What Does A Business Lawyer Do?
Written by: Gabrielle Andersen | Insight Team
Welcome to our Insight Close-Up series, where we delve into the most common commercial and business law services we offer our Canny Group business clients.
This series will focus on the following topics relevant to most business owners, and will be released monthly throughout this year:
- Service Agreements + Terms and Conditions
- Independent Contractors and Subcontractors – What’s the difference?
- Employees + Employment Agreement
- Protecting Your IP and Business Know-how
- Do I Need A Policy For That? What Exactly Is Compliance?
- Do We Need A Business Prenup?
- What is the PPSR + How Can It Help My Business?
- Dealing With Disagreements With Customers
If any of this sounds interesting, click on any of the above links to read our Insight Close-Up blog posts, or contact our Canny Insight team!
Today we wanted to give you a special (Canny) Insight into the work of Canny Insight’s business lawyers, including what exactly business lawyers do, and how they can help your business.
What Does A Business Lawyer Do?
Essentially, business lawyers provide legal advice and assistance to businesses on any legal matters impacting their business.
This can mean that the work of a business lawyer is varied and often covers many different legal areas. For example, a business lawyer can assist with forming or reviewing contracts with a business’s supplier or clients, provide employment and contracting advice and agreements for any workers the business may have, assist with complying with consumer law and avoiding any issues with customers, and provide advice and guidance on how to protect businesses assets and any Intellectual Property the business owns or wishes to accumulate.
At Canny Insight, we know better than most how busy our business clients are and that the documents that can protect us for the future are often unfortunately left until last, and sometimes too late.
That’s why we’ve made sure our Canny Insight Business Law services align with the tasks you’ve been meaning to get to but haven’t yet had a chance to (a very common feeling when you’re a busy business owner!)
- Employment Agreements: For your permanent and casual employees;
- Independent Contractors Agreements: For any consultants or contractors, you have working for your business;
- Service or Supply Agreements: For the services you are providing to your customers/clients. These are a must for any NDIS service provider businesses;
- Agreements or Terms and Conditions: For any arrangements you have with other businesses or suppliers;
- Website, Booking or Payment Terms and Conditions;
- Privacy Policies;
- Returns Policies;
- Disclaimer Statements or Waivers: For any consulting work you do;
- Client Waivers and Consents;
- Motor Vehicle Agreements: For any company vehicles your employees or contractors may be using;
- Internal Policy Legal Advice: Including preparing your internal policies on matters such as:
- Policies covering workplace behaviour and preventing workplace harassment and bullying;
- Leave policies dealing with all types of leave, flexible work arrangements, parental + maternity leave and redundancy;
- Policies outlining general workplace etiquette and expectations, such as the expected dress code, smoking guidelines, or dealing with Covid + Influenza cases;
- Policies covering the use of company devices, including appropriate use, confidentiality, privacy + data breaches and intellectual property;
- Complaint resolution policies; and
- Tailored policies depending on your industry and compliance requirements.;
- Intellectual Property Advice and Guidance;
- Shareholders and Unitholders Agreements: Particularly important if your company has more than two unrelated Directors, Shareholders or Units in a trust;
- Joint Venture Agreements: For any ventures your business is entering into with other companies or businesses; and
- Business Structuring and Succession Planning Advice: To help your business grow and future proof all of the hard work you’re putting into it.
Policies and contracts can be hard to understand without a confident lawyer to help navigate you through their complexities!
How Do Business Lawyers Help Businesses?
Business Lawyers are crucial in helping manage your business affairs properly and avoid any potential risks now and in the future. The main way Business Lawyers help businesses is through putting their agreements or terms and conditions in writing.
This makes life easier for businesses and any contractors/suppliers/customers they’re working with by ensuring everyone is on the same page in what is being provided or agreed upon. Having your agreements and terms and conditions in writing can also help avoid disputes completely or manage any disagreements that do arise down the track.
Business Lawyers can also guide businesses on any transactions they’re considering by reviewing contracts and providing legal advice on any risks or adverse clauses, and negotiating with the other party’s lawyers or agents if needed.
You should consult with a Business Lawyer to obtain any terms and conditions legal advice, or internal policy legal advice that may be impacting your business.
To understand policies, take a look at out previous article! Do I Need A Policy For That? What Exactly Is Compliance?
To understand contracts and agreements, have a read through this article instead! Service Agreements + Terms and Conditions
Why Choose Canny Insight For Your Business Legal Advice?
Canny Insight is a customised legal service that meets the specific needs of your business. If you’re a start-up, or gearing up for growth and expansion, we’ll come up with a legal services package aimed specifically at your business needs.
Whether you need terms and conditions legal advice, or your Supply and Service Agreements prepared or reviewed, require specific advice on Australia’s consumer, spam and privacy laws, or Internal Policy Legal Advice, our Canny Insight Business Lawyers will provide you with straightforward and reliable advice and contracts.
Canny Insight also stands apart from other law firms in providing packages of legal services that most businesses need. This means you can bundle a few of our services and pay the costs over a 12-month payment plan. This makes our service far more cost-effective for business owners by reducing upfront costs and providing certainty for you in exactly what legal fees you will be paying.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive understanding of Canny Insight’s service packages, take a look at our article outlining their benefits! Business Law Services + Subscription Packages
Canny Insight + Legal Service Packages…
Canny Insight packages can also include on demand business legal advice with certain packages. our lawyer-On-Call will be on-hand to review your business and identify it’s legal and regulatory needs, prepare or review and amend your business agreements and legal documentation, and provide you with ongoing specialised commercial law advice. Take a look at our Package Options, and whether our Lawyer-On-Call service is right for you!
Get in touch with our Canny Insight team today to see how we can help your business!
The content of this article is for general guidance purposes only. Specialist legal advice relevant to your circumstances should be sought if required.
