I’ve Started My Own Business… What Legal Advice Do I Need? (2025 Updated)

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When you start a business, at some point you’ll need to think about getting the right legal foundations in place. As we move into 2025, ensuring your legal documentation is robust and up-to-date is more important than ever.

But with so much information out there, you might end up receiving conflicting advice on what to do – whether it’s online or in person.

You know legal matters are crucial, but where do you start?

To help you get started, we’ve put together a quick guide on how to approach business legals in today’s dynamic environment.

What Are Legals?

Commonly, when people think about legals, they imagine that they need to consult a lawyer face-to-face.

While professional legal advice is essential, ‘legals’ can also encompass a range of documents and regulatory requirements that set up and protect your business.

A good starting point is to understand that business legals fall into two main categories:

1. Agreements

These are the legal contracts and documents that record the details of your business relationships – whether it’s with customers, online users, suppliers, staff, co-founders or investors. For example, well-drafted service agreements and employment contracts can prevent misunderstandings. For more guidance, take a look at our contract review service.

2. Regulations

These are the rules your business must comply with, including requirements for registering your company, managing employees, protecting privacy, and ensuring your trade marks and intellectual property are secure. With evolving laws in 2025, staying informed through trusted resources like our legal guides is essential.

What Legals Should I Consider?

To understand the legal requirements for your business, it’s helpful to break them down into key areas and consider the agreements and regulations you may need. You might also want to explore additional topics in our business structure guide and related compliance resources.

As you can see, many aspects of your business might require legal attention.

Typically, you’d start with these three key areas:

1. Business Structure

Choosing the right business structure is one of the most important early decisions you can make. Whether you’re considering operating as a sole trader, a partnership, or incorporating as a company, your choice impacts taxation, liability, and your ability to secure funding.

For example, many entrepreneurs in 2025 begin as sole traders, but as their businesses expand they may decide to register as a company. Explore our insights on operating as a sole trader or check out our company set up services to ensure you choose the structure that maximises your potential.

Remember, different structures carry distinct legal and tax obligations, so it’s wise to consult both a lawyer and an accountant to make an informed decision.

2. Terms and Conditions

Any new business or startup needs well-drafted terms and conditions (T&Cs) that are tailored to its unique requirements.

Strong T&Cs clearly outline how your business operates, establish customer expectations, and set procedures for managing disputes. For comprehensive guidance, have a look at our Terms and Conditions guide.

For online businesses, having website-specific terms is equally essential – you may want to review our insights on online shop terms and conditions to ensure full coverage.

Getting a lawyer to draft or review your T&Cs can help ensure that all your business requirements are met and that your interests are protected as you navigate 2025’s shifting regulatory landscape.

3. Trade Marks

Your business name, slogan, and logo are the faces of your brand. Securing a trade mark is crucial to protecting these elements from being used by others without your permission.

In 2025, protecting your intellectual property is a must. A lawyer can help you register a trade mark, ensuring your distinctive name, slogan, or logo remains exclusively yours.

Why You Should Consider Your Legal Needs?

1. Avoid Disputes

Addressing your business legal needs early on can help prevent disputes later. Whether disagreements arise between business partners, employees, or customers, having clear and documented agreements can save you from costly conflicts. For more guidance, check out our guide on legally binding contracts.

2. Be Protected

Without sorting out your legal needs, your business could be exposed to significant risks. By establishing the right structure, drafting robust contracts, and protecting valuable assets like intellectual property, you actively safeguard your company against potential legal challenges. Learn more about securing your assets by visiting our intellectual property resources.

3. Get A Good Deal

Understanding your legal rights, obligations, and opportunities can help you steer clear of unfavourable deals. Whether reviewing contracts with suppliers, negotiating with investors, or setting out your customer terms, having a lawyer review key documents – like our service agreement templates – can make a big difference down the track.

What To Take Away…

Navigating the legal aspects of your business can seem daunting. There are many considerations, and it’s often unclear where to begin.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a systematic approach will help. Prioritise getting your business structure, T&Cs, and intellectual property in place – and don’t hesitate to seek advice from experts.

If you’re not sure where to start, jump online and find a business lawyer or consult our getting started with your legals guide.

Keep in mind that as laws and business landscapes evolve through 2025, revisiting and updating your legal documents is essential for long-term success. Regular reviews of your agreements and compliance obligations can provide peace of mind and protect your business against unexpected challenges – our Legal Requirements for Starting a Business guide is a great place to start.

If you need help right now, you can get in contact with us at Sprintlaw – we’re experts in small business and startup legal needs and we’d be happy to help!

Esha Kumar

Esha is a law graduate at Sprintlaw from the University of Sydney. She has gained experience in public relations, boutique law firms and different roles at Sprintlaw to channel her passion for helping businesses get their legals sorted.

Tomoyuki Hachigo

Tomo is the co-founder of Sprintlaw and a commercial lawyer with a broad range of legal experience. Before starting Sprintlaw, he was an M&A lawyer at a top-tier law firm advising businesses of all sizes from large corporates to startups.