Time for a short-form legal audit?
In an unpredictable economy, the best defence is a business that’s "sale-ready" and structurally sound. A short-form legal audit is a high-impact, low-friction way to identify where your business is vulnerable before a crisis or opportunity hits. Whether you are looking to restructure, consolidate, or even exit, having bulletproof shareholder agreements and robust contracts in place ensures you aren't caught on the back foot. Let’s tighten up your legal foundations now so you can navigate whatever the market throws at you with confidence and be even more exit-ready.
A short-form legal audit focuses on the high-impact documents that define your business's ownership, obligations, and security. Here is a checklist of the types of documents we can review to ensure your business is resilient and "sale-ready":
1. Corporate Governance & Ownership
These documents are critical for restructuring or exiting your business, as they define who calls the shots.
Company Constitution: Checking for modernised indemnity and director's duty clauses.
Shareholders’ Agreement: Ensuring clear exit strategies, "drag-along/tag-along" rights, and dispute resolution processes are in place.
Interests Register: Verifying that all director conflicts of interest are properly recorded.
Resolutions: Confirming that all significant transactions have been formally documented.
2. Commercial Contracts & Revenue
These define your cash flow and how "sticky" your customers and suppliers are and can influence how attractive your business is to potential purchasers in the event you wish to exit it.
Standard Terms of Trade: Auditing for Unfair Contract Terms (UCT) and ensuring your limitation of liability is robust.
Major Supplier/Customer Agreements: Checking for "Change of Control" clauses that might trigger if you sell or restructure the business.
Property Lease: Reviewing expiry dates, renewal rights, and personal guarantee obligations.
3. Employment & Workforce
With the recent 2026 changes, these are high-risk areas for SMEs.
Employment Agreements: Updating templates to include the new $200k+ high-income threshold and trial period clauses.
Contractor Agreements: Auditing these against the 2026 "Gateway Test" to prevent misclassification claims.
Health & Safety Policy: Checking your officer due diligence processes to align with the latest standards.
4. Intellectual Property & Data
The "hidden" value of many businesses often lies here. It is essential that you know where you stand (and can tidy up any issues) in the event that you decide to exit the business.
Trademark Registrations: Confirming ownership of business names and logos is correctly recorded.
Privacy Policy: Updating for IPP 3A notification requirements regarding indirect data collection.
Website Terms: Ensuring these are tailored to your specific digital operations.
Whether you are restructuring or just tightening up operations, a short-form audit ensures your legal ducks are in a row. It’s a simple process that puts you in the strongest possible position for whatever comes next and makes you exit-ready. Let’s grab a coffee and discuss how this could work for you.