Frequently asked questions

What the firm does, what it costs, what the work involves and how to reach us. If your question is not here, call 1300 764 050 or book a free 30 minute consultation.

Getting in touch

How do I get in touch with Tax Lawyers?

Call 1300 764 050, email contact@taxlawyers.com.au, or book a free 30 minute consultation on this website. The office is at Level 1, 6 Preston Street, Como WA 6152 and is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Perth time. You can also ask for a call back at a time that suits you.

How quickly will someone get back to me?

A lawyer aims to call back within 30 minutes for an urgent matter raised between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm Perth time, Monday to Friday. An urgent matter raised after hours is picked up as soon as possible. Anything else is answered in the ordinary course.

What if I have a court date or a deadline on a document?

Say so when you make contact and the matter goes straight to urgent review by a lawyer. Court documents, statutory demands and any hearing or response date you are unsure about are treated as urgent. Tell us the date printed on the document. Nobody here will tell you a date has passed or that waiting is safe without reading the document first.

Can we meet by telephone, Zoom or WhatsApp instead of coming in?

Yes. You can choose the Perth office, a telephone appointment, a Zoom appointment, or a WhatsApp call from a lawyer. A WhatsApp meeting means a lawyer rings you on WhatsApp at the number you give. It is not an automated message.

Where are you and can I come to the office?

The office is at Level 1, 6 Preston Street, Como WA 6152, and it is the one address you can attend without arranging it first. Postal mail goes to PO Box 209, West Perth WA 6872.

Do you act for clients outside Western Australia, or overseas?

Yes. Tax Lawyers acts for clients across Australia, and overseas clients are welcome. The firm's Sydney office opens the week of 19 October 2026, its Melbourne office the week of 26 October 2026, and its Brisbane office soon. Until then the firm meets clients there in person by arrangement and confirms the address with them beforehand. Otherwise those meetings run by telephone, Zoom or a WhatsApp call from a lawyer.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Perth time. Urgent matters raised outside those hours are picked up as soon as possible. You can book a consultation or ask for a call back on this website at any hour.

What it costs

What does the first consultation cost?

Nothing. The first consultation is free and lasts 30 minutes, and you are under no obligation afterwards. It is there so you can describe what has happened and hear how the firm would approach it before you decide anything.

How does the firm charge after the first consultation?

The firm charges below scale. Before any work starts, your costs agreement states an estimate of the firm's professional fees for your matter. Sean Hayes, the managing lawyer, charges $550 an hour. The estimate is not a fixed quote or a cap, and the firm tells you if it changes.

What are your fee estimates?

These are estimates of the firm's professional fees. Supreme Court of Western Australia: $16,500 to $27,500. District Court of Western Australia: $16,500 to $22,000. Magistrates Court of Western Australia: $5,500 to $8,250. Federal Court of Australia: $16,500 to $27,500. A winding up application in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2): $5,500. A review in the State Administrative Tribunal or the Administrative Review Tribunal: $5,500 to $11,000. An ATO objection or dispute that is not in court: $5,500 to $11,000. Remission of interest and penalties: $5,500 to $8,250. Tax advice is quoted after the first meeting. Disbursements are extra. The full list is at /fees.

What does the estimate in my costs agreement cover?

It covers the firm's professional fees for the scope of work written in your costs agreement. It is an estimate, not a fixed quote or a cap. If the facts change and the work changes with them, the firm tells you and gives you an updated estimate.

Do the estimates include GST and disbursements?

All fees are inclusive of GST. The estimates do not include disbursements, such as court filing fees and barristers' fees, which are charged separately. Your costs agreement states exactly what is included. Nothing on this website is a costs disclosure.

What decides where my matter falls in a fee range?

The facts of it. How many years are involved, how much evidence has to be gathered, and how far the matter runs. The figures are the firm's professional fees. Disbursements such as court filing fees, barristers' fees, expert fees and search fees are separate.

Do I pay a deposit when I engage the firm?

When you engage the firm, you pay a trust deposit, which is held in the firm's trust account for future fees. It is $5,000 for court and tribunal matters and $1,650 for all other matters.

How can I pay?

You can pay by card through Stripe, by direct deposit, or by EFTPOS. You can also pay by card over the phone on 1300 764 050.

Is the pricing on this website a quote?

No. Everything on this website about fees is general information. The estimate for your matter is given to you in writing in your costs agreement, with the firm's costs disclosure, before the firm acts.

What the work involves

What does Tax Lawyers do?

Tax Lawyers is an Australian tax law firm acting for clients across Australia. The firm handles ATO audits, reviews and objections, tax litigation and appeals, Director Penalty Notices, tax and duties advice, and superannuation and trust tax matters. Criminal tax prosecutions and court proceedings are taken as intake so a lawyer can look at them.

What happens in the first consultation?

You describe what has happened and what you have received. A lawyer tells you how the firm would approach it, what the next steps would be, and an estimate of what that work would cost. You leave knowing your options. There is no obligation to go further.

What should I send or bring before the first meeting?

Send whatever you have received. An ATO letter, a notice, an assessment, court papers or an email chain all help. The date printed on a document matters, so include the page that shows it. If you have nothing in writing yet, come anyway and describe what happened.

Can you help with an ATO audit, review or objection?

Yes. That is one of the firm's main areas. Work of this kind usually involves reading what the ATO has sent, working out what is actually in dispute, gathering the records that answer it, and responding to the ATO on your behalf within the time allowed.

Do you run tax litigation and appeals?

Yes. The firm acts in tax disputes that go to a tribunal or a court, and in appeals. The work involves the pleadings or application, the evidence, briefing counsel where that is appropriate, and appearing or instructing through to a hearing.

I have received a Director Penalty Notice. Can you help?

Yes, and treat it as urgent when you make contact. A Director Penalty Notice runs to a date printed on it, so tell us that date and send the notice. A lawyer will read it and tell you what your options are and how long you have to take them.

Do you do superannuation and trust tax work?

Yes. The firm advises on tax matters involving self managed superannuation funds and trusts, including disputes, transactions and compliance questions. Tax and duties advice more generally is also part of the practice.

How long does a matter take?

It depends on what it is and who else is involved, so the firm will not put a number on it before reading your documents. An ATO deadline, a tribunal timetable or a court listing sets much of the pace. Your costs agreement sets out the scope of work, and a lawyer will tell you what to expect for the stage you are at.

About this website

Who is Sophie?

Sophie is the firm's AI receptionist. She is not a lawyer and not a person. She can answer questions about the firm's services, fees, offices and hours, take your details and arrange a consultation or a call back. She does not give legal advice and cannot promise confidentiality.

Does contacting the firm make me a client?

No. Contacting the firm, using Sophie or booking a consultation does not create a lawyer and client relationship. That relationship begins when the firm and you agree on the work and sign a costs agreement.

Is anything on this website legal advice?

No. This website is general information about the firm and about Australian tax law. It is not advice for your situation and should not be relied on as advice. Speak to a lawyer about your own facts before you act.

This page is general information about the firm and about Australian tax law. It is not legal advice and it is not a costs disclosure. Tax Lawyers Pty Ltd ACN 699 070 963.