About Us

IMPEX Lawyers & Advisers

Act Local — Go Global®

About Us

IMPEX Lawyers & Advisers

Act Local — Go Global®

The name IMPEX is derived from a portmanteau of IMPORT and EXPORT — a reflection of our DNA rooted in international trade and cross-border commerce.

Founded in 2007 by Joseph Buccheri, IMPEX Lawyers was born from a real-world understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing businesses expanding across borders.

Before becoming a lawyer, Joseph spent years gaining hands-on global experience across Italy, Switzerland, and China — including founding WTOEXCHANGE, an international import/export platform backed by partners like IBM World Trade Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Travelex, Dun Bradstreet and UBS, competing at the dawn of the e-commerce boom.

This unique entrepreneurial journey — from founding an unlisted public company to leading global alliances — shaped IMPEX’s ethos:
to deliver commercially grounded, strategically insightful legal advice to businesses seeking to thrive locally and internationally.

At IMPEX, we don’t just understand the law.
We understand business. We understand trade. We understand growth.

Joseph Buccheri

Founder & Managing Director

Joseph is a dual-qualified lawyer and international trade adviser with over 25 years of global business and legal experience. He is recognised as a Global Top 200 Lawyer by the International Trade Council, one of the world’s foremost global trade bodies.

His qualifications include:

  • Juris Doctor, University of Melbourne
  • Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Australian National University
  • Graduate Diploma in Chinese Business, Tongji University, Shanghai
  • Bachelor of Business (International Trade), Victoria University

Joseph is admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia.

He serves as a mentor, committee member, and advisor across multiple prestigious organisations including:

  • Law Institute of Victoria (LIV)
  • LIV Legal Referral Service
  • Global Economic Law Network, Melbourne Law School
  • Mentor, International LLM Program, University of Melbourne
  • Mentor, College of Law
  • Mentor, Leo Cussen
  • International Trade Council, Working Committees: AI & Digital Commerce
  • Former Board Member, Italian Chamber of Commerce (Vic)
  • Former Executive Chairman, Hong Kong Australia Business Association (Vic)
  • Australia China Business Council, Agri & Food Working Committee
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
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Why Clients Choose IMPEX

  • Unique combination of international trade expertise + legal precision
  • Real-world business experience driving practical and strategic advice
  • Access to Australia’s leading specialist barristers
  • Boutique firm attention with global capability
  • Innovative approach incorporating AI-powered market intelligence

 

At IMPEX Lawyers, we speak the languages of trade, business, and law — in harmony — to drive your success.

Our Difference: A Smarter Legal Model

Superior Expertise. Smarter Value.

At IMPEX, we operate differently from traditional law firms.
Instead of maintaining costly internal hierarchies, we retain Australia’s leading specialist barristers — from Junior Counsel through to King’s Counsel — through longstanding relationships with top Barristers’ Clerks, including:

  • Greens List Barristers
  • Foley’s List
  • Young’s List
  • Meldrum & Hyland’s List

This model delivers:

  • Access to top-tier Barrister instructed advocacy and specialist expertise
  • Faster, smarter, and more cost-effective solutions
  • Up to 50% cost savings compared to traditional “pyramid” law firm models
  • More agile and responsive approach to high-level matters

  • This model reflects our commitment to lean, smart, and outcome-driven lawyering — with better value and no compromise on quality.

Our clients benefit from tailored legal strategies powered by elite specialists — without the unnecessary overheads.

We deliver precise, targeted legal solutions with the best expertise available — at a fair and transparent price.

At IMPEX, we believe great lawyering isn’t about size.
It’s about results — and knowing how to build the right team to get them.

Click here to better understand how IMPEX can  provide superior specialist expertise compared to larger traditional law firm fees and charges using this Expert Barrister retention model.

Some of the leading Melbourne Barrister Clerks we regularly instruct for Junior up to Senior & Kings Counsel:

IMPEX Lawyers & Advisers

  • We use legal technology to create efficiencies and costs savings for clients including video conferencing for local and overseas clients.
  • We are a boutique firm with extensive trusted relationships locally and internationally which allows our clients to access solutions and opportunities in legal, business and government circles.
  • Our lawyers are skilled, dynamic and passionate about solving problems and creating maximum value for our clients.
  • When specialist expertise or advocacy skills are required, we have a long standing successful relationship instructing Greens List one of the largest and leading multi-disciplinary set of barristers in Australia, with 250 Barristers, of whom 28 are Kings Counsel and Senior Counsel, with a strength of expertise, breadth and depth in a range of specialist sectors and practice areas.
  • We are Melbourne Australia based lawyers and service local and international clients for all of their business needs through extensive long standing relationships built over 25 years.

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IMPEX Lawyers & Advisers © 2026