
Written advice on a traffic chargeWhether to plead, the likely range, and whether you need representation.
$550
Licence appeal, police immediate suspensionNotice of appeal, affidavit material, submissions on exceptional circumstances and the appearance.
$2,750–$3,850
Licence appeal, other suspensionsWhere the exceptional circumstances test does not apply. Preparation and the appearance.
$2,200–$3,300
High range drink driving, pleaMore subjective material, submissions on the interlock order, one appearance.
$3,300–$5,500
Court election on an infringementSpeeding, negligent driving and other traffic notices. Advice on whether to elect, then the appearance.
$1,650–$2,500
Application to remove a disqualificationHabitual offender declaration or removal of a disqualification.
$2,200–$3,300
Family law
The figures below are for the documents named. Court filing fees are set by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and are additional. Court appearances start at $2,500.
How long it takesConsent orders are commonly made within six to ten weeks of filing, on the papers, without anyone attending. A binding financial agreement can be done in a fortnight if both sides move. Contested proceedings are measured in years.
Finalising a property settlement, the two routes
Consent orders, propertyWhere terms are already agreed: the Application for Consent Orders and the minute of orders, filed with the court. Binds both parties and is enforceable as an order.
$2,750–$6,000
Binding financial agreementDrafted under Part VIIIA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) for married couples, or Part VIIIAB for de facto couples. Includes the independent legal advice certificate we must give you.
$4,000–$8,000
Advice and certificate on the other side's agreementWhere the other party's lawyer has drafted the agreement and you need independent advice before signing. Without this certificate the agreement does not bind under s 90G(1), and only a court order under s 90G(1A) can save it.
$1,000–$2,000
These are alternatives, not a sequence. Consent orders are made by the court and are the usual route where you have reached agreement and there is no reason to keep the terms private. A binding financial agreement is a private contract, is used before or during a relationship as well as after, and can be set aside on grounds a court order cannot. Which one is right for you turns on your assets, your timing and whether a court would approve the split as just and equitable. That is worked out at the first conference — it is not chosen off a price list.
Children and separation
Parenting consent ordersAgreed arrangements filed with the court.
$3,300–$4,950
Parenting planWritten and signed, but never filed. Not enforceable as an order.
$1,650
Divorce applicationSole or joint. Court filing fee is additional.
$1,650
First family law conferenceNinety minutes, with a written summary of where you stand on property and on children.
$900
When it is contested
Court appearance, per dayInterim hearings, mentions and directions, including preparation on the day.
From $2,500
Contested proceedingsCharged at our hourly rate against a written estimate updated at each stage. No range is published. You get a written estimate, updated at each stage.
Estimated in writing
Wills & estates
Estate work starts at $1,500. Probate filing fees are set by the Supreme Court on a scale by estate value, change from time to time, and are additional.
How long it takesA will is drafted within a week of the conference and signed at a second appointment. Probate is usually granted a few weeks after filing, but the application has a mandatory notice period before it can be filed.
Putting it in place
WillSingle, including a conference on structure and the appointment of executors.
$1,500
Wills for a coupleMirror wills.
$2,400
Estate planning pack, singleWill, enduring power of attorney and appointment of enduring guardian.
$2,200
Estate planning pack, coupleAs above, for two.
$3,300
Testamentary trust willWhere there are blended families, a business, or beneficiaries who should not take outright.
From $4,400
After a death
Probate, uncontestedApplication, advertisement and grant.
$3,850
Letters of administrationWhere there is no will.
$4,400
Estate administration after the grantCalling in assets, distribution and estate accounts.
From $3,300
Family provision claimUnder Chapter 3 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW). Twelve months from death to file. Quoted after we see the estate.
Quoted
Tenancy
Most of this is NCAT work, and NCAT is designed to be used without engaging anyone. Filing fees are modest and additional.
How long it takesNCAT commonly lists a tenancy matter within a few weeks. Advice and a letter go out the same or next business day.
Renting
Bond dispute, advice and letterWritten advice and a letter to the agent or landlord.
$900
Termination notice reviewWhether the notice is valid under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) and what follows.
$650
NCAT application and representationPreparation, evidence and one hearing day.
$2,750
Additional NCAT hearing dayWhere the matter does not finish in one day. Per additional day.
From $2,500
Landlords
Termination notice, preparationSince 19 May 2025 a reason must be given and evidence provided.
$900
Arrears or damage claim at NCATPreparation, evidence and one hearing day.
$2,750
Strata
Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) owes the duty to each owner individually, which is what makes a claim possible at all.
How long it takesAdvice is within three business days. NCAT strata matters commonly list within a couple of months. A defect claim runs longer because it waits on expert evidence.
Lot owners
Advice on a defect or water ingress claimWhere the boundary sits, whether s 106 is engaged, and where the six-year period in s 106(6) stands — including whether the claim was already barred before 1 July 2025.
$1,650
Claim against the owners corporationPreparation, evidence and one NCAT hearing day.
$3,300–$4,950
Renovation approval, minor or major worksBy-law drafting where structural work or waterproofing is involved.
$2,000
Levy or by-law disputeAdvice and correspondence.
$1,650
Owners corporations and committees
By-law drafting or reviewIncluding pets, short-term letting, renovations and parking.
$2,000
Levy recoveryLetter of demand, then Local Court if required.
$1,650–$2,750
Advice to the committee on a s 106 obligationBefore an owner's six-year period under s 106(6) becomes the scheme's problem.
$2,000
Building defects and the developer's building bondPart 11 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW). Scoped and quoted individually.
Quoted
Building and construction
Statutory warranty claim under the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW)Six years for a major defect, two otherwise, from completion. Quoted after the expert report.
Quoted
Debt recovery
Filing and service fees are set by the courts, change from time to time, and are additional.
How long it takesA letter of demand goes out within two business days and gives 14 days to pay. If it proceeds, add 28 days for a defence, then months if it is defended.
Recovering money
Letter of demandDrafted so it can be relied on as evidence if the matter goes to court.
$1,000
Statutory demandUnder s 459E of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), where the debtor is a company and the debt is not genuinely disputed.
$1,650
Statement of claim, Local CourtDrafting and filing.
$2,000
Default judgmentWhere no defence is filed.
$1,000
EnforcementGarnishee order, writ for levy of property, or examination notice. Per step.
$1,100
Defending a claim
Advice on a statutory demand served on youTwenty-one days to comply or apply to set aside. That period cannot be extended.
$1,300
Defence to a statement of claimDrafting and filing.
$2,000
Court appearancePer appearance.
From $2,500
Privacy, data & compliance
Privacy work is rarely one document. It covers what you collect, where it is stored, who can access it, how long you keep it, and your breach response. The fee depends on what you already have in place.
Most engagements start with a conference to work out the scope, followed by a written proposal. Both are at no charge.
How long it takesA live breach is same-day. The assessment under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme has a thirty-day outer limit and should take days, not weeks. A policy or a data handling review is one to three weeks.
Documents
Privacy policy and collection noticesAustralian Privacy Principles, including APP 8 cross-border disclosure where you use offshore hosting.
$2,750
Employee and contractor data provisionsHandling, access and destruction obligations written into the contracts you already use.
$1,650
Assessment and program work
Data handling and records reviewWhat personal information you hold, where it is hosted, who has access, and how long you keep it. Written findings and a remediation list.
$4,400–$7,700
Data breach response planRoles, decision points, notification templates and the 30-day assessment path under s 26WH of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
$3,300
Compliance program, ongoingAnnual review, policy updates, training and a point of contact. Quoted as a monthly retainer.
Retainer
When something has gone wrong
Eligible data breach assessmentAssessment under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme and, where required, notification to the OAIC and to affected individuals.
$3,300
Breach response, active incidentContainment advice, assessment, notification and regulator correspondence. Charged hourly against a written estimate because the scope is set by the incident.
Estimated in writing
Modern slavery and supply chain reviewScoped and quoted individually.
Quoted
Immigration
We do not publish immigration fees.
How long it takesReview deadlines are counted in days, while Tribunal listing times can run to a year or more.
Why there is no price list here
Every visa matter is quoted individuallyThe fee depends on the subclass, on your immigration and travel history, on whether there is a prior refusal or cancellation, and on whether the matter is likely to go to the Administrative Review Tribunal. Quoted individually.
Quoted
Department of Home Affairs visa application charges are set by the Commonwealth, are not ours, and are payable on top of any professional fee. Review applications to the Administrative Review Tribunal have their own filing fee and a strict deadline that in most cases is 28 days or less.
Aged care & retirement living
For families. Each fee below is for the document read properly and the numbers that decide what you get back.
How long it takesThree to five business days for a contract review, faster where there is a deadline to accept an offer. If a village or a facility gives you less time than that, call us.
Before you sign
Residential aged care agreement, reviewThe accommodation agreement and the resident agreement, with a written note on the RAD or DAP, the daily fees and what happens to the balance.
$1,200
Retirement village contract, reviewContract, disclosure statement and village rules. Written advice on the deferred management fee, refurbishment, resale and what you get back on exit.
$1,800
Independent living unit or land lease communitySite agreement or lease, with the ongoing site fees and the exit position set out.
$1,500
Second contract for a coupleWhere two agreements are being signed for the same move.
$900
The exit position decides how much of the money comes back. We put it in writing first.
When something has gone wrong
Support at Home, advice on an assessment or a decisionWhere support has been refused, reduced or delayed, under Support at Home or a legacy home care package, including what can be reviewed and by when.
$900
Initial advice on a possible claimA fall, a pressure injury, medication or a failure of care. Written advice on whether there is a claim, against whom, and the limitation period.
$1,200
Exit, transfer or fee dispute with a facilityAdvice and correspondence where fees, a refund or a forced transfer is in dispute.
From $1,500
A claim itself is quoted separately once we have seen the records. We will tell you if the likely recovery would not cover the cost.
Aged care & health providers
For providers and operators. This is commercial work, priced on the document and the deal. Each figure below is for the whole job, start to finish.
How long it takesAn agreement suite is usually two to four weeks depending on how many service types it covers. A compliance review is scoped after a first conference and delivered as a written report.
Agreements with the people you care for
Residential care agreement suite, review or redraftAccommodation agreement, resident agreement and the schedules, against the Act and the Quality Standards.
$4,950–$8,250
Home care or support at home service agreementAgreement, schedule of fees and the exit and variation clauses.
$3,300–$5,500
Retirement village documentationContract, disclosure statement and village rules under the Retirement Villages Act 1999 (NSW).
$4,950–$8,250
Running the business
Funding, supply or subcontract agreementReview or drafting, including where funding conditions flow down to a subcontractor.
$2,750–$4,950
Compliance reviewA written report against the Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth) and the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, with the gaps ranked and a remediation sequence.
From $4,950
Workforce and engagement documentsContracts, on-hire and contractor arrangements for care staff.
$2,000–$4,400
Sale or purchase of a facility or a businessContract, due diligence, staff transfer and completion.
Quoted
Where a matter is genuinely open-ended we quote hourly against a written estimate.
All figures include GST and are indicative ranges for common matters, not quotes. Disbursements — court, registry, IP Australia, search and settlement fees — are set by others, are additional and are charged at cost. Your fee is confirmed in writing before any work begins and is not exceeded without your written approval.
Not sure which line applies to you?Call and ask. If it is not on the list at all, say what happened and you will be told what it costs.Call 1300 992 219