Edward Hart,Commercial Lawyer in Melbourne

Role

Senior Associate

Practice Areas

Contact

Phone Email

Location

Melbourne, Australia

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Award Winning Law Firm – Top Specialist Firm & Top Boutique Firm (Australasian Lawyer)

Edward advises clients across a wide range of commercial matters, including high value transactions, franchising and co ownership disputes.

Edward takes a proactive and commercially driven approach to helping client's complete transactions, resolve disputes and grow their businesses. Known for his diligence and genuine care, he builds long term relationships based on trust, responsiveness and practical advice that achieves results.

Edward advises clients across a wide range of commercial matters, including high value transactions, franchising and co ownership disputes. He has significant experience advising both franchisors and franchisees on the Franchising Code of Conduct and Unfair Contract Terms legislation. His work also includes advising on shareholder agreements, corporate restructures, employee share schemes and governance issues.

Clients value Edward’s reliability, strategic thinking and steady approach. He takes pride in helping clients achieve strong commercial outcomes, whether resolving a dispute, closing a deal or reshaping a business for growth.

Assisting the vendor of a large childcare centre with their business sale.
Advising on the restructure of a prominent hospitality group.
Assisting with the sale of one arm of a large dermatology group.
Advising on a co ownership dispute involving a marketing agency.
Advising both franchisors and franchisees on the Franchising Code of Conduct and Unfair Contract Terms legislation.
Assisting SME clients with business sale and purchase transactions.
Acting for clients in co ownership disputes and advising on shareholder oppression and breach of director’s duties.
Advising on corporate restructures, co ownership agreements and employee share schemes.

Franchise Law

Franchising involves committing to a long-term business relationship with defined rights, obligations, and expectations. Clear legal advice helps franchisors and franchisees understand where they stand and move forward with confidence.

Learn about Franchise Law

Business Partnership Disputes

Business partnership disputes arise when partners disagree about how a business is managed, how responsibilities are shared, or how financial interests are handled. These disputes can affect operations, relationships, and the ongoing viability of the business.

Learn about Business Partnership Disputes

Shareholders Agreements

A shareholders agreement (and related co-ownership agreements) provides a clear framework for how a business or investment is owned, managed and protected when there is more than one owner. Whether ownership is held through a company, unit trust, partnership or another structure, clear agreements help co-owners navigate change, manage uncertainty, and reduce the risk of disputes as circumstances evolve.

Learn about Shareholders Agreements

Business Purchase and Sale Agreements

Buying or selling a business involves making significant commercial decisions, with complexity around business structure, risk and timing that can affect value and outcomes throughout the transaction lifecycle.

Learn about Business Purchase and Sale Agreements

Contract Advice and Drafting

Contracts shape how commercial relationships operate by setting out rights, obligations, and expectations between parties. Clear advice helps ensure agreements reflect commercial reality and support, rather than hinder your business objectives.

Learn about Contract Advice and Drafting

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property often sits at the core of a business’s value and commercial relationships. Clear legal advice helps ensure IP is properly owned, protected, and used in a way that supports growth and avoids disputes.

Learn about Intellectual Property

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions involve complex commercial decisions that can reshape ownership, control, and the future direction of a business. Clear legal guidance helps manage risk, structure transactions effectively, and support confident decision making throughout the deal process.

Learn about Mergers and Acquisitions

RTO Regulation and Compliance

Operating a Registered Training Organisation involves ongoing regulatory and compliance obligations, including responding to audits, investigations, and regulatory action by ASQA. Clear legal guidance helps bring structure to these issues and supports informed decision making about how to respond and move forward.

Learn about RTO Regulation and Compliance

Share Purchase and Sale Agreements

A share purchase agreement governs how ownership in a company is transferred and how risk is allocated between the buyer and seller as control changes hands under a share sale transaction.

Learn about Share Purchase and Sale Agreements

Startup and Capital Raising

Startup and capital raising work involves bringing new funding into a business while managing regulatory requirements, investor expectations, and the impact on ownership and control through different stages of growth.

Learn about Startup and Capital Raising

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