What Merton Lawyers does

Merton Lawyers is a privately-held Australian law firm headquartered in Hawthorn, Melbourne, operating across five offices in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The firm delivers four core legal practice areas: Corporate & Commercial (with a focus on M&A, capital investment, and emerging growth company advisory), Property, Projects & Construction, Litigation & Disputes, and Conveyancing & Property. Its primary customer segment is emerging growth companies and venture capital firms requiring support for funding rounds, governance, and cross-border expansion, alongside established businesses needing transactional and dispute resolution services.

The firm generates revenue through professional legal service fees billed per-matter, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Its go-to-market is sales-led, relying on ecosystem relationships, content marketing via the Merton Journal, event participation (SXSW, Montgomery Summit, RSA Conference, Innovation Bay), and referral networks from accountants and professional advisors. Distribution is direct through partner-led engagement across multiple regional offices.

Beyond traditional legal services, Merton Lawyers has developed proprietary ecosystem programs including Project Frontier (US market expansion support for Australian founders, launched August 2023) and Project Odyssey (VC governance initiative, launched July 2025), the latter anchored by the Merton Lawyers Startup Board Course held at the Wade Institute. These programs, backed by partnerships with Microsoft, HSBC Innovation Banking, Silicon Valley Bank, and Carta, position the firm as an ecosystem orchestrator rather than a conventional legal services provider. The firm was co-founded by Managing Partner Anthony Curtin and Managing Director David Rennex, with no external investment or parent company disclosed.

Name

Merton Lawyers

Legal name

The Merton Law Group Pty Ltd

Website

https://mertonlawyers.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Merton Lawyers is an Australian law firm serving emerging growth companies, venture capital firms, and established businesses across Corporate & Commercial, Property, Litigation, and Conveyancing practices, operating from five offices and running ecosystem programs Project Frontier and Project Odyssey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Estate Planning & Trust Structuring Advisory (FSAEAKAC)

Keywords

• Commercial legal services
• Corporate law advisory
• Venture capital legal services
• Property conveyancing services
• Litigation dispute resolution

Headquarters

HQ city

Hawthorn

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Merton Lawyers generates revenue through professional legal service fees across multiple practice areas including Corporate & Commercial, Property & Construction, Litigation & Disputes, and Conveyancing & Property. Services are billed to emerging growth companies, startups, and established businesses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Merton Lawyers is an Australian commercial law firm that delivers legal services across four core practice areas: Property, Projects & Construction; Corporate & Commercial (including M&A and capital investment for emerging growth companies); Litigation & Disputes; and Conveyancing & Property. The firm operates five offices across Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, and supports clients with corporate advisory, property transactions, dispute resolution, and venture capital ecosystem services.

Product overview

Merton Lawyers is a law firm operating a multi-service legal practice architecture. Core services include Property, Projects & Construction; Corporate & Commercial (with M&A and capital investment focus); Litigation & Disputes; and Conveyancing & Property. The firm has developed specialized programs for the startup ecosystem: Project Frontier (US market expansion support) and Project Odyssey (VC governance), which include the Startup Board Course. The Merton Journal serves as an ongoing thought leadership platform. The Corporate Information Memorandum provides firm overview materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Frontier: A program supporting Australian founders expanding into the US market, connecting them with US law firms and resources.
• Project Odyssey
• Merton Lawyers Startup Board Course

Products and services

• Property, Projects & Construction Legal services covering property transactions, construction projects, and related disputes for commercial and residential clients, including property developers, builders, and construction companies.
• Corporate & Commercial Legal services including M&A, capital investment for emerging growth companies, procurement, sale and distribution of specialist equipment, commercial contracts, and corporate transactions.
• Litigation & Disputes Dispute resolution and litigation services across insolvency, property disputes, corporate disputes, and debt recovery, representing clients in Australian courts.
• Conveyancing & Property Property transfer and conveyancing services assisting residential and commercial clients through settlement processes, including section 27 statements.
• Project Frontier A program designed to support Australian founders expanding into the US market, connecting them with US law firms and providing guidance on cross-border expansion and capital raising.
• Project Odyssey An initiative focused on strengthening governance across the venture capital ecosystem, featuring educational programs for VCs and their portfolio companies.
• Merton Lawyers Startup Board Course A two-day intensive program at Wade Institute designed to help VCs and their portfolio companies build high-impact boards using a Silicon Valley-style governance approach.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered principal partner, core and minor.

• Microsoftprincipal partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Principal Partner for the Merton Lawyers Startup Board Course held in October 2025. Microsoft's commitment to fostering innovation and governance in the startup ecosystem was evident throughout the event, enhancing discussions about addressing governance challenges in the age of AI.
• HSBC Innovation BankingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partner for the Merton Lawyers Startup Board Course. Contributed to the collaborative environment promoting strong governance practices within the startup community.
• Silicon Valley BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partner for the Startup Board Course and host of RSA Conference 2025 Australia House evening reception. Shared vision of empowering entrepreneurs and investors.
• CartacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partner for the Startup Board Course, contributing to the success of the inaugural event focused on startup governance.
• Wade Institute of EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Venue partner for the Startup Board Course held at the Wade Institute in Melbourne. Hosted the two-day intensive program for VCs and portfolio companies.
• Pangea Global Health EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Merton Lawyers supported Pangea's campaign to enhance healthcare outcomes in Malawi, helping raise $13,300 for training 60 health professionals.
• William BuckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Co-hosted International Expansion Lunch with Merton Lawyers in Melbourne, bringing together business leaders and advisors to share perspectives on global growth and cross-border venture expansion.
• Innovation BaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ongoing partnership for renewable energy startup showcase events, Aurora Dinners, and Venture Down Under events. Merton Lawyers attends and sponsors Innovation Bay events.
• Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Innovation Bay partnership for Renewable Start-Up Showcase events. Merton Lawyers attends the annual showcase featuring clean energy startups.
• LaunchVicminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with LaunchVic CivVic Labs Accelerator Program. Merton lawyers present to startups on negotiation skills and business development.
• AustradecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Historical partnership through Australia House at SXSW 2018 and RSA Conference 2025. Austrade supports Australian tech companies expanding to US markets.
• Investment NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for Going Global Export Program. Merton presents to AI cohort on US expansion decision-making. Hosts annual mixer events with Investment NSW and ASX.
• Global VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated on three-part webinar series focused on capital raising with US focus, including webinar on realities of expanding to US.
• Blackbird VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strong advocacy for Sunrise Festival, Sunrise 2025 and #Sunrise25 events. Merton Lawyers represented at Blackbird's flagship startup festival.
• Hub AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration on events including R&D Tax Incentive workshop and Gig Economy discussions. Managing Partner hosts free events with Hub Australia.
• Legally YoursminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner for events on legal topics including R&D Tax Incentive and employee vs contractor considerations for startups.
• Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Listed as ecosystem partner with MAP, supporting founder drop-in series and accelerator programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hall & Wilcox: Australian mid-market commercial law firm with comparable practice breadth (corporate, property, litigation) and similar client profile of growth-stage and mid-market businesses. Direct competitor for non-top-tier corporate mandates in Victoria and NSW.
• Bird & Bird: International law firm with a focused technology, media, and venture capital practice. Competes with Merton for Australian tech startup and VC mandates, with deeper international footprint for cross-border expansion work.
• Hamilton Locke: Australian mid-market law firm purpose-built around venture capital, startups, and high-growth companies, with comparable ecosystem focus and similar client base to Merton Lawyers. Directly competes for the same emerging growth and VC mandates across Sydney and Melbourne.
• Piper Alderman: Australian full-service commercial law firm with comparable practice areas (corporate, property, litigation, conveyancing) and similar mid-market positioning. Competes directly for Australian SMB and emerging company mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Allens: Tier-1 Australian law firm with deep venture capital and startup practice, advising leading Australian VC funds and tech companies. Provides the full-service alternative that Merton's emerging growth clients may graduate toward at later funding stages.
• King & Wood Mallesons: Asia-Pacific headquartered global law firm with strong Australian VC, M&A, and emerging companies capabilities. Competes for sophisticated startup mandates and provides international reach that boutique firms like Merton cannot match.
• Gilbert + Tobin: Leading Australian law firm with a strong technology, media, and emerging companies practice that competes directly for VC-backed startup mandates. Larger bench and broader practice mix position it as the natural step-up for Merton's clients as they grow.
• Goodwin Procter: US-based law firm with one of the leading global venture capital and technology practices. Increasingly competing for Australian startup mandates, particularly where US expansion is involved, putting pressure on Merton's Project Frontier positioning.
• Latham & Watkins: Global law firm with a leading emerging companies and venture capital practice. Frequently represents VC funds and high-growth companies on Australian and cross-border deals, competing for the larger mandates that Merton's clients may pursue at Series B and beyond.
• K&L Gates: Global law firm with a dedicated emerging companies and venture capital practice group. Active in the Australian market and competes for cross-border startup mandates, particularly those involving US investors or expansion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mertonlawyers
• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/merton-lawyers
• Instagraminstagram.com/mertonlawyers/?hl=en
• Xx.com/mertonlawyers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Merton Lawyers