Get the key legal pieces lined up before your pre-seed round gathers momentum

Usually once investor discussions are becoming concrete and you need the legal side of the round to catch up. That might be when you are circulating a draft deal, discussing valuation or allocation, or preparing to accept funds from friends, angels or early backers. It is particularly useful if your startup has not yet tidied up founder equity, IP ownership or company records. Completion steps can depend on the company records and any existing shareholder arrangements, so getting those checked early can make the round smoother.

Early rounds often run into issues around unclear deal terms, incomplete company records, founder share arrangements that were never properly documented, or IP that has not clearly moved into the company. Another common issue is investor expectations being discussed informally without matching legal wording. If you are sharing traction reports, user numbers or customer information during fundraising, the legal position can also depend on how that information is collected, used and shared in practice. Those details can affect what should be said in the documents and what should be cleaned up before signing.

The service commonly includes a lawyer consultation, a customised term sheet, and a shareholder or subscription agreement for the proposed round. It also includes guidance on founder equity and IP issues linked to the raise, plus a practical checklist of next steps around approvals, signatures and supporting records. This makes it broader than a single-document job. It is still a defined fixed-fee service though, so if your raise involves extensive negotiation, unusual instruments or a larger transaction process, that may need separate scoping.

Sometimes, but it depends on the structure you are actually using and how much work is needed around it. Some pre-seed rounds are straightforward equity raises, while others use convertible instruments because valuation or timing is still evolving. The key question is whether your round still fits the document set and support described on this page, or whether a different service is a better match. If you already know investors want a SAFE or convertible note, flag that early so we can confirm the right scope before work begins.

It helps to have a short summary of the raise, the target amount, likely investors, your current cap table and any existing founder, shareholder or company documents. If you have already shared a deck, draft term sheet or investor summary, those are useful too. We may also need to understand what information has been shown to investors, especially if it includes customer or user data. Privacy wording works best when it is matched to your real collection, use, storage and disclosure practices, not just what appears in a pitch deck.

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.