Shareholder Agreement Lawyers — Melbourne
Shareholders' and founders' agreements for Melbourne companies — vesting, control, funding, deadlock and exit, drafted by a senior commercial lawyer on a fixed fee.
Fixed fee. Senior lawyer.
Every engagement is quoted upfront and led by a senior lawyer — never a paralegal-first pipeline.
- hello@envisionlegal.com.au
- Sydney · Melbourne · National
How we help
What we handle for you.
Concrete deliverables — not a general "advice" retainer. Each item can be scoped as a one-off fixed-fee package or bundled into a monthly counsel arrangement.
01
Shareholders' agreements
The document your cap table actually needs — decision thresholds, board composition, funding obligations, dividend policy and what happens when someone wants out.
02
Founders' agreements & vesting
Founder vesting and reverse-vesting schedules, good leaver / bad leaver treatment, and IP assignment from day one.
03
Drag, tag & pre-emptive rights
Transfer machinery that lets a majority sell cleanly and stops a minority being stranded — drafted so a buyer's lawyer does not have to fix it in diligence.
04
Deadlock & dispute mechanics
Shotgun and Russian roulette clauses, expert determination, buy-out valuation formulas and exit rights for 50/50 companies.
05
Constitution & share classes
Replacement constitutions, preference and non-voting share classes, and aligning ASIC records with what the parties actually agreed.
06
Shareholder disputes & exits
Oppression claims under s232 of the Corporations Act, share buy-backs, negotiated exits and deeds of settlement and release.
Who this is for
Clients we work best with.
- Melbourne co-founders formalising equity before a raise
- 50/50 companies with no deadlock mechanism
- Businesses admitting a new shareholder or key employee
- Owners planning an exit, buy-back or negotiated separation
How we work
No surprises. Ever.
Fixed fees quoted upfront. Senior lawyer on every file. Clear next steps at every stage.
01 — Brief
Send a short brief or book a 15-minute call. We'll confirm scope and what you actually need — often that's less than you think.
02 — Fixed-fee quote
You get a written scope and a fixed fee before we start. No hourly billing, no scope-creep invoices.
03 — Senior lawyer, on the tools
The lawyer you scoped with is the lawyer doing the work. We turn drafts around fast and stay reachable throughout.
FAQs
Common questions.
- Do we need a shareholders' agreement if we already have a constitution?
- Yes. A constitution governs the company; a shareholders' agreement governs the relationship between the owners — vesting, funding, veto rights, exits and dispute resolution. Most constitutions are silent on all of it.
- How much does a shareholders' agreement cost in Melbourne?
- A tailored two-to-four holder agreement is typically a fixed fee of $3,500–$6,500 + GST depending on complexity. Multi-class, investor-facing or 50/50 deadlock structures are scoped after a short call.
- We are 50/50 — what should we be most careful about?
- Deadlock. Without a tie-break mechanism, a 50/50 company can be paralysed by a single disagreement and the only exit is court. We build in escalation, expert determination and a buy-out formula before goodwill runs out.
- Can you handle a shareholder dispute that is already on foot?
- Yes — negotiated exits, buy-backs, valuation disputes and oppression claims. Send a short brief and you will hear from a senior lawyer within one business day.
- Do you work with Melbourne businesses remotely?
- Yes. We are remote-first across Melbourne and Sydney, with in-person meetings on request. No hourly billing for travel.
Talk to us
Legal built for shareholder agreement lawyers — melbourne.
Send us a note about what you're working on. We'll respond within one business day and, if we're a fit, book a free 15-minute consultation with a senior lawyer.