A commercial lawyer helps clients with business transactions, resolving legal disputes and ensuring company compliance with relevant laws. They may also advise on tax laws and other business legislation that could impact a client’s financial interests. Some common problems that commercial lawyers help resolve include contract disputes, intellectual property disputes, consumer complaints and issues with importing or exporting goods and services.
As a commercial lawyer, you’ll need to have a thorough understanding of the law in order to provide accurate and insightful advice to your clients. This includes interpreting statutes, past cases and legal documents to help your clients make informed decisions about their transactions. Strong research skills are therefore vital for this career. To develop your research skills, you can participate in legal research workshops and training programs offered by law schools or professional organisations. You can also use legal databases and online tools like LexisNexis and Westlaw to practice your research skills.
Some companies might be subject to numerous different commercial laws and regulations, depending on their industry and location. A commercial lawyer brisbane will help businesses navigate these complex rules and ensure compliance to minimise risk and penalties. This might include health and safety regulations, employment laws, laws on consumer protection, international trade and data privacy regulations.
In addition to advising clients, a commercial lawyer might also act as legal representative for businesses or consumers in disputes with other companies or government institutions. This might involve mediation, arbitration or litigation.
Dispute resolution is an important part of the role and requires excellent communication and negotiation skills. Commercial lawyers often find themselves acting as mediators and arbitrators in these situations, which require them to be able to work with all stakeholders. Moreover, they will need to understand the client’s objectives and priorities and tailor their advice accordingly.
One of the most difficult aspects of this job is finding a way to manage conflicting interests, which can be time consuming and distracting. In addition, some tasks may be urgent, such as responding to an emergency or a court order, so having the ability to prioritise and delegate is also essential.
While there are no specific qualifications required to become a commercial lawyer, most candidates have a background in law or a related subject. A training contract in a firm specialising in commercial law is usually the best preparation for the role. However, it’s possible to get a foot in the door with a non-legal background, such as through internships or volunteering.
In order to be successful as a commercial lawyer, you’ll need a logical and analytical mind with good attention to detail. You’ll also need excellent written and verbal communication skills to be able to draft and present legal documents. To strengthen your communication skills, you can attend law fairs, participate in law school networking events and join a number of professional organisations to meet potential employers or fellow legal professionals. You can also network with current commercial lawyers in your area to find out about the latest developments and opportunities in the field.