Legal
Technology Law
Commercial, IP and regulatory advice for technology businesses, founders and investors.
Legal Advisory
Full-service commercial legal capability through Corson Fiske ILP.
Overview
How we help.
Technology businesses live or die by the strength of their commercial and IP foundations. Software licences, data arrangements, platform terms, privacy compliance, AI governance and investment contracts — each involves legal judgements that materially affect enterprise value. Founders who treat these as afterthoughts invariably pay the price at exit.
Corson Fiske advises technology businesses through Corson Fiske ILP, our incorporated legal practice. We act for founders, growth-stage operators, investors and established technology companies, bringing the commercial fluency needed to work at the pace of the sector.
Our integrated capability — legal, tax, IP and corporate advisory — means technology clients get coordinated answers rather than parallel invoices from separate firms.
Capabilities
- SaaS, software and platform agreements
- Data protection, privacy and AI governance
- IP assignment, licensing and protection
- Investment agreements and cap table management
- Terms of service and consumer law compliance
- Employee equity and ESOP documentation
- Commercial and channel partner contracts
- Cross-border expansion documentation
Client Situations
When clients engage us.
The issues that bring clients through our door tend to fall into familiar patterns.
A capital raise is imminent
Investors will want clean IP assignment, tidy contracts and proper cap table documentation. We prepare the company for diligence.
Customer contracts need a reset
Standard terms no longer reflect the product or pricing. We rebuild the contractual stack.
A data or privacy matter has arisen
A breach, complaint or regulatory inquiry needs a rapid, privileged response.
International expansion is underway
New jurisdictions require entity, contract and compliance work delivered in parallel.
A regulator has opened an investigation
ASIC, the ACCC, a state regulator or an industry body has commenced inquiries. Privileged legal counsel is required immediately.
A counterparty has breached a material contract
A significant commercial relationship has broken down and the legal options — from negotiation through to contested proceedings — need to be assessed.
Outcomes
What you can expect.
- Clean IP and contractual foundations that survive diligence
- Customer and partner agreements aligned to current commercials
- Privacy and data arrangements that withstand scrutiny
- Expansion structures ready to transact in new markets
Deeper Reading
Key legal considerations for technology businesses
Technology clients face a uniquely dense intersection of legal issues: intellectual property ownership and assignment, data protection under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, AI governance under emerging Australian regulatory expectations, consumer law under the ACL, and the commercial terms that govern customer relationships, investor agreements and platform arrangements.
The most consequential legal decisions in a technology business are usually made early and rarely revisited. IP assignment from founders and contractors, the structure of option plans and equity instruments, the terms of the first significant customer contract, and the drafting of the constitution and shareholders agreement — all of these shape what is possible at every subsequent stage, including diligence on a capital raise or exit.
We advise technology clients on these foundational decisions and on the contested issues that arise in live operations: data breaches, disputed IP ownership, customer contract disputes, platform liability questions and regulatory inquiries. Our integrated structure means tax, corporate finance and strategic advisory colleagues are available when the legal question sits inside a broader commercial issue.
Questions we are often asked
Who owns the IP my team has developed?
If code, designs or content were developed by employees in the course of their employment, the employer typically owns the IP by default. If the work was done by contractors, founders before incorporation, or external consultants, the default position is that they retain ownership unless there is a written assignment. We regularly fix this retrospectively, but it is far cheaper to get it right upfront.
When does a data incident trigger notification?
The Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act requires notification to affected individuals and the OAIC where there has been unauthorised access, unauthorised disclosure, or loss of personal information likely to result in serious harm. The assessment is fact-specific and the timelines are short. We advise on both the legal test and the practical response.
Do I need to worry about AI regulation yet?
Australia does not yet have a dedicated AI statute, but the Voluntary AI Safety Standard and evolving OAIC guidance make clear that existing privacy, consumer law and anti-discrimination obligations already apply to AI systems. Boards of ASX-listed companies should also expect continuous disclosure questions about material AI exposures.
Client Success
Outcomes from recent engagements.
Indicative results from engagements within this practice area. Client details have been anonymised; outcomes reflect actual matters completed by the firm.
$15M
Dispute Resolved
Construction dispute
Acted for a property developer in a contested Security of Payment matter, achieving a $15M favourable settlement on the eve of adjudication.
Property developer
AFSL Granted
90 days
Licensing application
Prepared and lodged an AFSL application for a fintech client that was granted within ASIC’s service standard of 90 days with no requisitions.
Fintech startup
Retained TM
Bad-faith opposition
Section 62A opposition
Successfully opposed a bad-faith trade mark application under section 62A of the Trade Marks Act 1995, protecting a registered Australian consumer brand.
Consumer brand
Why Corson Fiske
Experience where it counts.
Clients engage Corson Fiske because they need advice they can act on — delivered by senior practitioners who understand both the technical detail and the commercial consequences. Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in complex legal matters.
Our integrated structure means tax, legal, accounting and advisory questions are resolved within a single firm. For clients operating across Australia, Asia, New Zealand or Asia, our office network in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore and Auckland provides consistent advice across jurisdictions.
Our Approach
A refined four-phase method for every engagement.
Corson Fiske applies the same disciplined framework to every matter, regardless of scale. The phases below are not a marketing device — they are the actual structure our partners use to move clients from uncertainty to resolution.
Phase One
01
Understand
A confidential partner-led briefing to establish the facts, commercial drivers, timing pressures and stakeholder dynamics.
- Confidential scoping conversation
- Document and data review
- Stakeholder mapping
- Initial risk identification
Phase Two
02
Analyse
Structured technical and commercial analysis of every realistic option, with a clear view of risks, costs and likely outcomes.
- Technical legal and tax analysis
- Commercial modelling
- Risk-weighted options assessment
- Precedent and market benchmarking
Phase Three
03
Recommend
A written partner recommendation in plain English — not a list of caveats. We stand behind our advice and explain our reasoning.
- Clear written recommendation
- Implementation sequencing
- Stakeholder communication plan
- Contingency and fallback positions
Phase Four
04
Execute
Hands-on delivery of the agreed plan with partner oversight, regular milestone reporting and clear handback at completion.
- Implementation leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Milestone tracking and reporting
- Completion review and handback
Key Considerations
What clients need to know.
Engaging external advisors on any significant matter raises practical questions about scope, timing, cost and outcomes. We believe in being straightforward about each of these from the first conversation.
How engagements typically begin
Every engagement starts with a confidential initial conversation — usually 30 to 60 minutes — in which we listen to the situation, ask the questions needed to understand it properly, and share a view on whether and how we can help. There is no charge for this conversation and no obligation to proceed.
How we scope and price work
We prefer fixed-fee or capped-fee arrangements wherever the scope allows. Where the scope is genuinely uncertain — as in contested matters — we agree hourly rates upfront and provide regular fee updates against defined phases. We do not bill for internal discussions, file opening or routine administration.
Who you will work with
Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in the matter type. That partner remains your primary point of contact throughout. Specialist colleagues join the team where their expertise is required, but you will never be passed from person to person or find the partner you hired is no longer on the file.
How we handle confidentiality and privilege
All engagements are subject to strict confidentiality. Where legal advice is being delivered, it is provided through our incorporated legal practice and attracts legal professional privilege. We take document security, information handling and communications discipline seriously on every matter.
Get the right advice from Corson Fiske.
Confidential, no-obligation initial consultations with a partner who specialises in complex legal matters.