03 9070 9810

Melbourne's Hospitality Lawyers

Legal support for restaurants, bars, pubs and venues across Victoria. Fixed fee services that keep your business trading.

★★★★★

“I’ve had a fantastic experience with SLK Lawyers.”
— Rahel G., Google review

★★★★★

“Cale and Blaine at SLK Lawyers expertly guided a complex commercial matter from start to finish.”
— L. L., Google review

★★★★★

“SLK lawyers have always been amazing for sound legal business advice before we make decisions.”
— Jessy W., Google review

★★★★★

“Rhiannon was very helpful with assisting us in selling our property. Blaine and Freya were exceptional in their assistance in selling our business.”
— Kristin L., Google review

Get Advice for Your Venue

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Why Venue Owners Choose Us

Practical legal solutions built around the hospitality industry

Industry Focus

We work exclusively with hospitality businesses. Restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, nightclubs and hotels are our core clients.

Fixed Fee Pricing

Know your costs upfront. We offer fixed fee legal services for liquor licensing, venue purchases and lease reviews.

Fast Turnaround

Hospitality moves quickly. We respond within hours, not days, because we understand venue deadlines matter.

Practical Advice

No legal jargon. We give you clear recommendations that protect your business and help you make decisions.

Due Diligence Focus

We check licence conditions, lease terms, compliance history and staff entitlements before you commit to a purchase.

Local Knowledge

We act for buyers and sellers across Melbourne and regional Victoria. We understand how Victorian bar transactions work.

Opening a New Venue?

Book a consultation to discuss your liquor licence application, lease terms or business structure.

How We Help Hospitality Businesses

From licence applications to venue sales, we handle the legal work so you can focus on your customers

Signing liquor licensing documents

Liquor Licence Applications & Transfers

Getting your liquor licence right is critical. We prepare and lodge applications with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, handle objections, and manage transfers when you buy or sell a venue. Our liquor licence lawyers in Melbourne have lodged hundreds of applications across Victoria.

Commercial hospitality lease and fit-out context

Commercial Lease Negotiations

Your lease terms can make or break your venue. We review and negotiate commercial leases for hospitality premises, including rent reviews, make-good clauses, permitted use provisions and assignment rights. Our commercial lease lawyers understand what hospitality operators need from their landlords.

Successful venue transaction and handover

Venue Purchases & Sales

Buying or selling a restaurant, bar or cafe involves more than just the price. We conduct due diligence on licences, leases, staff entitlements and equipment. We draft contracts and manage settlements. Our restaurant lawyers in Victoria handle transactions from small cafes to major hotel acquisitions.

Liquor Licensing

Liquor Licensing

New licence applications, transfers, variations and VCGLR compliance. We handle late-night permits, BYO licences and packaged liquor licences.

Licensing Services
Venue Conveyance

Venue Conveyance

Due diligence, contract preparation and settlement for buying or selling restaurants, bars, cafes and hotels across Melbourne and Victoria.

Buy or Sell
Commercial Leasing

Commercial Leasing

Lease negotiation, rent reviews, assignments and disputes. We protect your interests when dealing with landlords and property managers.

Lease Support
Employment Law

Employment Law

Award compliance, employment contracts, unfair dismissal claims and workplace investigations. Hospitality employment law is complex. We simplify it.

Employment Help
Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory Compliance

Council permits, health regulations, noise complaints and planning issues. We help you stay compliant and respond to enforcement action.

Compliance Services
Franchising

Franchising

Franchise agreements, disclosure documents and dispute resolution for hospitality franchisors and franchisees operating in Victoria.

Franchise Legal

Melbourne Hospitality Lawyers Who Understand Your Industry

HospoLawyer.com.au is the hospitality law division of Sutton Laurence King Lawyers, a boutique commercial law firm based in Melbourne. We provide legal services exclusively to restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, nightclubs, hotels and food businesses throughout Victoria.

Our clients range from first-time venue owners opening their dream restaurant to established operators running multiple sites. We also work with property developers building hospitality precincts, investors acquiring venue portfolios, and business brokers handling hospitality transactions.

As a liquor licence lawyer in Melbourne, we lodge applications with the VCGLR every week. We know the process, the timeframes, and what the Commission looks for. This means fewer delays and better outcomes for your licence application.

We offer fixed fee legal services for most hospitality matters. You will know your costs before we start work. No surprises, no hourly billing that spirals out of control.

Need Legal Advice for Your Venue?

Contact our hospitality lawyers in Melbourne for a fixed fee quote on your matter.

What clients say about SLK Lawyers

Reviews of Sutton Laurence King Lawyers, the firm behind this site, from its Google profile.

4.8 ★★★★★ from 92 reviews on Google
R
Rahel Goldmann-DavisAug 2026
Google

★★★★★

I’ve had a fantastic experience with SLK Lawyers. Monica got my business sale over the line with a level of flawless professionalism and level-headedness that is rarely seen. Her diligence and attention to detail speaks to her excellence.

L
L. L.Nov 2025
Google

★★★★★

Cale and Blaine at SLK Lawyers expertly guided a complex commercial matter from start to finish. They set a clear strategy, communicated in plain language, and protected my interests while keeping measured pressure on the other party.

J
Jessy WarnOct 2024
Google

★★★★★

SLK lawyers have always been amazing for sound legal business advice before we make decisions. They have protected us and given us the confidence and knowledge we need. I highly recommend SLK to any business needing commercial legal help. Thanks for your expert guidance.

K
Kristin LemuraJun 2020
Google

★★★★★

Rhiannon was very helpful with assisting us in selling our property. Blaine and Freya were exceptional in their assistance in selling our business. Highly recommended.

P
Patrick ReardonJun 2019
Google

★★★★★

We engaged the services of SLK after they were recommended by multiple people to assist us with the sale of our hotel. We were fortunate enough to deal with Blaine.

S
Stuart HislopFeb 2019
Google

★★★★★

We needed terms and conditions and website disclaimers, for our ecommerce website in a hurry - it was preventing us from going live. The Sutton Laurence King team got the task done on time and under budget. Could not be more grateful.

Common Questions About Hospitality Legal Services

VCGLR application fees vary depending on the licence type, ranging from around $200 for a BYO permit to several thousand dollars for a late-night general licence. Our legal fees for preparing and lodging your application are quoted as a fixed fee upfront. Contact us for a quote specific to your licence type.

Standard liquor licence applications typically take 8 to 12 weeks from lodgement to approval, assuming there are no objections. Late-night licence applications or those in areas with existing amenity concerns may take longer. We can provide temporary limited licences in some circumstances to help you start trading sooner.

While not legally required, having a lawyer review the contract, lease and licence transfer documents protects you from inheriting problems. We conduct due diligence on staff entitlements, supplier contracts, equipment ownership and compliance history. Many buyers discover issues that affect the purchase price or their decision to proceed.

Key clauses include permitted use provisions, rent review mechanisms, make-good obligations, assignment rights, and exclusivity clauses. Hospitality leases also need to address trading hours, outdoor dining, exhaust systems and grease traps. We review these terms and negotiate amendments before you sign.

Yes. We represent venue operators responding to objections from Victoria Police, local councils or community groups. We also assist with VCGLR disciplinary proceedings, licence condition variations, and compliance audits. Early legal advice often resolves these matters more quickly.

Yes. We provide fixed fee quotes for most hospitality legal matters including liquor licence applications, lease reviews, venue purchases and employment contracts. You will know exactly what the legal work will cost before we start. Complex litigation matters are quoted separately.

Ready to Talk?

Call us or complete the enquiry form. We respond to all hospitality enquiries within one business day.

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