Legal advice
Commercial and corporate
Commercial agreements, corporate documents and day-to-day legal advice for groups operating in Australia, including shareholder and board matters.
More on commercial and corporate →Cross‑border legal and governance
Reservoir Legal · Sydney
For international groups establishing and operating in Australia, and Australian businesses expanding overseas.
Looking for an Australian resident director?Visit Australian Resident Directors →Across borders
United States·United Kingdom·Germany·Switzerland·Sweden·Singapore·Japan·New Zealand·
Who we work with
Built for companies on the move
We act for international groups across technology, consumer products, professional services and international trade, with particular experience supporting technology and growth companies.
01
Technology
Software, SaaS and platform companies establishing and scaling an Australian presence.
02
Consumer products
Brands bringing products to Australian customers and retailers.
03
Professional services
Firms opening an Australian office or servicing clients here.
04
International trade
Groups trading into and out of Australia and the region.
Our services
Legal and governance, end to end
We act for international groups setting up and running Australian companies, and for Australian businesses taking their next step overseas.
Governance
Governance and company secretarial
Registers, ASIC lodgements, board papers and minutes, and the governance framework an Australian subsidiary needs, scaled to your group.
More on governance →Structuring
Cross-border structuring
Subsidiary or branch, intra-group arrangements and the Australian side of your group structure, from first entity to ongoing operations.
More on structuring →Our specialist service
Australian Resident Directors
Resident director appointments for international groups, whether you are setting up in Australia or replacing a local director.
Why choose us
Senior. Direct. On your time zone.
A boutique practice with the governance experience of a larger firm, and one senior adviser who knows your business.
Cross-border experience
Years of work with international groups and their Australian subsidiaries, from set-up to ongoing compliance.
Senior, hands-on advice
We partner with you directly, and every engagement is led by a senior lawyer from start to finish.
Board-level governance
Advice shaped by experience on boards and as company secretary, so governance works in practice.
Across your time zones
Evening calls for Europe and the UK, early morning calls for the Americas, and board papers turned around to suit your working hours.
Setting up in Australia
A clear path into Australia
Most international groups can be registered and trading within a few weeks. Our guide sets out each step in the order we usually work through it with clients.
- Choose your structure: subsidiary or branch
- Appoint an Australian resident director
- Obtain Director IDs
- Register the company with ASIC
- Tax and employer registrations
- Banking and operations
- Ongoing governance and compliance
Typical timing Three to six weeks from first call to trading, driven mainly by Director IDs for overseas directors and opening a bank account.
Going the other way
Australian businesses expanding overseas
Cross-border work runs both ways. We support Australian companies setting up and running entities abroad, and work alongside local counsel wherever foreign law advice is needed.
- Structuring your expansionChoosing how to hold and operate an overseas business, and documenting the intra-group arrangements.
- Overseas entity governanceBoard and shareholder documents, registers and annual compliance for group entities abroad, managed from Sydney.
- United States operationsCorporate compliance and company secretarial oversight for US subsidiaries, coordinated with US advisers.
- One point of contactA single Sydney adviser keeping the group's entities in good standing across time zones.
For advisers and partners
Refer with confidence
We work alongside accountants, employer of record providers, incorporation platforms and overseas law firms whose clients need Australian legal, governance or resident director support.
- Your client stays your clientWe handle the Australian piece and keep you informed at each step, so you stay in control of the relationship.
- Clear scope and feesScope and fees agreed in writing with you and your client before any work starts.
- Quick, senior responsesOne senior lawyer as your point of contact, working across your time zone.
- The full Australian pictureStructuring, company set-up, resident director and company secretarial support, and ongoing governance in one place.
Insights
Practical answers for international business
Short guides for overseas companies, boards and their advisers on the questions we are asked most about operating in Australia.
Governance
Does my Australian company need a resident director?
What section 201A requires and how overseas groups meet it.
StructuringSubsidiary or branch? Choosing a structure
Liability, reporting and practical differences, side by side.
Set-upDirector IDs for overseas directors
How to apply without Australian ID, and why to start early.
About us
Led by Annalise Robertson
Reservoir Legal is a Sydney legal and governance practice founded by Annalise Robertson, a lawyer and non-executive director with legal, governance and commercial experience across international groups.
GAICDFGIAFCGLLM (UNSW)
Reservoir Legal is a member of the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
Credentials and memberships
GraduateAustralian Institute of Company Directors
FellowGovernance Institute of Australia
MemberLaw Society of NSW
MemberSwedish Australian Chamber of Commerce
MemberAustralian Swiss Chamber of Commerce
Contact us
Ready to talk?
- info@reservoirlegal.com
- Phone
- +61 409 815 104
- Location
- Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010