January has a funny energy, doesn’t it?
It’s the month where we’re all trying to find our feet again after Christmas, clear the decks, and set ourselves up for the year ahead. For business owners, that often means tidying up the practical things: pipelines, finances, staffing… and all those “I’ll sort it later” jobs that quietly sit in the background.
And one of the most common “later” jobs I see is this one:
Your contracts and website legal documents
They usually start out sensible. A set of terms and conditions gets drafted, your website privacy policy goes live, a supplier agreement is put in place… and then the business grows. You add new services. You change how you sell. You outsource something. You update your systems. You copy and paste a clause from somewhere else because it seems to say the right thing.
Before you know it, you’ve got documents that exist, but you’re not totally sure they still reflect how you actually trade.
Why it matters (without the scare stories)
Most of the time, nothing dramatic happens – until it does.
When there’s a late payment, a customer complaint, a scope creep issue, a cancellation, a data request, or a disagreement about what was agreed, that’s when your terms and policies stop being “admin” and start being your safety net.
And if that safety net is out of date (or unclear), you can end up spending time and money dealing with problems that could have been avoided with a few straightforward improvements.
The good news is that getting on top of it doesn’t have to be painful or expensive.
A helpful question to ask yourself
Here’s a quick sense-check:
- Do your terms and conditions match how you currently sell (online, in person, subscription, one-off projects, retainers)?
- Are your payment terms clear (when payment is due, what happens if it’s late, deposits, staged payments)?
- Do you know where your risk sits (liability limits, exclusions, delays, third-party services)?
- If a customer wants to cancel, do you have a clear cancellation and refund position?
- Does your website include up-to-date privacy and cookie information that reflects what your site actually does?
- Are you relying on templates that were created years ago, or borrowed from somewhere else, without a proper check?
If you’re hesitating on any of those, you’re not alone and it’s exactly why a quick review can be so useful.
What is a “Business Legal Audit”
A legal audit can sound big and formal, but the version we’re offering is deliberately practical.
It’s designed for business owners who want a clear view of whether their core day-to-day documents are:
- in good shape,
- in need of a tidy-up, or
- carrying risk that’s worth addressing sooner rather than later.
So during January, we’re offering a Business Legal Audit for £500 + VAT.
We’ll take a look at the documents that sit behind how you trade, typically things like:
- your terms and conditions
- key website legal documents (such as privacy/cookies information)
- standard customer/supplier terms or commonly used templates
You’ll then receive a clear, practical overview report setting out:
- what looks in good shape
- what might need updating (and the likely risks)
- what to prioritise first
- and options and pricing for any follow-on work, so you can plan your legal budget for the year ahead
A quick (and important) note on scope
This audit is an overview, not a line-by-line review of every contract your business uses. Think of it as a legal health check – a way to get clarity and direction, without having to jump straight into a big project.
Why January is a great time to do it
It’s much easier to make changes before the year gets busy.
If you’re planning growth, new services, new hires, new suppliers, or bigger clients this year, it’s reassuring to know your foundations are doing what they should. And if your documents do need work, having a prioritised plan (with costs) means you can tackle it in a sensible order, rather than in a panic when something goes wrong.
If you’d like a simple check-in, I’m happy to help. Feel free to email me on: karen.blakesley@cognitivelaw.co.uk or call on 01273 284008