Why I Built JR3 Legal

After 15 years working with ASX-listed boards, from in-house counsel and head of technical advisory at a major corporate services firm, through to running a specialist ASX practice, I built JR3 Legal to do one thing well: provide integrated legal and company secretarial support to listed companies under a single retainer.

That probably needs some explanation.

The problem I kept seeing

Most small-to-mid cap ASX-listed companies ASX-listed companies have two advisers doing related but disconnected work. A law firm handles the legal documents. A company secretary handles the filings. Neither has the full picture.

The lawyer drafts a placement agreement but doesn't lodge the Appendix 2A. The company secretary files the Appendix 3Y but wasn't in the board meeting where the director's interest changed. An announcement goes out that doesn't quite match the underlying agreement, and nobody catches it because it sat in the gap between two retainers.

I've watched this play out across dozens of listed entities over the past decade and a half. The handoff between legal and company secretarial is where things fall through. Late lodgements, inconsistent disclosure, governance documents that don't reflect what actually happened in the boardroom.

The boards that handle compliance well tend to have one person who sees both sides. Someone who drafts the board paper and also knows what needs to go to ASX before the market opens the next morning. Someone who reviews the placement terms and also reconciles the capacity calculation. Someone who attends the board meeting and files the resolutions.

That's the model I built JR3 Legal around.

What I actually do

I act as external general counsel and company secretary for ASX-listed entities. One retainer covers both functions. In practice, that means:

I draft and review transaction documents: placement agreements, subscription agreements, convertible note terms, SPP offer documents, prospectuses and cleansing notices under section 708A of the Corporations Act.

I manage ASX and ASIC compliance: continuous disclosure under Listing Rule 3.1, Appendix 2A and 3B lodgements for capital raisings, director interest notices under Appendix 3X/3Y/3Z, annual report lodgements, and AGM/EGM management.

I prepare board papers and governance documents: legal memoranda for the board on transactions, conflicts, and regulatory developments. Committee charters, share trading policies, and disclosure protocols.

I handle the regulator when things get complicated: responses to ASX query and aware letters, ASIC extension applications, compliance submissions, and show cause correspondence.

Who I work with

My clients are typically ASX-listed companies in the sub-$200 million market cap range, operating in resources, energy, technology, and biotech. Companies with a small executive team, often a CFO wearing multiple hats, and no in-house legal function.

For these companies, the integrated model isn't a luxury. It's the minimum viable governance structure. Having one adviser who understands both the legal requirements and the filing obligations means fewer gaps, fewer late lodgements, and a single point of accountability when something urgent lands.

Why now

I spent three years at Boardroom Pty Ltd, one of Australia's largest corporate services firms, finishing as Head of Technical Advisory and company secretary to several ASX-listed entities. Before that, I was in-house counsel and company secretary at Hudson Group. I've been in private practice since 2020, most recently as principal of Karma Lawyers, where I built a roster of ASX-listed clients across the resources and technology sectors.

JR3 Legal is the natural next step.

A focused, solo practice built specifically for ASX-listed companies that need ongoing, retainer-based support from someone who knows the Listing Rules inside out. Not a large firm charging large-firm rates. Not a generalist who treats ASX work as a sideline. A specialist who does this every day.

What comes next

I'll be publishing regular insights here on ASX compliance, corporate governance, and the practical realities of being a listed company in Australia. If you're a director, CFO, or company secretary of an ASX-listed entity and want practical, commercially grounded support, I'd welcome the conversation.

Julian Rockett is the principal of JR3 Legal, based in Sydney. He has been advising ASX-listed boards since 2011. For more information, visit jr3legal.com or connect on LinkedIn.