Legal & Compliance for Business
Most legal problems were visible on a checklist a year before they arrived
Few owners have ever sat down and asked: what do we have in writing, what are we registered for, what is due this quarter, who holds our data? This session gives a structured self-review across eight areas, scored simply as in order, needs attention, or not sure. By the end you have a one-page view and a short list of questions to take to your lawyer, chartered accountant or company secretary. It is awareness, not legal advice, and it is not an audit.
Explore this page6 sections
Not knowing what you do not know is the real risk.
Small businesses rarely fail a legal requirement out of defiance. They miss it because nobody owned the question. A structured review turns vague worry into a short list, and a short list can be handed to a professional and priced.
This is a self-review, not a verdict. Only a qualified professional can tell you what applies to your business and whether you are compliant. This session is general information for awareness. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace a qualified lawyer, company secretary or chartered accountant, who should be consulted about a specific situation.
The eight areas of the check
41 topics across 8 areas. For each, mark: in order, needs attention, or not sure.
1. Registration and LicencesAre you registered for what you do?6
- Your business structure, and whether it still suits you
- Udyam registration, if you are a micro or small enterprise; the portal states it is free
- GST registration, where required, and the right address and activities on it
- Local trade, shop or establishment registrations
- Sector-specific licences, for example for food, health, education or transport
- Renewal dates for each
Which registrations apply depends on what you do, where, and how much. Ask your accountant or local authority.
2. Contracts and PaperworkWhat is in writing, and what is not.6
- Customer agreements, quotations and terms
- Vendor and supplier agreements
- Employment and contractor documents
- Partnership or shareholder arrangements
- Leases and other long-term commitments
- Where signed copies are kept
3. Payments and CashHow money should move, and what happens when it does not.5
- Written payment terms with customers
- A process for chasing overdue invoices
- Whether suppliers are paid within the time limits for micro and small enterprises
- Advances, deposits and refunds policy
- Separate business and personal bank accounts
4. Tax and Compliance CalendarWhat is due, and who is responsible.6
- GST invoicing and return dates, if registered
- Rates in your billing software and templates
- Tax deducted at source, where it applies to you
- Income-tax and other annual filings, and the new Income-tax Act, 2025 from April 2026
- Payroll-related dues and employee records
- Who owns each date, and a reminder system
5. PeopleEmployees, contractors and founders.5
- Written offers, role descriptions and notice terms
- Statutory obligations for employers, including under the labour codes; ask a professional
- Where the POSH Act applies, an Internal Committee or the Local Committee route
- Confidentiality and ownership of work created
- What happens when somebody leaves
6. Name, Brand and ContentWhat you would lose if somebody copied it.4
- Whether your business name, logo or product name is registered as a trademark, or only used
- Who owns the website, domain, social accounts and creative files
- Whether images, fonts, music and software are licensed
- Whether freelancers assigned rights in writing
7. Data and WebsiteWhat you hold and promise about people.5
- A list of the personal data you collect and why
- A privacy policy that matches what you do
- Passwords, access and backups
- Awareness of the DPDP Rules timetable, with main duties from around May 2027
- A plan for what you would do after a breach
8. Records and Professional SupportWho you call, and what they will ask for.4
You do not need a full-time professional. You do need to know who you would call and what you would send them.
- Do you have a lawyer, accountant or company secretary you can call?
- Are invoices, contracts and filings stored in one findable place?
- Is there a named person for each area?
- Do you review the list at least once a year?
How to score your own business
- In order: you can find the document or date and explain it
- Needs attention: it exists but is incomplete, old or untested
- Not sure: you do not know, which counts as a gap
- Pick the three that would hurt most if they went wrong
- Write one question for a professional against each
- Date the page and repeat it next year
What this session is not
- Not a legal audit or a compliance certificate
- Not legal advice on whether you meet any requirement
- Not an exhaustive list of every law that may apply
- Not a promise that a high score means there is no risk
- Not a substitute for a lawyer, chartered accountant or company secretary
How the session runs
Led by a facilitator, with a qualified lawyer, company secretary or chartered accountant where the topic needs one. Participants complete the one-page check on their own business, privately, and nobody is asked to share the results. A made-up example, clearly labelled, shows how a score becomes a question for a professional. The session ends with each participant's top three gaps and a note of which professional to take each to. Because laws and dates change, the facilitator points to the official sources for each area.
What your students leave with
- A one-page self-review of their business across eight areas
- A clear list of what is in order, what needs attention and what they do not know
- Their top three gaps to close first
- A calendar of recurring compliance dates to confirm with their accountant
- A short list of questions for their lawyer, accountant or company secretary
- A habit of repeating the check every year
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
A one-page check today is cheaper than the problem it would have shown a year from now.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.