If you’re an Australian online business owner – or planning on starting an online business – here are 8 must-have online business legal templates (and 2 legal services) you’ll need.
Legal issues faced by Online Businesses
In addition to the usual day-to-day issues faced by all businesses, using the Internet extensively in your business brings its own set of specific legal challenges. Including:
- How to hire contractors online, both in Australia and overseas, with confidence
- How to keep your ideas confidential when talking with potential investors and contractors
- What to do if you find your work has been copied or stolen online
- Protecting your business or brand name and making sure it’s not copied
- Making sure you comply with Australian Consumer Protection and Privacy laws
- Keeping up with the rapidly changing online legislation and regulations in Australia
Benefits of online business legal templates
Luckily, there are now law firms that understand the unique challenges of online businesses and are focused on helping. Legal123 is one of those Australian law firms. We offer cost-effective and time-efficient online business legal templates to cover almost all scenarios you’ll come across.
Online business legal templates offer a number of advantages:
- Cost-effective: Online templates are more cost-effective than hiring a lawyer to create custom documents.
- Time-saving: Online business legal templates are quick and easy to use, saving you time that would have been spent creating custom documents.
- Easily accessible: Online legal templates are readily available and can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
- Up-to-date: Online legal templates from a high-quality online law firm are updated with the latest laws and regulations, ensuring that your documents are always legally compliant.
- Pre-vetted: Online business legal templates should have been written by experienced lawyers, ensuring that the document is legally sound and practical.
- Customizable: Legal templates are customizable, allowing you to tailor the document to fit your needs.
- Convenient: Online business legal templates can be accessed and downloaded at any time, saving you the hassle of printing, scanning, and mailing documents.
In addition, here at Legal123 you can pick up the phone or send us an email to get help. Remember, we’re qualified lawyers – we can explain any legal or technical aspect of our documents and online business legal templates. And if your situation is complicated or unique, we can draft custom legal agreements or give you legal advice tailored specifically for you.
Below is a list of the most important online business legal templates you’ll need as you grow your business. But don’t forget also to check out this handy infographic: What Legals Do I Need for My Ecommerce Business?
Online Business Legal Templates from Legal123
1. Website Legal Package
Online businesses should have these 3 legal notices to protect themselves and the Website Legal Package includes all of them:
- Privacy Policy – To explain how you use, store and update customer and visitor personal information.
- Website Disclaimer – To limit your liability from the information you publish and to protect your Copyright.
- Terms & Conditions – To state the terms under which you do business, including delivery, return and refund policies. The latest Australian Consumer Law now requires this.
Feature Article: What Legals Do I Need for My Website?
Legal123 Template: Website Legal Package
2. Disclaimer Templates
If your business involves high-risk products or services, then you need to limit your liability from possible legal claims. A Disclaimer is a statement that warns your customers there is risk involved with purchasing your product or following recommendations in your content. If you deal with finance, health and medicine, fitness and exercise, children, etc. you’ll need a strong Disclaimer.
Feature Article: Disclaimer or Terms & Conditions?
Legal123 Template: Disclaimer Templates
3. Contractor Agreement Template
You can’t do everything yourself and you’ll need to hire contractors from time to time. Whatever services your contractors provide – advice, technical know-how, project management, online marketing, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), etc. – you’ll need a clear and simple Contractor Agreement with them.
Feature Article: How to Hire an Independent Contractor
Legal123 Template: Contractor Agreement Template
4. Confidentiality Agreement Template
A Confidentiality Agreement, also known as a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), protects sensitive information. You need a Confidentiality Agreement with potential investors, suppliers, employees, personal advisors, etc. Our template includes 3 versions (quick to full agreement) for different levels of protection.
Feature Article: How to Write a Confidentiality Agreement
Legal123 Template: Confidentiality Agreement Template
5. Letter of Demand Template
At some point someone will choose not to pay you – it can’t be avoided. In this case, use our DIY Letter of Demand template to generate a formal letter that will get you paid quickly. Letters of Demand get results because of their formal nature and avoid having to lodge a claim in Small Claims Court.
Feature Article: How to Write a Letter of Demand
Legal123 Template: Letter of Demand Template
6. Copyright Infringement Notice
And at some point, your work – article, tagline, photo, design, video, music, code, etc. – will be copied online without your permission. When this happens you’ll need to send them a Copyright Infringement Notice telling them to take it down – and possibly pay you damages.
Feature Article: How to Avoid Copyright Infringement
Legal123 Template: Copyright Infringement Notice
7. GDPR Privacy Policy Clauses
GDPR is a set of UK and EU regulations that require businesses to protect the personal data and privacy of UK and EU residents. These regulations apply to ALL businesses that market to UK or EU residents – no matter where the business is based! This includes something as simple as collecting the email address of a UK or EU resident.
Feature Article: How to Comply with GDPR
Legal123 Template: GDPR Privacy Policy Clauses
8. Trademark Registration Service
Registering a ‘Pty Ltd’ company or business name with ASIC does not stop other people from using it. You need to register your business name, brand or logo as a Trademark with IP Australia to make sure it belongs to you and can’t be used by anyone else.
Feature Article: How to Trademark Your Business Name
Legal123 Service: Trademark Registration Service