Boss Lawyers: 12 Years of High-Stakes Commercial Litigation in Brisbane

On 4 February 2014, Boss Lawyers opened its doors in Brisbane with a clear mission:
to deliver high-stakes commercial litigation with precision, strategy and relentless execution.
Twelve years later, that mission remains unchanged — but the firm has grown in ways we could never have imagined.

Today, Boss Lawyers is recognised as a specialist
commercial litigation, insolvency and director/shareholder dispute law firm in Brisbane,
acting for business owners, directors, shareholders, investors and professionals across Queensland and nationally.

A Firm Built for Complex Commercial Disputes

Since 2014, Boss Lawyers has focused exclusively on matters where the commercial, legal and personal stakes are high.
Over 12 years, we have acted in complex disputes involving:

• Director and shareholder disputes (including oppression, deadlock and governance disputes)
• Corporate governance and fiduciary duty claims
• Insolvency, restructuring and external administration matters
• Trust, partnership and joint venture disputes
• Multi-party and cross-jurisdictional commercial litigation
• Professional practice disputes and partnership breakdowns
• High-value contract, misleading and deceptive conduct and fraud claims

Our work spans multiple jurisdictions, industries and corporate structures, but the underlying theme is constant:
clarity, strategy and outcomes.

A Trusted Litigation Partner for Companies, Directors and Shareholders

Clients turn to Boss Lawyers when the pressure is on and the stakes are real. We regularly advise and act for:

• Private companies, SMEs and founders
• Directors and officers exposed to governance risk or insolvent trading concerns
• Minority shareholders seeking protection from oppressive conduct
• Investors, unit holders and beneficiaries in trust and unit trust structures
• Professional practices, law firms and advisory firms

We assist clients navigating:

• Boardroom deadlocks and governance breakdowns
• Alleged misappropriation, related-party transactions and unauthorised payments
• Insolvent trading, restructuring decisions and asset protection issues
• Partnership breakdowns and disputes between professionals
• Family business disputes involving trusts, companies and complex ownership structures

12 Years of Milestones

Some key milestones from the past 12 years include:

• Expanding from a boutique Brisbane firm into a litigation practice acting in
  Superior Court proceedings across QLD, NSW and VIC.
• Acting in numerous high-profile director, shareholder and governance disputes,
  including multi-entity and trust-based structures.
• Delivering strong outcomes for clients in oppression proceedings, insolvency applications,
  winding-up matters and restructuring disputes.
• Running major litigation and governance actions involving charities, SMEs and national companies.
• Acting in the well-known Street Swags litigation series, culminating in
  Jean Madden v Street Swags Ltd [2021] FWC 160, now a commonly referenced governance and dismissal case.
• Building a strong litigation referral network with Counsel, accountants, insolvency practitioners and professional advisers.

Our Litigation Philosophy

Despite the firm’s growth, our core principles remain unchanged:

1. Strategy First

Every matter begins with a clear plan. We focus on what needs to happen, in what order, and why —
eliminating noise and unnecessary steps.

2. Commercial Clarity

Litigation is a commercial decision. We provide clear, practical advice on risk, cost, evidence and likely outcomes
so clients can make confident decisions.

3. Relentless Execution

Once the strategy is set, execution matters. Precision in applications, evidence, correspondence and timing
is what wins complex disputes.

4. Outcome-Focused

Whether resolution comes by negotiation, mediation or trial, our role is to get clients from crisis to clarity
as cleanly and efficiently as possible.

The Next Chapter

After 12 years, Boss Lawyers is stronger, more specialised and more focused than ever. As corporate and shareholder
disputes continue to evolve, the need for strategic, decisive litigation advice in Brisbane has never been greater.

We will continue to deliver what our clients, referrers and Counsel expect:
high-stakes commercial litigation with precision, clarity and commercial purpose.

Thank you to our clients, colleagues, referrers, team members and family who have supported Boss Lawyers
throughout the past 12 years. We look forward to the years ahead.

Mark Harley
Principal, Boss Lawyers