About Us

This meant they could cut away the layers of bureaucracy and offer truly flexible ways of working and services – for themselves and their clients. They had lives, and understood that so did their clients. This changed the way they worked, and the services they could offer. Before flexibility and innovation became a marketing pitch, this change meant they could go to their clients’ offices, they could offer fixed fees not set by national boards. In essence, they could offer the St Georges Terrace skill level, without the St Georges Terrace traditional requirements and costs, and by starting afresh, create new, more efficient ways of working.

20 years later, while the name has changed and the firm has grown to 34 people, that original philosophy guides everything we do.

Today, our lawyers are real people, highly skilled, who use technology to provide legal and business services in the most efficient way possible. We understand that the services we provide are just one part of making our clients’ lives and businesses more successful. Whether that is setting up deals correctly, protecting them against future problems, or assisting when they have run into difficulties. We do so in simple English, without the legal jargon, and in the most efficient way possible. There is no point having brilliant lawyers on your team, if you can’t understand what they are telling you, and it turns up in a 20 – page letter of advice. So our core attributes and outcomes can be summarised in 3 words: People, skill and efficiency.

We help our clients in ways that we believe set us apart from other law firms. Most law firms say this. Basically, they talk the talk. But at Cullen Macleod we walk the walk. Click here to see How we do it, Who we are, and ultimately Why you should choose us.

Our lawyers have acted on, and advised on, some of WA’s leading cases and transactions, from the leading liquor licencing case in WA (Bicton Case) to one of the main cases on equity (a farming dispute) (Giumelli Case). We give our clients successful outcomes – including as at March 2018 an approximate 98% success rate in liquor licence applications, acting for some of Australia’s largest hospitality & retail businesses.

As for the ‘How’: How we do this is the second most important question when choosing a law firm. How we deal with you, with our colleagues, with each other.

We return your calls and answer your questions, quickly. We talk, and write, in simple clear language that you will understand. We give you direct access to your lawyer who is a senior lawyer who will have up to date information on your matter, without going through 3 ‘levels’ of lawyers. We do not send you documents full of ‘lawyer’ language, or strange Latin words.

We understand you often have a family to look after, as well as a business to run. So we make it easy for you to speak to us, and work with us. We can see you out of office hours or at your place of business. Whatever works for you. We use technology and other resources to work in the most efficient way possible. Lawyers are notorious for charging on a time basis, which can sometimes be the opposite of doing things efficiently. We prioritise efficiency at Cullen Macleod. If it can be done quicker, or more easily – we do it. This includes: removing unneeded paper files, giving you direct access online to your own files, replicating the important documents electronically on your electronic files so if you or your barrister need a document urgently, we can find and send it straightaway. Whatever is the most practical method.

We know that sometimes you just can’t leave your business, or your family, during ‘normal’ business hours. Or you just don’t want to. Tell us. We can work out a time that is good for you. We can also come to you. Our staff work a variety of flexible hours. With technology, in today’s world, we can work at any time, in any place. Personally, I have been known to open a second online office from Brisbane & Bali…

We are working hard to be paper lite. Most business in today’s modern business world can be conducted electronically and where we can, we take advantage of the time and cost savings this provides to us, our clients and the world at large.

We have regular social and education events where we specifically introduce you to our staff, and our contacts. You get to know us, which makes it easier to trust us to help you. Legal services are just one part of you and your business. We want to know you so we can best help you. We also introduce our clients and contacts to each other where we think they may have complementary businesses or clients. Business in Perth is people based; technology is great, but face to face contact cannot be beaten. And business is ultimately about connecting with other people who you can help with your service or product.

If you would like introductions to a specific group of people, or a specific person, ask us – we are happy to help.

For many of our services we can give you fixed prices fees which equals certainty for you and your business cost base.

Speak and write in a language that everyone understands. Remove the old archaic language in documents – use diagrams / plain English, whatever method it takes to get our message across. We teach all of our staff to speak, explain and write in a language that everyone can understand. It is the information that is important, not fancy legal words.