Maddocks

Below is a practical shortlist for Australia—not just “prestige” names, but firms that corporates, PE funds, banks, government clients and mid-market businesses actually brief.

Quick answer: the best “default” shortlist

If you want the safest top-tier commercial-law shortlist in Australia, start with:

1. Allens
2. Gilbert + Tobin
3. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
4. Mallesons — formerly the Australian/Singapore arm of King & Wood Mallesons
5. Ashurst Perkins Coie
6. Clayton Utz
7. Corrs Chambers Westgarth
8. MinterEllison

That aligns closely with current legal-directory rankings: Chambers 2026 has Allens, Gilbert + Tobin, HSF Kramer and Mallesons in Band 1 for Corporate/M&A in Australia, with Ashurst Perkins Coie, Clayton Utz and Corrs in Band 2; Legal 500 2026 puts Ashurst Perkins Coie, Allens, Gilbert + Tobin, HSF Kramer and Mallesons in Tier 1, followed by Corrs, MinterEllison and Clayton Utz in Tier 2. (chambers.com)

Best picks by need

My practical recommendations

Best overall premium commercial firms

1. Allens
Best all-round premium choice for major corporates, financial institutions, infrastructure, energy, M&A, disputes and regulatory work. If you want a safe blue-chip Australian firm, Allens is one of the first calls.

2. Gilbert + Tobin
Excellent for transactions, competition, tech, private equity, corporate advisory and strategic matters. Often seen as a sharper, deal-focused alternative to the traditional full-service giants.

3. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Very strong for M&A, disputes, energy/resources, infrastructure and cross-border work. The firm became Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer after HSF combined with Kramer Levin in 2025. (hsfkramer.com)

4. Mallesons
Still one of the core Australian commercial-law brands, especially for banking, finance, major corporate work, funds, capital markets and regulatory matters. Note the naming change: the Australian/Singapore business now uses Mallesons following the formal separation of the Chinese and Australian partnerships on 30 March 2026. (landing.kwm.com)

5. Ashurst Perkins Coie
Strong for finance, infrastructure, resources, energy, public M&A and international transactional work. Ashurst and Perkins Coie partners approved their combination in 2026 to form Ashurst Perkins Coie. (ashurstperkinscoie.com)

Best full-service “big Australian business” firms

6. Clayton Utz
A very strong choice for commercial law, litigation, government, infrastructure, regulatory and real estate. Best Law Firms Australia named Clayton Utz “Law Firm of the Year” for Commercial Law in its 2027 edition. (bestlawfirms.com)

7. Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Premium independent Australian firm, good for corporate, competition, disputes, IP/tech, infrastructure and strategic advisory work. Best Law Firms Australia named Corrs for both Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law in its 2027 awards. (bestlawfirms.com)

8. MinterEllison
Very widely used by corporates, government and institutions. Strong in real estate, infrastructure, construction, employment, government, commercial advisory and mid-to-large corporate matters. Best Law Firms Australia named MinterEllison for Construction/Infrastructure Law and Real Property Law in its 2027 awards. (bestlawfirms.com)

If you’re an SME, founder or mid-market business

For most Australian SMEs, startups and privately owned businesses, I would not automatically start with Allens/HSF/Mallesons unless the matter is large, complex or high-stakes. You’ll often get better value from:

• Thomson Geer — strong national commercial firm; good for mid-market corporate, disputes and property.
• Mills Oakley — often practical and commercial; Legal 500 describes its Corporate/M&A team as focused on mid-market and international deals. (legal500.com)
• Hall & Wilcox — good broad commercial option, especially for mid-market businesses.
• Gadens — good for commercial, property, banking, disputes and mid-market work.
• Maddocks — strong for government, property, planning, construction and commercial work.
• Hamilton Locke — modern, fast-growing commercial firm; useful for corporate, finance, workplace and disputes.
• Kain Lawyers — particularly worth considering for corporate transactions and M&A where you want boutique focus.

My “shortlist by budget”

Premium / bet-the-company:
Allens, Gilbert + Tobin, HSF Kramer, Mallesons, Ashurst Perkins Coie.

Premium but broad full-service:
Clayton Utz, Corrs, MinterEllison.

Strong value for mid-market:
Thomson Geer, Mills Oakley, Hall & Wilcox, Gadens, Maddocks, Hamilton Locke, Kain Lawyers.

International overlay:
Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Norton Rose Fulbright, White & Case, Clifford Chance, A&O Shearman, Jones Day.

How to choose

For commercial law, the partner matters as much as the firm. Ask for:

• the proposed lead partner and senior associate;
• recent similar matters;
• hourly rates and whether fixed fees are available;
• conflicts check;
• who will actually do the work;
• a budget with assumptions;
• whether they are overqualified for the matter.

If you tell me your matter type—e.g. share sale, shareholder dispute, SaaS contracts, employment issue, property transaction, capital raise, insolvency, franchise, M&A, regulatory investigation—and your city/state, I can narrow this to a more useful 3–5 firm shortlist.

If you’re asking about commercial law firms in Australia, the go-to names are the big corporate firms — these are the ones major businesses, banks, government and ASX-listed companies actually use.

Top tier — the “Big Six” commercial law firms

These are the largest full-service firms and handle the biggest commercial deals, M&A, disputes and regulatory matters:

1. Allens – Part of the Linklaters Asia network. Huge in banking, energy, M&A and major commercial litigation.
2. Ashurst – Global firm with a strong Australian base. Known for corporate, finance, projects and disputes.
3. Clayton Utz – One of Australia’s most established firms. Big in government work, construction, class actions and commercial contracting.
4. Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) – One of the world’s largest law firms with a massive Australian presence. Excellent for cross-border M&A, corporate advisory and disputes.
5. King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) – Historically one of Australia’s “magic circle” firms. Now integrated with the Asian KWM network. Strong in banking, capital markets and Chinese investment work.
6. MinterEllison – The largest law firm in Australia by revenue and lawyer numbers. Very strong in property, health, government, commercial and major projects.

Well-known challengers & niche leaders

These are top brands in their own right, often used for specific commercial needs:

• Gilbert + Tobin – The go-to for tech, media, mining and competition law. Also strong in M&A and high-end corporate work.
• Corrs Chambers Westgarth – A long-standing independent Australian firm, strong in energy, infrastructure, projects and commercial disputes.
• Baker McKenzie – Global giant based in Sydney/Melbourne; widely used for international commercial work, labour/employment and tax.
• Norton Rose Fulbright – Big in aviation, financial services and infrastructure.
• DLA Piper Australia – Popular with mid-to-large corporates, especially across Asia-Pacific matters.

If you’re a smaller business or startup

The “Big Six” are expensive. If you’re running a business or need commercial contracts, people actually use:

• Gadens – Good mid-tier commercial firm.
• HWL Ebsworth – Big volume commercial practice used by many corporates and government agencies.
• Maddocks – Well regarded for SMEs and government work.
• Hall & Wilcox – Modern mid-tier firm, strong for commercial and insurance work.

And if you just need legal documents or basic commercial advice online, Australian businesses commonly use:

• LegalVision – Online legal services, fixed-fee commercial contracts.
• Lawpath – DIY legal documents, contracts and business legal support online.
• Sprintlaw – Popular with startups and small business for fast, low-cost commercial agreements.

Bottom line

If you need serious commercial law, stick with the “Big Six” – Allens, HSF, Clayton Utz, Ashurst, KWM and MinterEllison.
If you’re a smaller business, don’t go straight to a top-tier firm. Start with a mid-tier firm like Gadens, Maddocks, or an online provider like LegalVision to save costs while still getting proper Australian commercial advice.

Just remember: law firms aren’t “products” – you’re buying the individual lawyer and team. Pick the firm that has the best specific partner for your industry.