You have taken the first step to getting Lawyered Up.
A short message from Donald Betts, Managing Principal, on the three things to do next.
Case studies
How we have helped owner-led businesses go from exposed to protected.
One of our earliest corporate clients was heading toward administration. We stepped in with probity, risk management and governance support, and stayed with them through the whole of it.
A founder in New South Wales came to set up the standard company, because that is what everyone does. We looked at what he was actually building and advised a different structure.
A Western Australian company in energy security, solar and battery storage keeps us on retainer. We handle every agreement, NDA and policy as they grow, and we help them strategise along the way.
A wholly Indigenous-owned business was being held back by its own governance. We put their policies, their agreements and their procedures in order before they took their offer to the market.
Frequently asked questions
Skip the basics so you get more out of your time with Donald or another lawyer.
I already have a lawyer. What would this add?
A different kind of relationship. Most legal work is transactional: a matter is opened, resolved and closed, and the relationship ends with it. Lawyer On Board makes Betts Law Company your standing counsel. We learn your business before anything goes wrong, and we remain in your corner as it grows.
There is also a difference in the advice itself. Many lawyers can answer the legal question. Donald also weighs the commercial one: where the business is heading, and what must be in place for it to get there. The lawyer you have today can solve the problem in front of you. Standing counsel is invested in where you are going.
Donald is from America. How well does he know Australian law?
Donald trained and practises here. He holds a Juris Doctor from Monash University, practised commercial litigation at Norton Rose Fulbright, and leads Betts Law Company, an Australian legal practice on Collins Street with liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Every matter is run under Australian law.
His life is here too. Donald is an Australian citizen, and Melbourne is home. His standing in its business community runs deep: he served as Acting CEO of Kinaway, the Victorian Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce, and is part of the North American Australian Lawyers Alliance, the peak body for lawyers working across the two countries. The law is Australian. So is the lawyer.
What does Donald cover in the hour?
The state of your business, and the path to where you want it to go. Donald begins with the foundations: who owns the business, who controls it, the risks you carry as a director, and the agreements everything rests on. He then turns to your next significant step, such as taking on a partner, raising capital, signing a major contract or acquiring another business, and sets out what must be in place before that step, and what can wait.
That background matters in the room. He looks past the legal question to the growth question, and where it serves you, he can open doors, from industry groups to government. You leave knowing what is sound, what needs attention, and in what order.
Our old firm has already verified our identity. Why do it again?
Because identity checks do not transfer between firms. Under Australian law, every firm must verify its own clients before it can act, even in an emergency. A business that calls a new firm on its worst day waits for those checks before any help can begin, and that wait can cost days.
Onboarding removes the wait. Your VOI and AML checks are completed now and held on our file, along with the company search on Corporate, so the day you call, we act.
Are there any hidden fees or extra costs?
No. The onboarding fee is fixed, and nothing is added to it. There are no ongoing charges unless you choose further work.
When you do want work done, such as drafting a shareholders agreement or restructuring the company, it is scoped and priced in a letter of engagement before it begins. You approve it, our team carries it out, and Donald reviews it before it reaches you. You will always know the cost before any work starts.
We are not in Melbourne. Can we still do this?
Yes. We act for businesses across Australia, from Western Australia to New South Wales. Identity checks are completed online through a secure link, meetings are held by video, and documents are signed and shared the same way, so there is nothing to travel for. If you would prefer to meet in person at our Collins Street office, let our team know when they call and we will arrange it.
How do I get the most out of my time with Donald?
Let the groundwork be ours. After you sign up, our team calls you, asks a few questions about you and your business, and completes a short client information form with you. We then send a secure link for your identity checks and book a time that suits you. The background is on file before you sit down, so the hour is spent on your business, not on paperwork.
Then arrive with a clear picture of what matters: the question most important to the business right now, and any documents you would like reviewed, such as a contract or a shareholders agreement. Be open about the difficult parts as well. The advice can only be as good as the picture we are given.
I am just starting my business. Which option is right for me?
Individual. If the company does not exist yet, or the idea is still taking shape, you receive 30 minutes with one of our lawyers to work through your plans and what to set up, with your identity checks completed at the same time. When the company is up and running, you move to Corporate, and your checks carry over, so nothing is repeated.
If you already run a company, choose Corporate. It includes the company search, and it is the only option that includes the hour with Donald himself. Both options are set out in the step below.
Our fixed-fee onboarding
Whichever you choose, you come out onboarded and protected in advance. All prices are in Australian dollars.
A 30-minute consultation with one of our lawyers, plus your VOI and AML checks, done now so there is nothing left to sort out the day a real matter comes up. You are in our system and ready to instruct.
For established companies. A one-hour deep dive with Donald Betts, our Managing Principal, plus the checks and search, so your entity is fully onboarded and ready to instruct before you need us.