A prerequisite to delivering quality legal service in this area of practice is an in-depth understanding of the nature of our client’s business and a full appreciation of their objectives. By this means we ensure the formulation of meaningful, efficient, and effective strategies, transactions and supportive structures.

Called upon to provide commercial advice, and to negotiate, we are able to draw from years of experience with a variety of commercial dealings and ventures, both in Australia and overseas.

International contracts cover the traditional import and export areas, and extend to the more complex global transactions and projects including finance, transfer of technology, turnkey and infrastructure, exploration and mining, and the formulation, negotiation and implementation of joint ventures.

Australia is fortunate to have the human and intellectual resources to provide a springboard to the Asia Pacific region for business enterprises from other regions. Tzovaras Legal has for many years contributed to the building of business bridges between Australia and other economies. This important role evolved as a consequence of our determination to acquire a thorough knowledge of international treaties and conventions.

When complemented by an understanding and appreciation of the various cultures involved and the commercial usages practised in those countries, together with accrued experience in foreign legal systems – such as those of the EU, ASEAN and China – this role takes on added meaning for our clients.

This involves the interrelation of a number of areas and issues, including acquisitions, financing, town planning and environment, construction, project management leasing, and sales – across commercial, retail, industrial and residential property. It also requires a consideration of commercial, stamp duty and taxation issues.

Frequently it involves several parties, including developers and landowners, financiers, builders, project managers and marketing managers, all interrelating through a variety of agreements. Tzovaras Legal's strong negotiating experience and skills are invaluable in these multiparty transactions.

Australia has long been a preferred destination for foreign investors, and business and other migrants. Tzovaras Legal frequently hosts foreign delegations from Asia, Europe, South Africa and other regions, and facilitates commercial introductions and interactions with Australian business and government. Overseas residents investing or doing business in Australia usually require an appropriate immigration visa. In each such case expert advice and assistance is desirable so as to avoid the pitfalls of Australia’s complex and ever changing immigration laws. Skill and expertise is also needed to assist in the integration of new settlers into the Australian business environment and culture.

Our experience and expertise in Australian immigration law span over three decades to the origins of Tzovaras & Company in 1981 under the continued and successful leadership of our Founding Director, Ted Tzovaras.

The resolution of disputes, whether by negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation, is both an art and a science. It requires flare and instinct, knowledge and expertise, objectivity and sensitivity, and the inter-personal skills by which effective persuasion can extract the most beneficial result for clients, often restoring fruitful ongoing relations. Sound strategy, thorough preparation, and effective communication frequently result in a litigious dispute being settled expeditiously on terms that are favourable to our client.

Tzovaras Legal boasts a fine record and an enviable reputation in relation to the resolution of disputes, whether by negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation.

Intellectual property (IP) and information technology (IT) have increasingly been recognised in the balance sheets of both Australia and overseas companies as a valuable asset alongside tangible assets such as real estate. Our clients, not surprisingly, have become more aware of the need to identify and protect their IP and IT assets, whether by registration domestically and internationally, or by other means.

It is an area that calls for, and Tzovaras Legal assists clients in obtaining, preventive measures in commercial transactions and protective action against infringement, which may also involve defending the enjoyment and use of IP and IT rights over which exclusivity is wrongly being claimed.

Many businesses cannot operate without a licence or other permit issued by the appropriate government authority. Businesses are often affected by administrative decisions made by ministers or other government representatives. Almost all businesses are affected at some time by administrative decisions indispensable or critical to their operation, in areas such as customs, environmental protection, waste management, health, education, gaming, leisure and entertainment. Yet these decisions are frequently based solely on the discretion of these decision-makers.

Our firm’s expertise is applied to challenge administrative decisions and obtain appropriate relief for our client in the form of the approval of the grant of a licence or permit or the grant of other rights by the reversal of a wrongful decision.

Corporate fraud and white-collar crime differ from most other criminal activity, principally by virtue of the corporate or commercial context in which the crime occurs. It is that difference which calls for distinctive corporate and commercial forensic skills, in addition to a sound knowledge of the criminal legal process. The combination of an experienced commercial mind and an astute legal mind is better able to identify, scrutinise and assess all of the material commercial elements that make up the charge, in order to expose its flaws.

Following the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, SMEs and large companies have increasingly shifted away from the traditional sourcing of legal services, and retaining instead the external general counsel service providers.

There are many advantages and benefits in this new paradigm, including the external general counsel acquiring and maintaining a thorough knowledge of the client’s business and its needs; achieving certainty on the incurring of legal costs by being charged an agreed fixed monthly fee or project fee rather than the time-based fees charged by traditional law firms; superior accessible; and being able to receiving legal services on short notice and the required priority, and at significantly lower cost than traditional law firms.

Tzovaras Legal provides External General Counsel services in all its areas of practice, including company and other entities formation, all commercial and corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, corporate governance, financing, employment and human resources, and the conduct and management of litigation and other forms of dispute resolution the costs of which may be negotiated on a case by case and on a fixed fee basis.