A Business Owner's Guide to Spring Cleaning: Legal Edition

Wanna know one of the biggest mistakes that I see business owners making?

Well first, it’s that they have NO legal agreements in place at all and that in and of itself really makes me cringe. 🥴

But after that, it’s that they think that the legal side of their business is just a one and done thing that they never have to touch again. 

Like yes, I love that you put in the time and effort to make your business or brand legally sound, but let’s make sure it STAYS that way, okay?!

And no… it doesn’t just stay that way by default. There are some things that you have to keep in check overtime to ensure that your business is legally protected from top to bottom. 

It’s kind of like when you take your car to get an oil change. That oil change only lasts you so long and if you neglect to go back for another tune up, your car will eventually fall apart. 

Don’t let that be your business! Follow this Business Owner’s Guide to Spring Cleaning: Legal Edition to ensure that your business continues to be legally covered.

5 Ways To “Spring Clean” Your Business: Legal Edition

1. Update your copyright notice (or ADD it to all digital products)

Technicallyyyy this is something you should’ve done at the beginning of the year, but if this task fell between the cracks of every other thing that you have on your business owner plate, that’s okay. 

Just make sure you take the time to do it NOW! And if you’re not sure what you need to change, you know I’ve got you.

The footer of your website should hopefully already have a copyright notice (and if it doesn’t, refer here for WHY you need one!), so all you need to change right now is the year. 

It should read: © [Insert First Year of Publication] – [Insert Current Year] [Insert Legal Business Name].

In addition to updating this on your website, you also want to make sure this is updated (or added) to ALL of your digital assets, such as lead magnets, free guides, templates, slide decks, workbooks, course materials, etc.

Having this notice present serves as your first line of defense if or when someone tries to copy or steal your content. And unfortunately, that happens WAY more often than you might think. 

So, do yourself a favor and update (or implement) this right away!

⭐️ Not exactly sure how to go about this? This free template will be your bestie!

2. Make sure your LLC is registered for the current year

Similar to updating your copyright, renewing your LLC for the current year is something you hopefully did at the beginning of January, but if not, you really can’t skip this one bestie. 

Typically, you’ll receive an email from the Secretary of State notifying you that it’s time for Annual Registration, but as a good rule of thumb, never fully rely on the government to make sure that your business is taken care of – because while your business is YOUR baby, it’s not theirs and they aren’t concerned if you’re in good standing or not.

If you skip Annual Registration, not only does that mean you’re technically conducting business illegally, it also means that your LLC could be entirely dissolved by the state and trust me when I say, that process is NOT something you want to deal with. 

⭐️ Not sure if you renewed your LLC? You can conduct a simple search for your business on your Secretary of State’s website to review the current status!

3. Update all of your client contracts

You know those client contracts that you (hopefully) set up a long time ago? Well it’s time to give them some love and make sure that they’re updated to reflect your current business standards and operations. 

Ideally, you would be reviewing and updating your contracts quarterly at least, but if you’ve yet to pay them any attention since the first time you put them into place, now’s the time!

The specific areas that I suggest you pay close attention to include:

• Scope of Work – in a contract, the scope of work (SOW) is a detailed description of the tasks, responsibilities, deliverables and objectives that you as a service provider will provide to your client. As your business grows and expands, it’s natural for your scope of work to change as well!
• Payment Terms – the payment terms portion of your contract outlines the details related to how and when a client will pay you for the services you provide. I knowwww you’re not out here working for free (and if you are, please stop!), so you want to make sure your payment terms are clear to avoid any confusion. 💸
• Deadlines and Deliverables – as your business grows, it's likely that your timeline structure for deliverables will change. When or if this happens, make sure you review your contract to ensure that the information is updated so that your clients know exactly what to expect. 

⭐️ If you’ve yet to implement client contracts or you’re tired of the DIY contract life, CLICK HERE to browse the contract shop and grab what you need for your business specifically!

4. Update or implement a Terms of Purchase Agreement

In addition to your client contracts, it’s wise to update or implement a Terms of Purchase Agreement for your business, regardless of what you’re selling!

Terms of Purchase is often referred to as Terms and Conditions and essentially outlines the specific terms of a transaction and covers policies that are a part of the purchase process, such as refunds, chargebacks or cancellations.

It sets the ground rules and expectations for how your customers can use your products while simultaneously providing a safety net for you as the business owner. 

⭐️ If you sell digital products, this is especially important, so refer here for more on this topic. 

5. Update or implement a Terms of Use Agreement

Lastly, one of the best ways to “spring clean” your business legally is to update or implement a Terms of Use Agreement. 

This agreement, your copyright notice, AND your Terms of Purchase all work hand in hand to protect you and your business by outlining the rules and guidelines that users must adhere to while using the product or service that they purchase from you.

This agreement specifically includes restrictions on usage, intellectual property rights, user-generated content policies, privacy practices, disclaimers of liability, and any other terms relevant to the user's interaction with the product or service.

Without a Terms of Use Agreement on your website, you run the risk of people stealing your content or misusing your website and you’re left with no legal leg to stand on. 

⭐️ If your business is missing a Terms of Use Agreement, CLICK HERE to grab the easy to use, plug and play template.

And there ya have it! Your unofficial Spring Cleaning Checklist for the legal side of your business. ✅

Take the time this season to update or implement all of the things listed above and I promise your biz wil thank you later!

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If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hey I’m Amber – not a regular lawyer, but a cool lawyer that helps online business owners sell without getting sued. 

If you like what you just read and want more cool lawyer things in your life, here’s a few ways to stay connected:

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And if you’re in need of legal resources that you can ACTUALLY understand? Here’s a few ways I can help:

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Need something else? Send me a DM! Always happy to lend a legal hand when I can.