About Melissa Ajram

Your lawyer.
On your side.

I'm Melissa, a Melbourne lawyer helping business owners and individuals make confident decisions.

I bring experience from private practice and in-house legal roles to the advice I give you: clear, practical and focused on what you need to achieve.

From our first conversation through to resolution, you deal directly with me.

What working with me looks like

Good legal advice should help you understand your options and decide what to do next.

Clear advice

Understand where you stand

I explain the issues in plain language, give you an honest view of your position and tailor my advice to your circumstances.

Direct contact

Know who to call

You work with me throughout your matter, with regular updates and a consistent point of contact.

Practical next steps

Move forward with clarity

We agree the scope and costs before work starts. My focus is on useful advice and a clear path towards your goal.

Experience that informs my advice

I've worked on both sides of the lawyer–client relationship. That helps me understand the pressures behind a transaction or dispute, as well as the legal issues.

In-house counsel

Inside the business

As Divisional Counsel and Compliance Coordinator for a global technology group, my work includes multi-million dollar tender negotiations and complex commercial contracts across multiple jurisdictions.

Previously, I was Legal Counsel for an NZX-listed aged care and retirement village operator expanding into Australia, working across property, procurement, residence contracts, settlements and disputes.

Private practice

From advice to resolution

My private practice background spans commercial litigation, family law, wills and estates, and franchise matters for individuals and businesses.

I've managed matters from the initial advice through to resolution, including representation in court and mediation.

Qualifications and professional standing

Legal education

  • LLB (Hons), University of Sussex, UK
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Law, UK
  • Juris Doctor program, Monash University
  • Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law
  • Legal Practice Management Course, College of Law

Admissions and membership

  • Supreme Court of Victoria
  • High Court of Australia
  • Current Victorian practising certificate
  • Law Institute of Victoria member, 2026–27

How I can help you

I help with business sales and purchases, commercial contracts and leases, disputes, wills and estate planning, and property transactions.

Let's talk about your matter

Book a free initial consultation to discuss what you need and how I can help.

Mission statement

Melissa Ajram Legal provides clear, practical legal advice for business owners, buyers, sellers and individuals. I help clients buy and sell businesses, negotiate contracts and leases, plan their estates and resolve disputes, without the formality, delays or overwhelm of traditional firms. You deal directly with me on every matter, and my job is to make the law work for you so you can move forward with confidence.

Why work with me

When you engage a large firm, your matter is often handed to a junior and billed at partner rates. With me, you get one experienced lawyer who knows your matter inside out from day one.

I'm admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia, with law degrees from the United Kingdom and Australia. Before starting my own practice, I worked in private practice across commercial, family, company and property law, then in-house as legal counsel in the technology and healthcare sectors, negotiating multi-million dollar tenders and managing complex commercial contracts across multiple jurisdictions. That in-house experience matters: I've sat on the client's side of the table, so I give advice the way businesses actually need it. Commercially focused, direct, and aimed at getting the deal done or the problem solved.

Clients come to me to:

  • Buy or sell a business, with the contract, lease and settlement handled end to end

  • Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts, shareholder agreements and leases

  • Resolve commercial disputes without unnecessary escalation or cost

  • Put wills, powers of attorney and estate plans in place

  • Buy or sell property with proper contract review and settlement support

I'm also fluent in English, French and Arabic. I grew up in Beirut, attended a French school, and studied law in the UK and Australia, so I can handle your matter in whichever language you're most comfortable with.

How I work

Listen first, act with care, deliver with integrity. I explain things in plain language, tell you honestly where you stand, and give you strategic advice tailored to your circumstances, not a templated answer. You'll always know what's happening on your matter and what it will cost.

A person in a light blue shirt is writing on a piece of paper with a black and gold pen on a dark desk.

Experience.

Private practice: Commercial litigation, family law, wills and estates, and franchise matters for individuals and businesses, managed from start to resolution, including court and mediation representation.

In-house: Divisional Counsel & Compliance Coordinator for a global technology group, leading multi-million dollar tender negotiations and overseeing complex commercial contracts across multiple jurisdictions. Previously Legal Counsel for an NZX-listed aged care and retirement village operator expanding into Australia, managing property, procurement and residence contracts, settlements and dispute resolution.

Qualifications.

  • Qualifications

    • LLB (Hons), University of Sussex, UK

    • Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Law, UK

    • Juris Doctor program, Monash University

    • Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law

    • Legal Practice Management Course, College of Law

    • Admitted: Supreme Court of Victoria | High Court of Australia

    • Current Victorian practising certificate | LIV Member 26/27