Conveyancing · Melbourne, VIC

Conveyancers in Melbourne.

Conveyancers in Melbourne: 3 profiles of our own, researched and register-noted. Every card says which of those it is, and links the source.

Solicitor or firm

Your first call for a conveyancing matter. Runs the matter from the first meeting — advice, negotiation, the paperwork, and court if it comes to that — and briefs a barrister when one is needed.

Contact the firm directly

Accredited specialist

A solicitor a law institute has accredited in a field after formal assessment. We show it only where the listing says so. Shown on the Victorian register.

Ask the firm, or check the register

Barrister

An advocate for hearings, trials and hard points of law. Some accept direct briefs from the public; most work comes through a solicitor.

Usually through your solicitor

Conveyancers we list in Melbourne 3 listed

3 barristers, with Doyle’s Guide rankings where they exist and a register note on every listing. We group lawyers by what Doyle’s Guide published and what we have checked ourselves. Inside a group the order is alphabetical, and no lawyer here is rated above another by us.

  1. Doyle’s Leading — 1 barrister

    Within this group the order is alphabetical. It is not a ranking.

  2. Daniel M Robinson

    Barrister at the Victorian Bar · Owen Dixon Chambers East

    Melbourne, VIC

    Doyle’s Guide Leading · Planning & Environment

    • Planning & Environment

    We have not checked anything on this listing yet. That is about our coverage, not about this lawyer.

  3. Listed, no current Doyle’s tier — 2 barristers

    Within this group the order is alphabetical. It is not a ranking.

  4. James E McIntyre

    Independent barrister practising from the Victorian Bar

    Melbourne, VIC

    We have not checked anything on this listing yet. That is about our coverage, not about this lawyer.

  5. Peter B Murdoch KC

    Barrister at the Victorian Bar · Owen Dixon Chambers West

    Melbourne, VIC

    We have not checked anything on this listing yet. That is about our coverage, not about this lawyer.

Doyle’s Guide tiers are Doyle’s, from its peer survey, reproduced with attribution. Google ratings are ratings of the firm, not of an individual lawyer. Sponsored placements are labelled. Nobody pays to be listed.

About conveyancing in Melbourne

About conveyancing in Melbourne

Conveyancing in Australia is state-administered — each state has its own land titles registry, stamp duty regime, and standard contract for sale. Settlement is now predominantly electronic via the PEXA platform. Costs vary materially by state and by transaction type (established residential, off-the-plan, commercial, rural).

Melbourne is the second-largest legal market in Australia with substantial commercial and equity practices. The Supreme Court of Victoria, Federal Court (Melbourne Registry), and Federal Circuit and Family Court (Melbourne Registry) all sit here. The Law Institute of Victoria regulates solicitors; the Victorian Bar regulates barristers.

Regulators: Law Institute of Victoria (liv.asn.au) and the Victorian Bar (vicbar.com.au)

Courts, tribunals and regulators in Melbourne

Courts, tribunals and regulators in Melbourne

Land Use Victoria administers titles. Section 32 vendor statement is mandatory pre-contract under the Sale of Land Act 1962 (VIC). State Revenue Office Victoria handles land transfer duty.

Typical conveyancing fees in Melbourne

Typical conveyancing fees in Melbourne

Indicative fees drawn from published cost data. Confirm in writing with any firm before engaging — written costs disclosure is mandatory under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Pathway / matter typeRangeNotes
Standard residential$1,650 median$1,150–$2,400 range
Off-the-plan$2,200–$3,400
Pre-auction review$650–$1,100
Total disbursements~$720Includes title insurance, common in VIC

For the full conveyancing cost breakdown across Australia, see our Conveyancing cost guide.

Common conveyancing matter types in Melbourne

Common conveyancing matter types in Melbourne

Matter types we see most often in our intake from Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.

Standard residential purchase

Contract review, exchange, pre-settlement searches, settlement via PEXA. NSW standard settlement is 42 days after exchange; VIC standard is 30–60 days; QLD typically 30 days. Median professional fee Sydney metro $1,820; Melbourne $1,650.

Off-the-plan purchase

Apartment or house not yet built. Contract review focused on sunset clauses, build-quality provisions, and developer warranty terms. Significantly more complex than established — budget 30–50% higher professional fee.

Property sale (vendor)

Contract preparation, disclosure compliance (s32 vendor statement in VIC; vendor warranties in other states), responding to buyer requisitions, settlement coordination.

Commercial property

Office, retail, industrial. Due diligence on leases, GST treatment, environmental and planning matters. Fees typically 0.1–0.3% of purchase price.

Refinance & transfer

Spouse transfer, family transfer, change of mortgagee. Often duty-exempt where between spouses. Fixed fee in most firms.

Pre-auction contract review

Buyers need contract reviewed before bidding. Once you bid at auction there is no cooling-off period — the contract is binding. Reputable conveyancers will turn this around in 48–72 hours for $500–$850.

How to choose a conveyancing lawyer in Melbourne

How to choose a conveyancing lawyer in Melbourne

Five questions that determine whether the lawyer in front of you is the right fit for your matter.

  • Conveyancer or property solicitor. For standard residential, a licensed conveyancer is usually cheaper by $200–$500 and entirely appropriate. For commercial, off-the-plan, or transactions with complications (FIRB, trust purchase, deceased estate, family-court order), a property solicitor is preferable.
  • Fixed fee with itemised disbursements. A reputable firm quotes the professional fee as a fixed amount and itemises every disbursement at cost. Be wary of bundled “searches package” line items or marked-up PEXA fees — these are common ways margin is hidden.
  • Same-day response time. In a residential settlement the buyer is making decisions on tight deadlines. Confirm in writing that the firm commits to same-business-day response on email and phone during business hours.
  • Local market familiarity. Familiar with the council certificates required in your area, the local water authority, and any state-specific quirks (e.g. NSW Section 10.7 certificates vs VIC Section 32 vendor statements).
  • PEXA-lodging party. Confirm the firm is on PEXA as the lodging party (most are). If not, settlement coordination is more complex.

Same practice · other cities

Find conveyancers in other Australian cities

Other practice areas in Melbourne

Melbourne lawyers across other practice areas

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