Corporate governance and control structures
Build a governance structure your enterprise can actually operate through.
As a business grows, the informal arrangements that worked in its early stages become inadequate. Decisions that were once made quickly by a founder now involve multiple shareholders, a board, and management layers with different interests and different accountability. Without a proper governance structure, the business operates on goodwill rather than clear authority, and goodwill erodes under pressure.
What is corporate governance and why does it matter?
Corporate governance refers to the systems, structures, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. Covering how decisions are made, who has authority to make them, and how accountability is maintained between shareholders, directors, and management.
For growing businesses, governance is the infrastructure that allows the enterprise to scale without relying on informal arrangements that break down under pressure. Poor governance is often invisible until it surfaces in a transaction, a dispute, or a due diligence process, by which point fixing it is always more expensive than building it properly from the outset.
What is a board charter and does my company need one?
What is a delegation of authority framework?
When should a private company consider establishing a proper board?
What are the governance obligations of a proprietary company under the Corporations Act?
Under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act), a proprietary company must have at least one Australian-resident director, maintain a registered office and share register, and keep adequate financial records. Directors must comply with their duties under the Act, including the duties of care, good faith, and the insolvent trading provisions. Beyond these minimum requirements, the Act gives proprietary companies significant flexibility in how they govern themselves, subject to their constitution.
Clear authority and accountability
Built for the next stage
Legally sound framework
Build a governance structure your enterprise can grow into.
Informal governance arrangements become expensive problems as the business grows.
- We will assess your current governance arrangements and identify gaps against best practice for your business type and stage.
- We will advise on the appropriate governance structure, including board composition, committee structure, and management delegation.
- We will prepare or update your constitutional documents, board charter, and delegation of authority matrix.
- We will advise on how to implement the structure and transition from current informal arrangements.
- We will ensure the governance framework is consistent with your obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
When the business has outgrown its informal governance arrangements
What's included in your corporate governance service
- Governance structure assessment and design.
- Board charter and committee terms of reference.
- Delegation of authority matrix.
- Constitution review and update.
- Governance implementation support.
Informal governance works until it doesn't. Fixing it in a crisis is always harder.
From informal arrangements to a governance structure that works
From informal arrangements to a clear, documented governance framework.
Assessment and design
We review current governance arrangements and design a structure appropriate for the business and its growth trajectory.
Document and implement
We prepare all required constitutional documents, charters, and delegation frameworks.
Transition and embed
We advise on how to transition the business to the new structure and embed the governance processes.
Corporate lawyers experienced in designing and implementing governance structures for growing businesses and enterprises at transition points.
We understand you want to know the cost, before we get started.
We will map out our process, from beginning to end, so you know what the journey will look like before you get started.
We will provide you with a clear and detailed Work Proposal covering each step along the way.
Our fair fees are all-inclusive. No hidden costs for telephone calls, emails, photocopying, couriers, or coffee.
Our great lawyer guarantee
We want to be part of your team over the long term. We achieve this by adhering to these core principles:
Take the time
We listen carefully to understand what you want to achieve. Then we thoroughly explain our advice and step you through the documents. You can be sure you know the full consequences.
Share our knowledge
We will pass on as much knowledge as we can, so you can make your own informed decisions. We want to make you truly independent.
Stick to our knitting
We only do what we're good at. You can be confident that we know what we're doing and don't pass on the cost of our learning.
Work as one team
Someone will always be available to answer your questions, or point you in the right direction. You will also benefit from a range of perspectives and experience.
Fair pricing
For advice and documents, we provide a fixed or capped quote so you don't take price risk. If you're in a dispute, we map out the process and costs so you know what to expect.
It's your show
We're not in this for our egos. We're in it for a front row seat to witness your success.
