New Business Packages

Once you strip away the marketing, the culture, and the other intangibles (some might say, all the fun parts), every business is really just a collection of contracts. If your people are the heart and mind of your business, your contractual arrangements make up the body - they need to be able to support your business strategy, your culture, and your team.

It’s not always possible to get legal support from day one, but, if it is an option, the benefits of doing so can be felt for many years in the future.

At AB, we are happy to work with any start-up to map out what documents you’ll need in your first 12 months, and to package them into a discounted package with flexible payment arrangements.

Once you strip away all the intangible parts of a business, all that’s really left is a collection of contractual arrangements. The quality of those arrangements underpins the quality of the business. That’s where we come in.

— Nik Albrecht, Principal

What are the key documents you need?

Every business can be broken down into the same functional areas, and each of those requires different documents.

Here is how we break it down.

1.     Establishment

Every business has a core legal structure - most often that’s a company owned by a family trust (or multiple family trusts if you have several owners).

Key documents:

  • Shareholders Agreement

  • Holding Structures (e.g. trust deeds)

  • 7A loan agreements for director loans

2.     Operating

This covers what your business actually does - and while businesses vary, they will all generally have customers, and many will have premises.

Key documents:

  • Client/customer agreements (e.g. engagement letters)

  • Terms of trade

  • Leases

  • Services Agreements with suppliers/providers

3.     People

The other business essential: your team. There are many options available these days to cover your staffing needs, usually a collection of the following.

Key documents:

  • Employment Contract (permanent and casual)

  • Independent Contractor Agreements

  • ESOP schemes

3.     Corporate Governance

As your business grows, so does the need for formal governance. Your board will start to meet - especially if you have external investors - and decisions will start to be made more formally.

Key documents:

  • Constitution

  • Board minute/resolution templates

4.     Digital/Marketing

In today’s market, almost every business has an internet presence - and that comes with its own legal framework.

Key documents:

  • Privacy Policy

  • Terms of use

  • Cyber insurance

5.     Growth

Whether you grow organically or not, there are some key legal documents you will need as you expand.

Key documents:

  • Equity subscription agreements (if you issue new shares)

  • Amendments to your Shareholders Agreement (if you introduce new investors)

  • Loan Agreements (if you use debt financing)

  • Guarantees

  • Business/Asset Purchase Agreement (if you buy another business)


Plan ahead and save

Like with all things, if you plan ahead, you can save time and money. We are happy to work with you to plan out all of the documents you are likely to need over your first 12 months, package them together at a discounted rate, and divide the cost into a monthly fixed fee.


Next steps

Even if you just want to talk through what you might need and aren’t ready to commit to anything yet, that’s fine - we’re always happy to chat with a new business. Reach out for an obligation free consultation.