Jessica Atanacio

Associate

Jessica Atanacio is an Associate Solicitor at Matti Lamb & Associates. She works in the firm’s commercial, small business and property areas, acting for business owners on leases, franchise arrangements and the purchase or sale of a business, and for people buying and selling property. She also gives independent legal advice to guarantors. She graduated from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice in 2019 and was admitted in the same year.

Jessica came to law from the property industry, where she spent several years before qualifying. During that time she handled residential mortgage matters for lenders, so she understands the finance side of a transaction as well as the legal side. She works from the firm’s Hawthorn office.

How Jessica Works with Clients

Jessica guides clients through their matter by giving advice that is clear, concise and practical, and she works to get the best result she can on each file. In a property or business transaction that usually means keeping the client across each step, because settlement runs to a fixed timetable and a missed date can be expensive.

The areas she works in cover:

• Property and conveyancing: residential sales and purchases, and review of contracts and Form 1s. A Form 1 is the disclosure document a seller has to give a buyer in South Australia, setting out what the buyer needs to know about the property before the sale becomes binding.
• Commercial and small business: commercial and retail leases, franchise arrangements, business sales and purchases, and shareholder agreements. Retail leases carry extra legal rules, including terms that must be in the lease and information the landlord has to disclose.
• Guarantor advice: independent advice for anyone asked to personally guarantee a loan or a company’s lease, since the guarantor can be held liable if the borrower or business defaults
• Building and construction contracts: advice on contracts for building work, so you understand what you are agreeing to before the work starts

If you are buying or selling a property or a business, entering a commercial lease, or have been asked to sign a personal guarantee, Jessica can explain the process and what it will involve. Outside work, she follows developments in technology, hikes and enjoys the performing arts. You can email her at [email protected], call 08 8155 5322, or get in touch to arrange a time to talk.