Australia: Contracts and Commercial Law

Senior associate Sophia Ousager and private client partner Scott Hay-Bartlem discuss Sophia's career progression at CGW, from law clerk to senior associate, while exploring her personal interests and approach to client problem-solving. The conversation offers insights into life at the firm and the motivations that drive legal professionals in corporate advisory and private client work.

Delivering a data centre in Australia requires early and informed navigation of a complex legal and regulatory landscape. Site selection must account for power, water and planning constraints.

On 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese Government's 2026-27 Federal Budget. Our colleagues in the HSF Kramer Tax Practice Group have already covered the broader tax implications in their article, Federal Budget 2026: Back to the future. But what does this Budget mean for the property market in Australia?

Mr. Elkhouri (Elkhouri) owned Lot 11, a pent­house apart­ment in an 11 lot res­i­den­tial stra­ta scheme at Point Piper, Syd­ney. The lot occu­pied the top two lev­els of the build­ing and includ­ed bal­conies...

Agile methodologies are often linked with high-profile project failures. From public sector digital transformation programs running over budget to private sector implementations that fail to deliver viable solutions, these failures share common characteristics: a fundamental misalignment between agile delivery principles and the legal frameworks that govern them.

Transferring a commercial lease to a family member may seem straightforward, but it involves the same legal formalities and landlord consent requirements as any other commercial lease assignment. Getting the process wrong can put both the assignor and assignee at serious legal and financial risk. This article explains what you need to know about assigning a commercial lease to a family member in Australia.

Most prospective franchisors are focused, reasonably enough, on the beginning; the first territory, the first franchisee, the first year of trading. The exit is, at best, a distant abstraction. But the decisions made at the outset of a franchise system shape the value of that system more than almost any other factor, and by the time a founder is actively preparing for sale, most of the choices that will determine the valuation have already been made. The exit is not an event at the end of the journey. It is a design principle that either runs through the system from day one, or does not.

From 22 January 2026, Australia’s new Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026 creates serious criminal liability for anyone who funds, supports, or promotes prohibited hate groups. Businesses are not exempt. The Act’s broad definitions of ‘support’ and ‘funding’ mean that ordinary commercial activity, from charitable donations to supplier contracts, can now carry criminal risk.

The Fair Work Commission (Commission) has made a historic intrusion into contractual arrangements by making a road transport contractual chain order (RTCCO) which came into force from 21 April 2026.