Do I need a company and a trust?

Often, but not always. It depends on the business, the risks, the owners and the tax position. Your accountant and we decide it together, before anything is registered.

Can you change an existing trust or company?

Yes. We change trustees, appointors, directors and constitutions, and check the deed allows the change before it is made.

Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.

The right structure,
before it matters.

How a business is owned decides who controls it, how profits are taxed and what is at risk if something goes wrong. We set up companies, trusts and partnerships with your accountant, so the structure fits the business you are building.

Book a free 15-minute call Call 03 8386 9502

Client reviews

Commercial law clients,
in their own words.

All 84 Google reviews

4.5★★★★★
Google rating from 84 client reviews
Every quote on this page is a public Google review, reproduced in the client’s own words. Read them all →
We engaged Joshi Lawyers for a business purchase and found them to be very professional, dedicated and helpful. Dinesh has a significant degree of knowledge in business and commercial law matters. We were advised about everything in detail and kept informed about our matter’s progress at each stage.
Anqi HuangBusiness purchase · Google review, 2017
Our first experience in Australia using any lawyer. All advice given was very fair and to the point. It was them who suggested the statutory demand process, which we used for a speedy recovery, and it worked.
GNS Group AustraliaDebt recovery · Google review, 2023
Dinesh solved my dispute in 4 months where the other lawyer I had prior took 12 months giving me no foresight on my case. Dinesh has a clear foresight in his cases and closes all objections with ease and makes you aware of your standing.
Dheeraj WadhwaniBusiness dispute · Google review, 2018
From business settlements to my recent land settlement, they have never failed to impress me. Thank you Dinesh and your team for taking the stress from us and dealing with all sorts of issues and disputes very professionally.
Aarti AroraBusiness owner and investor · Google review, 2017

Is this you?

When people come to us about business structures.

Each of these is a good reason to call, and none of them is too early.

You are starting a business and your accountant has suggested a company and a trust.
You are going into business with a partner and want it set up properly.
The business has grown and the original structure no longer fits.
You are not sure who actually controls the family trust.

How we help

Structure is easier to get right at the start than to fix later.

A company, a discretionary trust, a unit trust and a partnership each give different answers to the same questions. Who makes decisions, who shares in profits, how new owners join and existing ones leave, and what happens on death or separation.

We draft the constitution, trust deed or partnership agreement, register what needs registering, and make sure the legal documents match the tax advice. Your accountant and we work from the same plan.

What we do

Companies registered, with a constitution that suits the owners
Discretionary and unit trusts, with corporate trustees
Partnership agreements
Changes of trustee, appointor and director
Restructures as the business grows
Work done together with your accountant

Book a free 15-minute call

What happens first

Your first week with us.

A matter should feel different from the first call. This is what you can expect before anything is signed or sent.

What it costs

The first call: what the real question is
Most commercial matters turn on one or two points. We find them first, so the work goes where it counts.
Within the week: a strategy and a written estimate
What a good outcome looks like, how we propose to reach it, and what it will cost, before any letter is sent.
Document work: delivered on a date, not a promise
Most leases and agreements are delivered within five business days of instructions. Debt recovery steps are quoted as fixed fees.
From then on: one senior lawyer, with your accountant
Structure, tax and succession decisions are made together, not in sequence, and you deal with the same lawyer throughout.

Your team

Who you will deal with.

Matters are run by the people below, not handed down.

Meet our people

Questions

Frequently asked questions

If your question is not here, it is a good reason for the free call.

Do I need a company and a trust?
Often, but not always. It depends on the business, the risks, the owners and the tax position. Your accountant and we decide it together, before anything is registered.
Can you change an existing trust or company?
Yes. We change trustees, appointors, directors and constitutions, and check the deed allows the change before it is made.
What does it cost?
Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.