The Firm
Mission
Michael Bula Solicitors, International Lawyers and Notaries [MBS], founded in 1985, accredited to a number of diplomatic and consular missions in Australia, offers a unique international, multi-language legal and notarial service in the Australian and international contexts, with timely and appropriate creative and culturally sensitive legal advice, as part of a global network of law firms in popular, difficult and exotic jurisdictions.
Network of Agents
World Legal Associated Offices
MBS has a network of legal agent firms in:
- Europe
- the Pacific
- the Americas
- Africa
- Asia and
- the Indian Ocean
- all other regions in the world with Oceans Legal.
Professional Legal Teams
MBS briefs leading Queen's and Senior Counsel and Barristers for advice and Court appearances in Australia and overseas. Further, it collaborates with carefully selected law firms in Australia and regularly engages a number of consultant lawyers.
Such highly specialised professional legal teams draw from the firm's:
- linguistic abilities
- knowledge of foreign legal, cultural and geographical conditions
- network of agents
and can act effectively in providing sensitive and prompt legal services and response in most Australia-wide and international contexts and matters.
Associated Office - New Caledonia
MBS has an associated office in Noumea, New Caledonia since 1992. The association provides clients with a "bi-legal" and bilingual service and advice in civil and common law matters and jurisdictions.
The associated office has a collaboration agreement with a major legal firm in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Clients
Australian, African, Pacific, French and European:
- governments
- diplomatic and consular missions
- semi-government authorities
- corporations
- legal firms
- individuals
constitute the clientele.
Memberships
MBS is a member of the:
- Pacific Legal Network (PLN)
- Law Council of Australia
- Society of Notaries of Victoria Inc.
- The International Union of Latin Notaries
- Law Institute of Victoria
- French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, amongst other Chambers
- French Australian Lawyers Society.
Pacific
Michael Bula frequently travels in the Pacific and has developed an expertise and a working knowledge of most of the legal systems of the various Pacific countries.
Pacific Legal Network
Founding Membership of the PLN allowed privileged access to a network of some of the best legal firms in the Pacific where MBS was responsible for all French Pacific Territories - New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia. The PLN spanned Australia, the Pacific Islands Region and the Western Pacific Region.
Its objective was to provide a seamless legal service to clients with interests both internationally and throughout the regions. From this experience, when a cross-border legal effort is required, member firms work together, combining resources and services to offer full coverage of the entire Pacific, MBS can still assist, armed with those resources.
Languages
Michael Bula is fluent in French and Italian and has a knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese. Professional and clerical staff are also multilingual.
Consultants and contractors to the firm are professionally qualified in all languages.
Documents can also be drawn in all languages and in accordance with the applicable legal systems through the firm's overseas agents.
Translations
Michael Bula is a professional French - English translator recognised by the:
- National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI)
- French Consulate General in Sydney
- Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship
- Victorian Interpreting and Translation Service and
- French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The above, as well as registration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for authentification of signature, allow documents to be translated to and from French for all Australian and international litigious and non-litigious matters.
The related firm of Traductions Françaises with expertise in French assignments, is a division of Societas Linguacomm Pty. Ltd. (ABN 16 337 728 641) and provides competent professionals in all languages through its other division and associated business Corporate Language Communications, specialising in tuition, translation and interpreting exclusively for the corporate sector.
