Leisa Bayston
Principal Lawyer
+61 3 8600 6038
lbayston@aitken.com.au
Leisa Bayston
Areas of Law: Business Law, Intellectual Property, Commercial Law
Qualifications: Bachelor of Economics | Bachelor of Laws | Master of Laws
Office Location: Melbourne
Leisa brings over 25 years of experience in the legal industry, gained across large accounting firms, commercial law firms, and in-house roles at major corporations including Macquarie Bank. In 2007, she co-founded Bayston Group with her life and business partner Alister, and together they successfully led the boutique commercial firm for 15 years.
Bayston Group earned a strong reputation for guiding clients through complex legal landscapes with practical and commercially focused solutions. Its client base ranged from listed companies to start-ups and SMEs.
Leisa is committed to building strong, enduring relationships with her clients and strives to become a trusted adviser. Her broad and deep experience allows her to anticipate challenges before they arise. A natural problem solver, Leisa brings energy, insight and commercial acumen to every matter she handles.
Expertise
- Company establishment and structuring, including group structure advice, incorporations, constitutions, trust establishment, trust deeds, initial share and security issues, and drafting of shareholder and security holder agreements
- Advising on funding strategies, from angel investment through Series A, B & C rounds, trade sales and roll-ups, including due diligence, negotiation of Subscription and Shareholder Agreements, SAFEs, Convertible Notes, and capital restructuring
- Employment and contractor arrangements, including preparation of compliant contract templates, regulatory advice, and design of employee incentive schemes such as ESOPs and ESS
- Intellectual property protection and management, including IP identification, risk quarantine structuring, and licensing for safe commercial use
- Brand development and protection, including copyright, trademarks, domain name strategies and consumer law considerations
- Drafting a range of commercial agreements including SAAS, PAAS, Website Terms of Use, Master Services Agreements, Supplier and Customer Terms, and API Agreements
- Supporting clients with regulatory compliance across corporate, privacy and competition law, including Unfair Contract Terms
Leisa also serves as a Board Member of Foundation House (VFST Inc), a not-for-profit organisation that provides trauma-informed services supporting the resilience and recovery of refugees, their families and communities.