Request a demo
Sign up for free
Sign up for free
Request a demo
Log in

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Lawpath helps you manage your legal needs by providing access to everything you need to start and run your business, including hundreds of blogs and legal guides, over 350+ legal and commercial documents, business services and one of Australia’s largest network of expert lawyers. We help businesses large or small ranging from sole traders to large companies understand the legal gaps in their business and then connect them with the resources they need.

Our legal hub gives you 24/7 access to all the legal tools and products you need to ensure your business is compliant. By using smart technology we provide these legal services at a fraction of the time, cost and complexity of the traditional model. We also negotiate heavily discounted rates by tapping into the latent capacity of Australian law firms. Because we send our network of 1,000+ lawyers so much work, our clients benefit from transparent, fixed-price quotes so you’ll never have to pay expensive hourly fees to get legal assistance again.

You can speak to our customer support team at any time of the day with our 24/7 live chat available on the Lawpath website. During business hours you can speak to a consultant by calling 1800 529 728. If you’re looking to speak to someone about one of our products you can email us on [email protected], alternatively if you need help with an existing product please email us on [email protected]

We’re always adding to our library of over 300 legal and commercial documents so if we don’t currently have a specific document available in our library, please email us on [email protected] to let us know what you need. We know our customers legal requirements are urgent so we can always get you a fixed-price quote to have a document drafted by one of our 1,000+ network lawyers.

We’re an Australian based online legal services company and our product range and network of lawyers reflects this. Our legal and commercial documents have been drafted to reflect federal and state laws and should not be used in other countries or territories.

Most of our clients have an existing relationship with a lawyer and they use Lawpath to supplement their needs. By using Lawpath you’ll, have 24/7 access to our 300+ legal and commercial documents and services so you’ll never have to wait to hear back from your lawyer. We can also arrange fixed-price quotes for any kind of legal work from our 1000+ network of expert lawyers, this means you’ll always have full transparency around pricing, be sure you’re paying competitive market rates and never get stung with hidden fees or going over budget.

You can cancel your Lawpath subscription at any time. To complete your cancellation please go to the Settings tab in your Lawpath account. In the subscriptions box, click ‘change my plan’ to downgrade to a free account and discontinue your subscription. Once you have completed the cancellation process, the plan status will be ‘cancellation pending’ until the end of the paid period when it will then cancel and you will no longer be charged. If you have any questions you can email [email protected] for clarification.

Legal advice can only be provided by lawyers with current practising certificates. As the Lawpath software is not a law firm, the information it provides is of a general nature. You should always seek advice from a lawyer (including our law firm Lawpath Legal) on any of the information or products you use on the Lawpath site to ensure it’s relevant and suitable for your specific needs.

Lawpath carefully selects and reviews each of the lawyers on our network. Every lawyer has a practicing certificate issued by the Legal Institutes of Australia and has significant commercial experience to ensure the work they do for our clients is of the highest quality.

We also offer a satisfaction guarantee to make sure you’ll be happy with the work provided by lawyers you connect with via Lawpath. If for any reason you are not happy, we will arrange for you to be connected with an alternate lawyer to complete the work required at no extra cost or arrange for a full refund. See our full Terms of Use for more detail on our satisfaction guarantee.

Legal Documents

Any signed document can be legally binding and Lawpath’s documents are no different. Drafted by lawyers from Australia’s top tier firms and provided to us by our partners at LexisNexis, the world’s oldest and leading legal content company. Whilst we always strive to ensure our documents are up to date with local legislation we strongly advise you to have a lawyer review and sign off on any Lawpath document you customise. We can arrange for one of network lawyers to do this for you by using our Lawyer Marketplace.

You can, but you’ll never know who drafted the document, if it’s up to date with current legislation and if the terms and clauses included in it are suitable for your specific needs. This is why over 130,000 businesses have used our platform. We always ensure our documents are up to date, drafted by expert lawyers, and can be tailored to your individual needs. The best part is you get your first document free, so there is no risk!

You can only download our documents once they have been customised. All of our documents are delivered in PDF or Word format to protect the integrity of the clauses and information held within. We do not provide our documents in HTML format. You can make amendments by using our Document Editor.

We do a lot more than just provide online legal documents like other online legal service providers. When you register for a Lawpath account you will have access to our legal hub where you can:

  • take a Legal Health Check to identify your business’ legal gaps;
  • register for a ACN and ABN;
  • register a Trademark and Patent; and
  • connect with our network of lawyers for fixed-price quotes.

We provide a full end to end legal solution for any sized business and our customer service is second to none with 24/7 live chat available.

All of your customised documents are securely encrypted and stored online so that you can access them at any time, from any device. Each version of a document you create is saved and editable and you can download them at any time.

Lawyer Marketplace

We understand that some legal matters are urgent, which is why we aim to get you connected with your lawyer as fast as we can. This can be in as little as a couple of hours, but depending on the complexity of the matter and lawyer availability, can take up to 24 hours.

All of our lawyers are qualified and admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of their State or Territory. We also have lawyers on our platform who are admitted to practice in multiple States, as well as internationally. Most of the lawyers on our platform are also reviewed by customers, which means that you’ll have a better idea of whether a particular lawyer is right for you.

Yes, prices are quoted up front and transparently. This means that you’ll only have to pay the fee that’s been agreed upon between you and your lawyer. Our lawyers don’t charge by the hour, so you won’t have to worry about costs escalating without your knowledge.

We have lawyers located throughout Australia (not just in Sydney) so you can easily find one that is close to your location or in another State. You can connect with a lawyer near you when you request quotes or by selecting the capital city that’s closest to you under the ‘Directory’ tab on our website.

You’ll receive one quote per request from our network of lawyers. These will be lawyers who have expertise in the area of law your matter relates to, so you know you’ll be receiving quotes from quality lawyers to choose from.

The quote you receive should include an introduction from the lawyer price, scope of work, turnaround time, and any work which may be excluded.

Our marketplace has a network of more than 1000 Australian lawyers. Our lawyers have experience in all facets of law, whether it be commercial, IP or even various personal matters. We also have lawyers located in most Australian States and Territories, so you’ll never not have access to legal help when you need it.

All quotes are backed by our satisfaction guarantee. This is why we hold your funds until you are completely satisfied with the job your lawyer has done. Once your job is complete and you’re satisfied, the funds are released to your lawyer.

You can secure your lawyer of choice by selecting the HIRE button within the quote. Once payment is finalised the lawyer will be notified instantly with your contact details to commence providing the legal services on your behalf.

After you accept your quote please allow the lawyer between 24 – 48 hours to get in touch with you. They will need to confirm your exact instructions before commencing the work. This is important to ensure they deliver on expectations. If you require the lawyer to get in touch faster you can send them a direct message from within your account requesting they get in touch at the earliest.

You are able to communicate with your lawyer anytime, anywhere with the chat feature on our platform. This feature works as a messaging tool, which allows you to instantly message your lawyer and keep everything related to your legal job in the one place.

Lawyer Directory

Quick Quotes is currently available for customers in these Australian states and territories: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
Lawpath sets the expectations that all clients are called within 1 business day after a quote has been accepted and Lawpath has received payment. For example, if you select and pay for a quote on 2pm Friday, you can expect to be called by 2pm Monday.
All information submitted in your quote request is confidential between Lawpath, the quoting lawyer and yourself.
After the lawyer provides the finalised legal work you will need to login to your Lawpath account and confirm that the work is complete. You will then be given a chance to review and rate your lawyer out of 5.
You can re-hire lawyers through Lawpath by contacting us on 1800 529 728. Lawpath allows all legal professionals to submit follow-up work through the Lawpath platform. This allows you to have the benefit of a transparent fixed price quote and the satisfaction guarantee offered by Lawpath.

Lawyer Profile

The Lawpath directory is Australia’s largest free directory for lawyer information.
Attract new business through your free directory listing and get better visibility on Google, Bing and Yahoo.
Any information already on your profile is sourced from publicly available information such as the solicitor’s role.

Legal Plans

By being on one of our legal plans, you will have access to unlimited legal documents. We understand that as a business, you’ll often need documents when you least expect it. By being a member on our platform, you can access legal help anytime, anywhere.
We have a number of legal plans available to suit your needs. We have a basic plan, an essentials plan and even a Legal Advice Plan which gives you access to a lawyer who can answer your questions as soon as they arise. Whichever plan you choose, you can rest assured that we’ll help you make your business the best it can be.
Being on a legal plan will ensure your business has the legal protection it needs. Firstly, you’ll be able to access important legal documents and customise them to your business. Secondly, you’ll be able to download them easily in both doc and PDF format and access them from any device. Your business will no longer have to worry about whether its complying with the law, and won’t have to spend thousands on legal fees.
Depending on your plan, you will either be billed on a monthly or annual basis. Your billing period will commence after you purchase your plan with us.
You can cancel your Lawpath subscription at any time. To complete your cancellation please go to the Settings tab in your Lawpath account. In the subscriptions box, click ‘change my plan’ to downgrade to a free account and discontinue your subscription. Once you have completed the cancellation process, the plan status will be ‘cancellation pending’ until the end of the paid period when it will then cancel and you will no longer be charged. If you have any questions you can email [email protected] for clarification.

Legal Advice Plan

Our Legal Advice Plan gives you unlimited 30-minute video or phone calls with a lawyer to discuss any topic related to your business. Live chat is also available for quick answers to your legal questions.

Our Legal Advice Plan covers all commercial matters relating to your business but excludes questions around litigation, tax and personal matters.
You can receive unlimited legal advice for commercial legal matters and/or HR employment related questions on our Legal Advice Plan. This means that when an issue arises, or if you have a legal question, you can book a 30-minute call with your lawyer and they will advise you. We have lawyers who are experts in business, IP, as well as other areas.
You can schedule another 30-minute consultation under the conditions of our Fair Use Policy. For more complex matters that require more than 30 minutes, your lawyer will give you advice on the next best steps and potential costs for the work, or they can do the work for you.

Being a customer of Lawpath gives you access to over 400+ legal documents along with exclusive access to our partner offers, a value over $10,000. Customers also get access to our Lawyer Marketplace, which allows you to get fixed price quotes for legal work.

The purpose of our Legal Advice Plan is an on-demand service, your lawyer will normally require 24 hours notice, however, depending on your circumstances, they may be able to schedule a call sooner.
As a new client, you will receive a dedicated lawyer for your account so you have the chance to build a relationship with them. However, if your lawyer is already on a call to another client they may not be able to speak to you at your scheduled time.
You will be billed for this plan on an annual basis. The billing period commences when you purchase our Legal Advice Plan.

If you wish to downgrade to another legal plan, you can do this by logging into your account or contacting us.

Registering Business name

A business name is a name or title that you operate your business under. In other words, it is the name your clients, customers and public identify with your business.

For example, if you’ve called your business ‘The Bloom Bakery’ then ‘The Bloom Bakery’ is your business name.
If you are an Australian business you are required to register a business name if you’d like to conduct a business as mandated by the government. This is applicable only when it is a name other than your own.

The only instances when you are not required to register a business name is if:

  • You are operating as an individual and your operating name is the same as your first and last name;
  • You are in a partnership and your name is the same as all the partners’ names or
  • You are a registered company in Australia and you operate under your company’s name.

So if your name is Joan Smith and you are trading as ‘Joan Smith’, then you do not need to register a business name. However, if you’d like to trade as ‘Joan Smith & Company’, then you will need to have this registered, as the business name is not the exact same as your first and last name.
You can check whether your proposed business name is available with us at Lawpath.

If it is available, you can continue on with the application. If it isn’t available you’ll need to select a different name that’s available.
In order to register a business name, you’ll first need an active Australian Business Number (ABN). If you do not currently have an ABN or it has been deactivated, then you’ll need to apply for a new ABN or reactivate your existing ABN.

You can apply for your ABN here!

Once you receive your ABN, then you can apply for the registered business name. On our form, you will need to provide your personal and contact details as well as your main business address.
For one year registration, Lawpath charges $135. If you’d like to register a business name for 3 years, it’s $209.
The form takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Once that is done, we will send the information off to have the name reserved for you. It then takes around 3 to 5 business days for ASIC to review the application and approve your business name. Once this happens, we send you the registration details.
You can use your new business name as soon as you receive the registration details from us! When you get this information you can start using it as you see fit, like printing your new business cards and developing your website.
Yes, absolutely! There is no restriction to the number of business names that you can register.

Registering Australian Business Number

An Australian Business Number (ABN) is a unique 11 digit number which the ATO will allocate to you. This number is used on your business documents and invoices
You need an ABN to receive all B2B payments, to register for PAYG and GST and to register a .com.au domain and business name(s). Having an ABN will also enhance the legitimacy of your business
You are entitled to an ABN if you are carrying on an enterprise in Australia, a company or making supplies connected with Australia’s indirect tax zone.
You will need to provide the following information when applying for your ABN:
  • Proof of identity
  • The reason you are applying for an ABN
  • The date you require the ABN to be effective from
  • Your Tax File Number (TFN)
  • Where your business is located
  • Details of any officeholders in your business
  • The industry your business will operate in
  • The activities your business will engage in

Your ABN may be delayed if:

  • There are problems with the verification of your identity,
  • You have an overdue tax return,
  • Already have applied for an ABN, or
  • A previous application has been rejected.
If your application has been rejected, you have the option to dispute it within 60 days. You should detail why you are objecting to the decision and provide supporting documentation. Please note that we do not provide refunds for rejected applications.

Registering a Company

Anyone! That is, anyone over the age of 18 in Australia. You also must have at least 1 director who resides in Australia (for tax purposes) and have a registered address located in Australia.
Yes, you can. There is no limit on the number of companies you can register. However, you will have to re-complete the form for each company you wish to register.
Our simple and interactive form means you’ll be able to register your company with us within minutes. Once you have completed the form, it will be processed by ASIC. You will receive your registration documents in a matter of minutes.
You should be ready to provide all the required information. This includes details of your registered office address, company name, your intended officeholders and how you intend to allocate shares (ownership) in your company.
Companies operate differently to being a sole trader. A company is a separate legal entity and it is an easy way to protect your personal assets from your business activities. Further, you will be taxed at the corporate rate, not an individual rate. Registering a company is a good option if you want to minimise your liability as a business owner.
No you do not. When you register your company, you will have an option to create a new ABN for your new company. You cannot re-use or link an existing ABN such as a sole trader and partnership.When you register your company with us, you can also add a company ABN.
An ABN is a unique 11-digit number, is the key means of identifying your business and is provided when you register your business. An ABN is issued by the Australian Business Register (ABR) and operated by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), which enables them to track your business activities. An Australian Company Number (ACN) on the other hand, is a unique nine-digit number that is assigned to companies only. A company is a separate legal entity. It is a distinct person by law and separates from those who formed it.

Registering Trademark

A trademark is a sign used to distinguish your business’ goods and services from those of competitors. Registering a trademark gives you exclusive rights to use a ‘sign’, which could be: letters, numbers, words, phrases, sounds, smells, shapes, logos, pictures, aspects of packaging, or a combination of any of these things. It could even be a colour – for example, Cadbury’s iconic purple colour is trademarked.
Legal protection.

  • By trademarking a sign unique to your business, you receive an exclusive right to the use of that sign. That means you are able to take legal action against anyone who infringes on that right by using that sign without your approval.
  • To prevent competitors of your business from claiming the rights to your business name, logo, or slogan.
  • Protecting your unique brand and the goodwill associated with it.
  • Protecting your rights as a business owner so no other competitor can diminish or dilute your quality of products or services.
  • Stop competitors from using or misappropriating not only your very same business name or logo, but also anything that is confusingly similar to your business name and logo.
  • If you choose to, having the exclusive right to the use of a sign also means that you are able to license the right to someone else. For example, if you trademarked a shade of blue, and was approached by another company for the use of that colour, you can license them the right to use it, at a fee. Talk about doing business!
  • Further, by registering for a trademark, you ensure that the use of that sign does not infringe on anyone’s rights. This prevents any potential legal consequences from creeping up on you, even though you have good intentions from the start.

Growing your business.

  • Registering a trademark for your business goes beyond just legal protection. It is also strong marketing tool, distinguishing your products and/or services from the rest of the market.
  • Your business is special in a way that sets you apart from the rest. It could be due to the quality of your products, the efficiency of your service, or the creativity of your design, among other things. As your reputation grows, your brand grows, and if the differentiating factor of your business is not protected, your competitor might just ride the wave of success and leave you strangling by imitating you.
  • Having a trademark allows you to effectively and efficiently communicate your brand to your customers, especially in a crowded marketplace. By associating your business with a particular ‘sign’, you become instantly recognisable. Think about the Nike ‘swoosh’, and Apple’s, well, apple.

Ease and Simplicity – Our trademark process is an easy to use process to obtain an invaluable asset for your business.
Applying for a trademark through Lawpath takes under 5 minutes and couldn’t be easier.

Our registered trademark attorneys then review your application and give you an indication of registrability within 5 days. The application is then submitted to the government for review. This process is standard for all Australian trademark applications and usually takes about 7.5 months. Once officially registered you will receive a registration certificate and your trademark is then registered to you for 10 years.
Before you go through your application process you will need: The word or logo you wish to trademark.

  • Make sure that the word or logo you wish to trademark is suitable for use, it must be distinctive so as to be able to differentiate your goods or service from a competitors or it may be rejected.

Your goods and services for your trademark

  • You must specify the goods and services that your trademark is or will be used for, e.g shoes. There is no limit to the number of goods and services or classes that you can select. Applicant’s details:
  • Applicant’s name: owner’s name or company name.
  • Applicant’s address.

Contact details:

  • Authorised person for the trademark.
  • Telephone.
  • Email.

Virtual Office

In Australia, the law requires companies to have a Registered Office at all times. This must be a physical address – it cannot be a PO Box. This is the address where important communications and notices to the company are to be addressed. This is different than a principal place of business.
A company’s principal place of business is where the day-to-day activities are performed. When using Lawpath’s Virtual Address Service, you will receive a virtual registered office address, which will be different from your principal place of business. This information is not published on the public register but is typically provided to your customers. This address will also be used as your mailing address for everyday correspondence, such as invoices from contractors or bills from your providers.
The Lawpath virtual address service can only be used for the company’s registered office address. Australian law requires that there is at least one director that resides in Australia and for ASIC to register the company, you must provide the director’s personal address in Australia.
The virtual office address is provided to you upon registration. It is an office address located in central Sydney.
If you do not want your home address listed as the registered office address or have been denied permission from your occupier, then you can still register a company with our virtual address service.

This service is also ideal for someone who owns their own office address but does not want to miss any important correspondence. We notify you each time you receive a piece of mail and upload it to your Lawpath account. This ensures that you are always up to date with your mail and lowers the risk of receiving a fine.
7 days after you sign up for the virtual office your card on file will automatically be charged $384. This is the total fee for 12 months use of our Virtual Office.
You can cancel your trial anytime within those 7 days and you will not be charged. Once the trial or virtual office is cancelled all mail will be returned to sender. You will also need to change your registered office address to receive important documentation.
This change can be done free of charge with ASIC.
With this subscription, we include 7 free document uploads per month. These uploads will allow you to receive all correspondence from ASIC, the ATO and other government agencies – all the important mail for your company.

If you exceed your 7 documents in a month, you will then be charged $15 for each additional document received. To avoid any additional fees, we recommend using your email address or principal place of business for your everyday correspondence.
All the documents sent to your registered address will be viewable and available to print from your Lawpath account. If you would like the original copy, there will be an additional charge. Please send an email to [email protected] to arrange this.
Yes, we can accept packages on your behalf. To forward a package to another address it will be the cost of postage plus a $15 handling fee.
To cancel, you must email [email protected] 30 days before your next billing date.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to legal requirements, Lawpath cannot cancel your Virtual Office until proof of an alternate registered office address is provided.
The Virtual Office cannot be shared across multiple companies as it is one plan per entity. You would need to purchase a second Virtual Office Plan from the Lawpath platform.

Accounting Advice Plan

Our Accounting Advice Plan includes on-demand access to trusted expert accountants from Lawpath’s tax & advisory team.

Get year-round accounting advice via 30-minute video or phone calls, and quick accounting answers using live chat.
Small business tax concessions, tax planning & minimisation, chart of accounts, payroll processing queries, putting on a new employee, navigating new asset purchases and the tax implications, division 7a advice, bookkeeping queries, tracking things correctly in your accounting software, GST advice, withholding tax (PAYGW) advice, PAYG instalments queries, superannuation advice, family trust advice, business structure advice, tax breaks available, best practices and more.
The plan covers all accounting matters that are relevant to your business but excludes questions relating to self-managed super funds (SMSF), government grants, international tax and accounting, as well as financial and investment advice.
The accountants who advise on the Accounting Advice Plan are experienced in most areas of tax and accounting. All accountants are qualified to advise in relation to relevant states and territories. Our team will ensure that you are connected with an accountant who can advise on your matter.
Typically you can connect to an accountant the same day (during business hours). If you are looking for a specific time of day we recommend that you book in 24 hrs before to secure your desired time. Our accountants are only available for consultations during normal business hours.
You can only have one consultation with an accountant booked at a time, however, you have access to unlimited accounting calls.
We will always try to ensure that you are assigned the same accountant for each consultation so you have the chance to build a relationship with them. However, if your accountant is already on a call to another client they may not be able to speak to you at your scheduled time.
The Accounting Advice Plan is $139 per month billed quarterly or annually, with an annual commitment. The billing period commences when you purchase our Accounting Advice Plan.

Need additional assistance?

Our experienced lawyers are here to help.

Get legal help

Call us on 1800 529 728

Our support and sales teams are available to take your call at any time between 9:00am to 6:00pm from Mondays to Fridays.

Solutions

Twitter Linkedin-in Facebook-f Youtube
Copyright 2024 Lawpath Operations Pty Ltd ABN 74 163 055 954. Lawpath is an online legal service that makes it faster and easier for businesses to access legal solutions solely based on their own preferences. Information, documents and any other material featured on the Lawpath website, blog or platform is general in nature. You should always seek advice from a qualified professional to check if Lawpath's materials or services meet your particular circumstances. You can access in-house and 3rd party qualified professionals through certain products sold by Lawpath. Use of Lawpath and lawpath.com.au is subject to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.