Put your company's internal rules in writing with a constitution that matches how decisions are actually made

It helps to think about whether your company needs governance rules that go beyond the default position. A custom constitution is often worthwhile where there are multiple shareholders, investor discussions, founder-specific arrangements, or particular rules around voting, board authority or share transfers. A standard template may not reflect how approvals are meant to work in your company or how existing arrangements fit together. If the business has already made informal governance decisions, getting them reflected properly in the constitution can avoid confusion later when records are reviewed.

The short answer is that the document deals with the operating rules of the company. That often includes director appointment and removal, meeting procedures, voting thresholds, shareholder rights, issue of shares, transfer restrictions, notice requirements and approval mechanics for key decisions. Some companies also want provisions dealing with deadlocks, alternate directors or different classes of shares. The aim is to record the governance settings clearly so the company is not left relying on assumptions, inconsistent internal practice or a precedent that was never built for its ownership structure.

Yes. In many matters, that is an important part of the job because the new constitution should sit consistently with the documents already in place. If you have a shareholders agreement, founder arrangements, prior resolutions or an older constitution, we can review those materials as part of preparing the new document where relevant. That helps identify conflicts in approval rules, transfer provisions or governance mechanics. Completion steps can depend on the company records and any existing shareholder arrangements, so if the records are incomplete or unusually complex, extra work may need separate scoping.

The key issue is usually whether you need the constitution drafted, or whether you also need broader implementation support. This service includes guidance on the practical adoption steps and the approvals that are commonly required, but it is not an end-to-end company secretarial service. If your matter involves extensive post-drafting implementation, multiple related filings, or wider transaction support, that would usually sit outside this fixed-fee. We can still help with additional work, but it would be quoted separately once the extra scope is clear.

Timing depends on how settled your governance position is and whether there are existing documents that need to be checked against the new constitution. If the ownership structure and approval settings are already clear, the process is usually more straightforward. If there are older records, investor documents or unresolved governance points, the drafting can take longer because those issues need to be worked through first. Once the draft is ready, we deal with any agreed refinements and then explain the next practical steps for adoption and record-keeping.

As an online law firm, we eliminate the headaches of paying us by the hour and finding time to meet with a lawyer in person. We charge a fixed fee, with upfront quotes and transparent pricing, and communicate via phone, email and video chat - whichever suits you! You'll be guided through our process by our expert lawyers, who are Australian-qualified and specialise in technology, intellectual property, contract drafting, corporate and commercial law.

At Sprintlaw, our pricing is transparent and designed for startups and small businesses. Many one-off legal services, including document drafting and reviews, are provided for a fixed fee with an upfront quote before you proceed.

Prices typically range from $250 to $2,500 AUD depending on the complexity and scope of the work. For ongoing support, Sprintlaw Memberships include options such as legal templates, consultations, a legal helpline and credits for services.

If your project is larger or more complex, we will provide a tailored quote after understanding what you need.

Our law firm operates completely online, which means we can help you wherever you are in Australia. We work at The Commons Central - a cool co-working space in Chippendale, Sydney - but our lawyers often work flexibly across various locations.

Our lawyers also work from co-working spaces and home offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, so clients can get help online without needing to meet in person.