A practical legal starting point for founders making their first hire

It is usually a good fit for founders who are moving from a founder-only team to a genuine employee relationship for the first time. That often happens around launch, after a pilot gains traction, when customer demand increases, or when a startup has raised enough capital to bring someone in on a more formal basis. The service is particularly useful where the role will involve regular hours, reporting lines, access to confidential information or ownership of work product. It is less about scaling a whole HR function and more about getting the first employment step documented properly.

The common pressure points are not just salary and start date. Founders often need to think about whether the person is really being engaged as an employee, what duties and reporting lines should be recorded, how confidentiality and intellectual property should be handled, whether probation terms are appropriate, and which workplace policies should exist from day one. The practical working model can be just as important as the contract wording. A startup may also need to consider how flexible hours, remote work or changing responsibilities should be reflected in the documents.

The service usually includes a custom employment contract for the role, guidance on Fair Work obligations relevant to that hire, essential workplace policies and an onboarding checklist to help you put the documents into use. There is also room to raise practical questions about how the hire is being structured. It is broader than a document-only service because the first employee often requires a few connected pieces to work together. If you are planning multiple hires, unusual remuneration or more complex arrangements, extra work may need to be scoped separately.

Yes, that question often needs to be addressed before the documents are finalised. The label you prefer is not the only issue. What matters is how the person will actually work, including control, hours, integration into the business, tools, exclusivity and day-to-day expectations. If the role is closer to a contractor engagement, a different agreement may be more appropriate than an employment contract. This service is most useful where an employee hire is intended or seriously being considered, and where you want the legal setup to reflect the real working arrangement rather than assumptions.

It helps to have the proposed role, salary or pay structure, hours, reporting line, start date and any probation expectations ready. You should also think about whether the employee will create IP, access source code, manage customer relationships, handle sensitive information or work remotely, because those details can affect the contract and policy wording. If you already have any internal onboarding notes, offer emails or draft role descriptions, those are useful too. Clear instructions at the outset usually make it easier to produce documents that match how the hire will actually work in practice.

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.