Legalese

Legalese is a Cape Town-based “creative legal agency” and exists at the intersection of creativity and law.

The agency is designed specifically to service the creative and small business sectors. They offer specialised legal services to creative, startup, and tech-based businesses. In addition to their services, they offer practical legal advice, tools, and guidance.

Their legal solutions cover a variety of industries and specialities including tech (aviation and drones, fintech, gaming, social media), the entertainment industry (music), health and medical (cannabis, health tech) and the gig economy, among others.

Their mission, according to their website, is to “innovate legal services by making them accessible, creative and cheaper”.

They have a large network working remotely across the country and are able to service clients across the country. Businesses can also access their legal products and packages designed specifically for businesses at all stages online.

Compliance and regulation – User-friendly legal products and packages designed specifically for startup companies and small businesses. Includes company administration, tax clearance, change of company details and operating licence applications.

Agreements – Bespoke internal and external agreements, including shareholder agreements and NDAs, lease agreements, service agreements and terms of engagement.

Labour legal services – Includes formulation and compliance with company policies, employee discipline, restructuring and retrenchments and/or terminations.

Tech law – Laws relating to information technology, includes: commerce and online platform fintech services, data privacy and processing, gig economy legal services, access to information (Paia) compliance, Popia, aviation services, drone regulation compliance, fintech agreements.

Entertainment law – Legal services dealing with artistic performance, intellectual property, or advertising. Examples – performance and booking agreements; management and label agreements, band member agreements, music publishing agreements, music distribution and music licence agreement.

Medicine and health – Legal services to navigate regulatory red tape and requirements of operating a medical or health-related business.

Intellectual property registration and guidance – Get advice on registering your trademarks and other trademark-related matters in South Africa and internationally.

Tax services – Includes tax registration, tax advice for non-resident taxes, international tax structuring and advice, VAT opinions and more.

Legalese offers the following various packages for differing stages of business and industries:

New Businesses
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Company registration – R3500
• Shareholders Agreement (Standard) – R9000
• Terms of Engagement – R4 410

Growing Businesses
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Employment Agreement – R6400
• Shareholders Agreement (Standard) – R9000
• Loan Agreement – R5 710
• Commercial Lease Agreement – R7400
• Letter of Demand – R5700

Music industry
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Band Member Agreement – R7450
• Collaboration Agreement – R6450

Creative agencies
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Client Terms of Engagement – R6950
• Content Licensing Agreement – R7400
• Performance Booking Contract – R3 630
• Shareholders Agreement (Standard) – R9000
• Influencer Agreement – R6450

Freelancers
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Client Terms of Engagement – R6950
• Content Release or Usage Agreement – R7400

Social enterprises and non-profits
Includes:

• Free consultation
• Non-Profit Company Registration – R6950

Company secretarial
Includes

• Annual Retainer (per year) – R2 500
• Annual Return Submission – R2 080
• Change of Directors – R1 140
• Personal Liability Company – R3 220
• Company Name Change – R1 660

Labour services
Includes:

• Fixed-Term Employment Agreement – R6400
• Disciplinary Code and Procedure – R9800
• Mutual Separation Agreement – R7850

POPI compliance
Includes:

• POPI-compliant Privacy and Personal Information Policy – R5700
• Combined Website Policy – GDPR-compliant – R12 000

They also offer the following Retainer Packages:

• Start up – R1 500 per month
• Operational – R5 000 per month
• Comprehensive R15 000 per month
• Bespoke – Price on request