Debt Recovery Lawyers, Fixed-Price

Get unpaid business debts recovered by an Australian lawyer. Letters of demand from $400 + GST.

Rated 5 out of 5

Trusted by 650,000+ Australian businesses

Commercial debt recovery, not consumer, not litigation

Debt recovery is a scope-heavy area, the same word covers a $500 unpaid invoice and a $50m Federal Court insolvency dispute. Lawpath sits at the pre-litigation end: we draft the demand, we negotiate the settlement, and we scope up to conciliation. Formal Local Court, Federal Circuit or Supreme Court debt recovery proceedings need a litigation specialist, we'll refer you to one, quickly. If you're a consumer chasing a personal debt, you're on the wrong page. Everyone chasing a business debt owed to your business, keep reading.

This page is for you if…

You run an Australian business chasing an unpaid commercial invoice, contract debt or supplier debt.
You want a letter of demand drafted by a lawyer (not a debt collection agency), because you want the paper trail if it escalates.
You want to negotiate a settlement or repayment plan without full litigation.
The debt is between $500 and $250,000, anything outside that range needs specialist scoping.

This page isn't for you if…

You're a consumer chasing a personal debt, try the small claims tribunal in your state.
You're already in Local Court, Federal Circuit or Supreme Court litigation, you need a litigation lawyer, not us.
You're chasing a debt in insolvency (the debtor is in administration or liquidation), this is insolvency law and specialist.
You want a debt collection agency, not a lawyer. Agencies charge on commission; we charge fixed fees.

How commercial debt recovery works, step by step

The vast majority of business debts settle at the letter-of-demand stage. Getting the demand drafted properly by an Australian lawyer signals to the debtor that you're serious. Below is what each stage of the recovery process looks like and where we hand off if the matter escalates past our scope.

Stage	What it involves	Fixed price
1. Debt scoping call	Review the invoice history, contract and terms of trade, is the debt legally recoverable?	Included
2. Letter of demand	A formal demand on Lawpath letterhead, signed by an Australian lawyer, setting out the debt, the basis of the claim and the consequences of non-payment.	$400–$900 + GST
3. Debtor response & negotiation	Reply management, payment plan negotiation, settlement drafting.	$500–$1,500 + GST
4. Pre-litigation conciliation	Attend conciliation or mediation, draft settlement deed.	$1,500–$3,000 + GST
5. Escalation to litigation	Referred to a litigation specialist we work with, introduced within 1 business day.	Referred out

What it actually costs

Debt collection agencies charge on commission, usually 15–30% of recovered funds, sometimes higher on aged debts. That model works for high-volume, low-value consumer debt, but it's the wrong shape for commercial debt where the strategic decision needs a lawyer's judgement, not a call-centre script. Lawpath uses fixed-price quotes for the recovery stages we handle, so you know the cost before the demand goes out.

Pricing as of FY 2025-26

Matter	Fixed-price range	Typical turnaround
Letter of demand	$400–$900 + GST	2-4 business days
Demand + follow-up management	$800–$1,500 + GST	2-4 weeks
Settlement deed drafting	$800–$1,800 + GST	3-5 business days
Pre-litigation conciliation	$1,500–$3,000 + GST	Matter-specific
Court litigation	Referred to litigation counsel	Referred out

Prices exclude GST. Turnaround is confirmed in your quote. Your fixed-price quote is issued within 1 business day of submitting your brief, and you approve it before we invoice anything.

How it works

Five steps from brief to delivery, the same process for every matter type.

STEP 1

Submit your brief

Tell us if you want to draft or review a debt recovery matter, or want an initial consult to work out what you need — plus the basic facts. About 2 minutes on the form. No credit card, no lock-in.

STEP 2

Your brief is allocated

A Lawpath Account Manager reviews your brief and allocates it to a Lawpath employee lawyer based on their experience and capacity in commercial debt recovery.

STEP 3

Fixed-price quote

Your allocated lawyer prepares a fixed-price quote for the specific work you've described. You'll receive one quote, never a marketplace bidding war.

STEP 4

You'll hear back within 1 business day

Your quote arrives with the lawyer's profile, experience, and a plain-English scope. If you're happy, accept and we begin.

STEP 5

Work delivered

Once you accept, your fee is held in Lawpath's statutory trust account under the Legal Profession Uniform Law until the work is complete. You review the deliverable; funds release only when you're satisfied.

A team of Lawpath lawyers

Every Lawpath lawyer is admitted to the Supreme Court of an Australian state or territory and holds a current practising certificate. Your lawyer's admission details are provided on request before work begins.

Late payers are a cash flow problem, not just a legal one.

Ongoing access to an accountant for cash flow forecasting, credit terms and bookkeeping, so overdue invoices show up sooner and hurt less.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a small business lawyer cost in Australia?

Boutique commercial firms typically bill $500–$650 per hour. Most small businesses spend $10,000–$15,000 a year on legal fees at those rates. Lawpath uses fixed-price quotes, see the pricing table above for common matters.

Can Lawpath handle a Fair Work claim?

We handle Fair Work conciliation and pre-hearing advice. If your matter progresses to a formal Fair Work Commission hearing, workers compensation claim or workplace investigation, we refer you to a specialist employment barrister.

What's the difference between a business lawyer and a corporate lawyer?

In practice the two labels overlap. Corporate lawyers usually work with larger companies on M&A, capital markets and board advisory work. Business lawyers, including Lawpath’s team, focus on the everyday legal work that runs a private company or small business.

Do I need a lawyer to set up a Pty Ltd company?

Some questions, structure choice, founder equity split, IP ownership at incorporation, are better answered before you incorporate. If you already know it’s a Pty Ltd, ACN registration is a form-filling exercise Lawpath handles directly for $600 + GST (plus the $636 ASIC government fee). If you’re unsure, book an initial consult first.

Are Lawpath's small business lawyers actual Australian lawyers?

Yes. Every Lawpath lawyer is admitted to the Supreme Court of an Australian state or territory and holds a current practising certificate. Your lawyer’s admission details are provided on request before work begins.

Do I need a lawyer, or can I use a template?

Templates are great for simple, low-stakes matters, Lawpath Essentials includes access to 550+ legal templates you can use straight away. A lawyer is the better option for HR advice, compliance breaches, ASIC obligations, or contracts above $20k. If in doubt, book an initial consult and we’ll tell you honestly if a template will do.

Ready to talk to a debt recovery lawyer?

Get a fixed-price quote within 1 business day, no obligation to proceed.

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