Leo Lawyers

Leo Lawyers: commercial and corporate legal advice in Sydney and Melbourne

Leo Lawyers is a law firm with a presence in Sydney and Melbourne focusing on commercial and corporate law, technology law, construction law and litigation. The firm states it has over 20 years of combined experience, has handled more than 1,782 cases and has participated in capital raising transactions exceeding $100 million. Its approach is based on legal technology and personal oversight, with fixed-fee options and clear communication.

Practice areas

The firm concentrates its offering in four main areas and states it stays within matters where it has prior experience:

• Commercial and corporate law: advisory, contracts and disputes. Includes joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, business contracts, small business advice, startup lawyers and capital raising lawyers.
• Technology law: intellectual property and copyright.
• Construction law: building disputes.
• Litigation: restraint of trade, civil litigation, unfair dismissal, debt recovery and shareholder disputes.

The firm states it does not handle personal injury, insurance, property transactions, wills and estates, succession planning, family law or criminal law.

Principal lawyer: Damin Murdock

Damin Murdock is the principal lawyer at Leo Lawyers. He has over 17 years of experience in litigation, corporate and commercial law, intellectual property, construction and employment law. He has acted in matters exceeding $100 million and regularly appears in courts across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. He advises startups and small to medium businesses on structuring, capital raising, contracts, governance and compliance. Over his career, he has assisted more than 1,000 businesses with legal agreements, workplace issues and regulatory obligations. According to published information, he has acted in over 900 matters in the past ten years and over 2,000 during his legal career.

Murdock holds a specialisation in International Trade Law obtained during his Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws from Erasmus University Rotterdam in International Business Transactions. He frequently represents clients in international transactions and disputes, including international arbitrations.

Geographic coverage and international services

In commercial, corporate and technology law, the applicable legislation is often federal, so the firm serves clients throughout Australia. In construction and litigation matters, which require court appearances, Leo Lawyers primarily serves the metropolitan areas of Sydney and Melbourne for local, magistrates, district or county court matters, and operates throughout New South Wales and Victoria for Supreme Court and Federal Court matters. The firm also offers international law services, with representation in international transactions and disputes, including arbitrations.

How we work and timeframes

The firm uses technology to manage and prioritise engagements according to each client's needs. For contract drafting, the standard timeframe indicated is 7 to 14 days, although it can be prioritised to within 24 hours if the client communicates a tight deadline and capacity allows. In court matters, timeframes depend on the court's schedule. All matters are reviewed, supervised and closed by Damin Murdock, who is available to be contacted directly by any client, even when another lawyer is handling the case.

Team and hiring policy

Most of Leo Lawyers' lawyers combine legal and international business training. The firm states it only hires professionals from Australia's top firms, selected for their academic background and prior experience. The firm states it has over 300 five-star reviews from real clients via Lawpath.

Consultations and fees

Leo Lawyers offers free consultations of 15 to 60 minutes depending on the matter. For more straightforward work, such as drafting contracts, it generally does not offer a free consultation, but arranges a short telephone call to understand the requirements before providing a quote. The firm states its fees are charged reasonably and efficiently, with fixed-fee options and no hidden costs.