A simple way to stay on top of legal work

Rather than tackling everything at once, break the year into manageable pieces.  One focused legal task every couple of months is usually enough to keep most small businesses protected.

1.      January – February: Review your main contracts

Begin with the documents that impact your income and expenses.  This usually includes your terms and conditions, client agreements and supplier contracts.

Ask some basic questions:

• Do these documents match how we actually work?

• Are our prices, payment terms and scope of work clear?

• Are there auto-renewal clauses that could lock us in when we don’t want them?

Small changes here can protect cash flow and prevent disputes later.

2.      March – April: Put an AI policy in place

If you or your team use AI tools, you need clear rules.  An AI policy doesn’t have to be complicated.  It should simply explain what tools can be used, what data can and can’t be entered, and who owns any outputs.

This helps prevent accidental data breaches or disputes over intellectual property in the future.

3.      May – June: Update employment and freelancer contracts

People’s roles change over time, but contracts often don’t.  This is where risk creeps in.

Make sure that employee, contractor and freelancer agreements reflect reality.  Check things like:

• Working hours and location

• How work is delivered

• Who owns what they create

• How the relationship can end

With employment rules tightening, informal arrangements are increasingly risky.

4.      July – August: Protect your intellectual property

If anyone outside your business creates content, designs, code or branding, ownership must be clear in writing.

This is especially important if you plan to grow, rebrand, sell or seek investment.  Sorting this out early is far easier than fixing it during a dispute.

5.      September – October: Review ownership and decision-making

Shareholder agreements and partnership documents are easy to ignore until something goes wrong.

These documents should explain:

• How decisions are made

• What happens if someone leaves

• How disputes are handled

Reviewing them while things are calm can prevent difficult conversations later.

6.      November – December: Do a legal tidy‑up

At the end of the year, pull everything together.  Check for missing signatures, expired agreements and gaps in policies.  Use this as a chance to plan legal priorities for the year ahead rather than reacting to problems as they arise.

The contract basics every business needs

Well-written contracts don’t need legal jargon.  They need clarity and that’s why every important agreement should clearly cover the following points.

1.      Who is involved and what is being done
The full legal names of everyone involved, and a clear description of what is being provided.  Vague wording causes confusion and disputes.

2.      Payment terms
How much is due, when it must be paid, how it should be paid and what happens if payment is late?  Clear payment terms support cash flow and reduce awkward conversations.

3.      Length of the agreement and how it ends
When the contract starts, when it ends and how either side can leave.  Exit terms should be practical, not traps that keep you stuck in a bad situation.

4.      Confidentiality and data protection
What information is confidential, how it can be used and what happens to it when the contract ends?  This protects your clients, your systems and your business.

5.      Intellectual property
Who owns the work that is created, and who can use it?  This is one of the most common causes of disputes and one of the easiest issues to prevent with careful wording.

6.      Limits of liability
Contracts should fairly limit how much risk each side takes on.  Unlimited liability can be financially dangerous, even for successful businesses.

7.      How disputes are resolved
A clear process for dealing with disagreements, ideally starting with discussion or mediation before court action.  This saves time, cost and relationships.

8.      Governing law
Which country’s laws apply, and where disputes will be handled.  This avoids confusion if something does go wrong.