Agree the hard questions
while everyone still agrees.
Shareholder, partnership and joint venture agreements set out how owners make decisions, what happens in a deadlock, and how someone leaves. They are easiest to write when the business is going well.
Client reviews
Commercial law clients,
in their own words.
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 shareholder and partnership agreements.
Each of these is a good reason to call, and none of them is too early.
- You are bringing a new partner or investor into the business.
- You and your co-owners have never put anything in writing.
- One owner does most of the work and the shares no longer reflect it.
- You are starting a joint venture for a single project.
How we help
Most disputes between owners are about something the agreement never covered.
Without an agreement, the law fills the gaps, and its default rules rarely match what owners would have chosen. A good agreement covers decisions, funding, dividends, restraints, deadlocks and exits, including death, illness and separation.
We draft agreements that suit the owners and the business, explain each clause in plain terms, and update them as the business changes.
What we do
- Shareholder agreements for private companies
- Partnership agreements
- Joint venture agreements
- Deadlock, exit, valuation and buy-out terms
- Restraints and confidentiality
- Reviews of existing agreements
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.
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.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
If your question is not here, it is a good reason for the free call.
We have a company constitution. Do we need a shareholder agreement too?
Usually. A constitution covers how the company is run. A shareholder agreement covers the relationship between the owners, such as funding, exits and what happens in a deadlock.
Can a shareholder agreement deal with death or disability?
Yes, and it should. Buy-out terms, often funded by insurance, protect both the business and the family of the owner who leaves.
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.
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Tell us what is going on. We will tell you where you stand.
A free 15-minute call. If it is a matter for us, you are booked in with the right solicitor before the call ends. If it is not, we will say so.