Please use these links for information about:


Our Legal Services


Our "Outsourced Inhouse General Counsel" service


Our Public Notary Services


Our Referral Network




 


 


 


 


 


 









 Our Legal Services 


We provide business, commercial and corporate legal services, including as required for:
·         Advertising and marketing including competitions/promotions
·         Business establishment including joint venture and shareholder agreements
·         Buying and selling assets, businesses and companies
·         Business succession
·         Commercial contracts and risk management
·         Company Secretariat
·         Corporations
·         Confidential Information, Know-How and Trade Secrets
·         Copyright
·         Corporate Advisory and Governance
·         Data/information management
·         Dispute resolution prior to litigation
·         E-business
·         Entertainment, media and sports
·         Intellectual property
·         Information Technology
·         Not For Profit organisations including associations, clubs and charities
·         Outsourcing
·         Privacy
·         Telecommunications
·         Trade marks
·         Trade Practices Act including antitrust issues, compliance programs and consumer protection

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davidson&associates™ Outsourced Inhouse General Counsel™


As a client, you pay your lawyer to provide responsive service, and to take into account all the relevant business drivers, issues and sensitivities. But, if your lawyer only works for you on a project-by-project basis, you need to re-educate your lawyer for each project. What a waste of time and money.


To overcome this problem, and with his eyes squarely set on getting a win/win outcome for both lawyer and client, over the last 11 years Mark W K Davidson has developed a model for an outsourced inhouse General Counsel service. The final model has now been working successfully for years. Please click on the References link (in the menu to the left) to see some client recommendations.


Our davidson&associates™ Outsourced Inhouse General Counsel™ service packages can benefit businesses of all sizes, across many industries, and is built on three planks: (A) supplying Senior Lawyers, (B) sensible use of IT Systems, and (C) our commitment to helping our clients achieve lower and flatter legal spend on an annualised basis. Our service:
  • rewards client commitment
  • provides lower hourly rates
  • reduces general counsel function costs
  • helps to manage and reduce costs of other lawyers used by the business
  • includes in-house practical legal education for non-lawyers

Traditional legal retainer vs Outsourced Inhouse General Counsel


The traditional legal retainer is a regular sum paid to ensure the  availability of a lawyer, whether or not the lawyer is used. So the traditional retainer provides little value to most clients, whose needs are not rigid, but vary across time and with their business needs.


Control your cash flow and reduce your legal costs


We recognize that your legal needs will vary, so our terms allow for variation across a year – which means you don't pay for unused retainer hours in one month, if you need work done later in the year. Our Outsourced Inhouse General Counsel service is available in different configuratons, so as to suit a variety of business' needs. Click here to contact us for more information.


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Our Public Notary Services 


Mark W K Davidson is entitled to practise as a Public Notary in New South Wales, and provides our Public Notary Services solely within that State. 


 


What is a Public Notary?

Variously known as "Notary Public" or "Public Notary", all notaries in New South Wales are qualified lawyers, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court pursuant to the Public Notaries Act 1997 (NSW) and the Public Notaries Appointment Rules 1998. Applicants must be lawyers of at least 5 years standing who complete the prescribed Notarial Practice Course and are appointed after approval by the Legal Profession Admission Board (the Board). Upon appointment, the name of the notary is entered on the Roll of Public Notaries maintained by the Board. Rules governing the practice, administration, regulation and discipline of notaries are very similar to the laws covering all practising solicitors. This includes the holding of compulsory professional indemnity insurance for the due protection of their clients. The notary is permitted to practice anywhere within the State whilst on the Roll of Notaries. A notary has been likened to "an International Justice of the Peace" because, almost exclusively, the work of a notary involves documentation required by a client for overseas use. By comparison, documentation for use within Australia can usually be dealt with by a qualified lawyer. 



Common Functions Performed By Public Notaries

The most common functions or tasks of notaries within Australia tend to be: Authenticating official, Government and personal documents and information for use overseas. Witnessing signatures of individuals to documents and authenticating identity, Witnessing Powers of Attorney for use overseas, including from time to time, preparing them, Certifying true copies of documents for use overseas, For corporations and business, witnessing documents and authenticating status and transactions, Dealing with documentation for land, property and deceased estates overseas
 
Other Notarial Functions
Often notarial functions may include the requirement for the preparation of legal documents, such as a power of attorney or an agreement encompassing and formalising a transaction. As a lawyer the notary is well qualified to carry out this legal work for the client as well as perform the notarial function.
 
Legalisation Of The Notary's Signature
In many instances the document/s to be sent overseas may require the signature and seal of the notary to be legalised (certified as correct) by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Once DFAT has issued its certificate and indorsed or attached it to the notary's document, the document may have to be certified at the Consulate or Embassy of the foreign country to which it is to be sent. The Consulate or Embassy is in effect certifying the Australian Government's seal and signature on the document is correct. The notary can usually help the client by explaining DFAT's requirements and the requirements of the particular Consulate. The act of DFAT's legalisation of the notary's signature and seal never implies acceptance or approval of any words, statement, certificate or other document preceding the legalised signature. This is frequently stated by DFAT in its certificates. Many countries, including Australia, are signatories to a Convention that overcomes the double requirement of legalisation and then certification by the Consulate. Member countries issue an "Apostille" which cuts time and expense for the client. The Apostille is a statement identifying the signature of the notary and comprises a large stamp affixed to the notary's signed document. Under The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents of 1961, the Australian authorised affixer of the Apostille is DFAT.
 
Prior Appointment Essential
It is essential that we receive prior enquiries before for arranging to provide notarial services.  We may be able to reduce the time we take, and the fees we charge, by asking you a few simple questions on the phone before you try to meet.
 
 
Our Fees for Public Notary Services
We usually charge for our Public Notary Services according to the recommended Scale of Fees in New South Wales for Public Notaries, but this is subject to confirmation in each case and may be varied in appropriate circumstances.
 
 
 
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Our Referral Network


We have developed a network of contacts who we know can deliver legal services to our high standards, and to whom we can refer clients for assistance in areas we do not directly service ourselves, including:


We have developed a network of contacts who we know can deliver other professional services to our high standards, and to whom we can refer clients for assistance in areas such as:


We can also refer you to local accountants or lawyers who can assist with business establishment and operational issues in other jurisdictions, including: