Business and Startup Legal Consultation in India
Most Indian businesses get legal advice too late — after the co-founder leaves, after the client refuses to pay, after the notice arrives. Not because founders are careless, but because a retainer is hard to justify before there is a problem, and a one-off question is hard to get answered without one.
MyVakeel is built for exactly that gap. Ask the question free and get an answer grounded in Indian statute. If it needs a corporate advocate, engage one directly at a fee you can see, without committing to a monthly retainer.
What businesses use MyVakeel for
- Entity and structure — private limited, LLP or OPC, and the tax and liability consequences of each
- Founder and shareholder agreements — vesting, exits, deadlock, ROFR and drag-along terms
- Commercial contracts — MSAs, SOWs, NDAs, vendor terms and liability caps
- Employment — offer letters, POSH compliance, ESOPs, notice periods and non-compete enforceability
- Fundraising — term sheets, SAFE and CCPS structures, due diligence readiness
- Intellectual property — trademarks, copyright assignment from contractors, software licensing
- Data and IT — privacy policy obligations, the DPDP Act, and IT Act intermediary duties
- Disputes — recovery of unpaid invoices, breach of contract, arbitration clauses
Common and expensive mistakes
Three problems account for most of the corporate matters we see. First, contractor-built IP that was never formally assigned — under the Copyright Act, 1957, work by an independent contractor does not vest in the company by default, and this surfaces during diligence when it is most expensive to fix. Second, founder equity with no vesting, discovered when one founder leaves in month eight holding a third of the company. Third, a client contract with no payment terms, no interest on delay and no jurisdiction clause, which turns a straightforward recovery into a two-year exercise.
Each of these costs a few thousand rupees to prevent and lakhs to litigate.
How it works for a business
- Describe the situation and get a free AI answer citing the applicable Act and Section.
- Filter the directory to corporate, tax, IP or employment specialists in your city.
- Review the advocate's public forum answers to see how they reason before engaging.
- Book at the displayed fee. Bookings a lawyer declines are refunded automatically.
- Keep the thread. Documents and correspondence stay retrievable in one place.
For startups specifically
Early-stage companies rarely need a retainer. They need three or four well-timed conversations: at incorporation, when the founding team is set, before the first significant customer contract, and before a funding round. Paying per consultation for those four beats a monthly retainer that goes unused for most of the year.
There is no charge to the business for using the platform itself — no seat licence, no subscription. You pay the advocate for the consultation and nothing else.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to incorporate a company in India?
Incorporation itself is generally handled by a company secretary or a filing service. A lawyer is worth engaging for what sits around it — the founders' agreement, share structure and IP assignment — which the filing does not cover.
How much does business legal consultation cost in India?
A corporate advocate typically charges ₹1,500 to ₹5,000 for an initial consultation in a metro, with document drafting quoted separately. Fees are displayed on each advocate's profile before you book.
Can a startup get legal advice without a retainer?
Yes. Per-consultation engagement is how most early-stage companies on MyVakeel work, using the free question tier first to scope the issue.
Is a non-compete enforceable against an employee in India?
Post-employment non-compete clauses are generally unenforceable under Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, though confidentiality and non-solicitation obligations are treated differently. The specifics matter, so take advice on your drafting.