Which court will my dispute be in?

In Victoria, claims up to $100,000 go to the Magistrates’ Court, larger claims to the County Court, and the most complex matters to the Supreme Court. We act in all of them.

How long will it take?

Most of our disputes settle within months. Matters that go to a final hearing take longer, which is one reason we work to resolve them earlier.

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.

A strategy first.
Court only if needed.

Most of our disputes settle within months rather than years. Where court is unavoidable, we act in the Magistrates’, County and Supreme Courts of Victoria, and you are the best-prepared party in the room.

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 commercial litigation.

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

A customer, supplier or former partner is refusing to honour an agreement.
You have been served with court documents and have days to respond.
Letters have gone back and forth for months and nothing has moved.
You need to know whether a claim is worth pursuing before spending money on it.

How we help

Most disputes are best resolved early, on the right terms.

Litigation is expensive and slow, so we start with the question that matters. What does a good outcome look like, and what is the most direct way to reach it? Often that is a well-prepared offer or a mediation, not a hearing.

Where proceedings are needed, we prepare them properly from the start. You receive a written estimate before each stage and are told early if anything changes.

What we do

An early assessment of the claim and the options
Letters of demand and negotiated settlements
Proceedings in the Magistrates’, County and Supreme Courts
Defending claims brought against you
Mediation and settlement conferences
Barristers briefed where a hearing needs one

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.
Deadlines first
Statutory demands, court documents and notices carry short time limits. We deal with those before anything else.
From then on: one senior lawyer
You deal with the same lawyer throughout, and you are told early if anything changes.

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.

Which court will my dispute be in?
In Victoria, claims up to $100,000 go to the Magistrates’ Court, larger claims to the County Court, and the most complex matters to the Supreme Court. We act in all of them.
How long will it take?
Most of our disputes settle within months. Matters that go to a final hearing take longer, which is one reason we work to resolve them earlier.
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.