Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an agreement between a service provider and a client. It builds a set of deliverables that one party has accepted to provide another. This agreement can exist between company and clients, between departments of the company. It also exists in one department that delivers a recurring service to another department within that business. SLA is used to build efficient terms, take care of disputes that might arise and protect the interests of both parties. It defines and explains the deliverables, timelines, conflicts that may appear, feedback mechanisms and how the problem can be neutralized.

Businesses cannot grow in isolation and thus, relationships are instrumental in doing deals, extending products and offerings and growing business. These relationships, however, are important to be built over strong foundations and thus, it's important to sign a Memorandum of Understanding Agreement with the other party. Memorandum of Understanding is an agreement executed between two or more willing parties. Though not legally binding, it indicates the willingness or intention of the parties involved, to proceed with the contract.

Proprietorship is owned and governed by one person, usually a shop owner, merchant or a small trader. ​It’s the easiest way to start a business with easy setup, complete control and minimum compliances. This type of business can be started in 15 days and hence makes it one of the most popular kinds of business to begin. In this structure, the owner and the business are treated one and the same. The proprietor is personally liable for all business debts i.e his personal property may also be used to repay business debts. Register a Proprietorship for your business.

Starting a business has always been exciting, inspiring and phenomenal. However, the majority of the businesses shut down within a few years due to certain reasons, with a prominent one being the non-consensus and friction between the founders. It is always essential for founders to come together and agree on their roles, compensation, structure. A Founders’ Agreement is an official contract that is signed between all the co-founders of a firm. This document states all the responsibilities, ownership, and initial investments made by each of the founders of the company. It is advised to make a founders’ agreement at the incorporation stage of an enterprise as it will lay out the responsibilities and roles of each of the co-founders. These relationships, once documented in the form of agreements, help in identifying, mitigating any potential risk, and bringing transparency with these resources.

Goods & Services Tax (GST) registration is required by all businesses and corporations that are involved in the buying and selling and good or services such as Indian service providers (including freelancers), suppliers, traders, manufacturers wholesalers and retailers. Businesses that have a turnover exceeding Rs. 40 lakhs* (Rs 10 lakhs for NorthEast & Hill states) are required to register as a traditional taxable entity. GSTIN, a unique identification number is issued along with the GST certificate.

The food industry has always remained one of the most exciting domains for small, medium as well as large scale business, including food chains, restaurants, hotels, milk products, importers-exporters, resellers, packagers, and many more. Being compliant with the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and securing a license to do business is one of the first steps to build your food business.

Businesses cannot grow in isolation and thus, sharing information, both public and confidential has been instrumental in doing deals, negotiations and building relationships. However, to protect our interests while sharing confidential information, it's important to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with the other party. Non Disclosure Agreement, also known as a ‘Confidentiality Agreement’, is an agreement where the parties agree to share the confidential information/ data, specified in the ‘Confidentiality Clause’ of the agreement. The parties to the Non-Disclosure Agreement also agree on not disclosing such information to the third party beyond the terms defined.

Privacy Policy is generally the legal record or report that manages the data collected by a website or an app from the users. The website proprietors should define what data they will be getting from the users and whereby such data is used and applied. The personal data provided on the website or mobile application can be at times misused unless otherwise it is managed and directed. So, every website or application must have measures to protect such data and that's what privacy policies explain. The rules and regulations that are connected to a piece of software by the service provider are called the Terms of Service (ToS). It is a legal agreement between the provider of the service and the user who wants to use it. You can also employ Web-based assistance and products. When a piece of software or Web-service of the provider appends regulations to these software or service items, those ordinances are known as the terms of service. Whenever you click service or software, firstly, you will have to agree to the regulations mentioned in the Terms of Service, since ToS is a common agreement that every service will have in this digital growing world.

With the fast-changing environment and economy, holding a patent gives your business and idea an edge. A patent is a right granted by the governments which prevent others from using, copying or selling the patented product/ process. It can be obtained by any business or individual that wants to secure their ideas or creation. A permanent patent is a way to protect your final product/ process/ invention from infringement. It is obtained once you have a complete invention in place and is in its final form. It is obtained for 20 years and gives you an exclusive, licensable, transferable right to hold the patent, selling and marketing it, manufacture, or to launch it. It is comprehensive, protected and enforceable for the next 20 years.

The partnership is an established structure in which two (or more) people join hands to do business. Low costs, ease of setting up and minimal compliance requirements make it a sensible option for such businesses. This form of structure is ideal if there is no/less requirement of external funds and low risk of bad-debts (eg consultancy firms). In such a business, members are partners who share the profits as well as liabilities of the firm. Register a Partnership firm for your business.

In commerce, a trademark is as powerful to protect a company's brand as the product itself. A visual symbol like a word, signature, name, device, label, numerals, or combination of colours used for goods or services or other articles of commerce to distinguish it from other similar goods or services originating from different businesses, it sends a strong message and affinity for the audiences and consumers. The registration of a trademark is valid only for a period of 10 years. In case the owner fails to renew the trademark, then they shall lose all the protection that comes along with registration.

A business entity which offers application services including telemedicine, tele-education, tele-trading, call centre, e-commerce, network operation, and other IT enabled services using resources provided by Authorised Telecom Service Providers is called the Other Service Provider (OSP). The OSP registration can be obtained from the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Government of India. Any entity entitled to OSP registration must be a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013. Get your OSP license.

Every business structure has its own benefits, and while a sole proprietorship is an easiest and most affordable set up to do business, it does keep its owner at risk. And when revenues go up, it’s most advisable to separate the entity from personal liability and form a private limited structure. Conversion of a Proprietorship to a Private Limited Company provides you credibility, and trustworthiness in the eyes of bank credit and investors. Our counsels help you transfer your assets, plan your structure and help in legal and financial transitions.

Doing business has its own perks, especially when you’re raising funds. While seeking and finding investors is a crucial setup, signing agreements, sheets without a legal opinion can put you at risk. And while it’s an additional cost to make, it might be one of your first steps to more efficient decision making. Our professional’s review provides you with a detailed review around vesting period, lock-in period, exits, IP rights, valuations and any other hidden information in your investment documents.

An Importer Exporter Code is a unique 10-digit code, which is requisite for every import/export business owner in India. The code is issued by the Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and needs no filing or renewal. IEC is required to clear customs and shipment, and to transactions with foreign banks. Businesses can avail government schemes like Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS), Service Export from India Scheme (SEIS) and others from Customs and Export Promotion. The process of obtaining IEC is not tedious and can be obtained with minimal, basic documents.

Artistic creations are of high value, for both social, financial and mental well-being. Be it your book, music, videos, recordings, scripts, or drawings, holding copyright gives you a legal right and protection over your work. It protects the originality of your work against infringement and is valid for a lifetime and 60 years more. Copyright is a legal right granted to authors/creators of any artistic creation like literature, Music, Videos, & Recordings to recreate, distribute, replicate their work. Like any other property, a copyright can be transferred (or leased), sold, shared with other entities for adaption, translation, replicating or recreating the copyrighted work.

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) came in 2009 and became an instant success for startups and professional firms. It combines the benefits of a private limited company with that of a partnership firm and thus, is a preferred choice for Businesses who want limited liability and a separate legal entity. Start-ups and professionals firms pick it because it has no minimum capital contribution requirement and has little compliances to deal with as compared to other structures. It limits the liabilities of its partners and enables them to maintain a separate legal entity. Register a Limited Liability Partnership and accelerate your business.

Every business structure has its own benefits, and a public limited structure is most suitable when you want to offer your shares to the general public and get listed on the market. Conversion of a Private Limited to Public limited provides you immense visibility in the market, access to public capital and our counsels help you transfer your assets, plan your structure and help in legal and financial transitions.

With businesses and economies relying on continuous creative work, innovation and brand value, holding the intellectual property are more valuable than ever. With transactions based on Intellectual Property increased more in the last decade, it’s highly crucial to manage intellectual property and seek professional advice when it comes to transferring, selling, sharing exclusively or on joint terms. Our counsels help you to seek good terms with the other party, assign the IP and complete your IP transaction smoothly.

Registering an Indian company allows foreigners and foreign companies to do business and conduct activities in India. Foreign nationals or Foreign companies looking to do business in India, set up their back offices, import or export goods, or hire employees to need to set up a formal structure in India. Register a Foreign subsidiary in India and accelerate your business.

In a fast-growing world, we’re seeing businesses grow at a rapid pace. Businesses grow when the people building it are stronger. It’s the team which helps a business grow from an idea to an enterprise and beyond. Therefore, it’s highly imperative to build strong foundations right from the founders to the last-mile connection of a shareholder with the company. These relationships, once documented in the form of agreements, help in identifying, mitigating any potential risk, and bringing transparency with these resources. They usually cover agreements among founders, employees, contractors, consultants, shareholders, or any similar stakeholder in the company, and protects both the company’s and stakeholders interests.

In commerce, a trademark is as powerful to protect a company's brand as the product itself. A visual symbol like a word, signature, name, device, label, numerals, or combination of colors used for goods or services or other articles of commerce to distinguish it from other similar goods or services originating from different businesses, it sends a strong message and affinity for the audiences and consumers. A trademark is valid for 10 years and gives the owner complete protection from any infringement. Like all other properties, a trademark is transferred (or leased), sold, shared with other entities for adaption or promoting brand awareness.

Doing business has its own perks, especially when you’re raising funds. While seeking and finding investors is a crucial setup, a negotiator is very crucial for business to be recognised, seen and valued right for its value. And while it might seem unimportant, there are about 74%* chances that your business might not be valued at par for its value. Our professional negotiator helps you get more visibility in the investment market, by helping you build efficient pitch decks, financial sheets and negotiating with the investor’s team. While it’s an additional cost to make, it might be one of your first steps to more efficient decision making.

Nidhi company is a member-only organisation that allows to take deposits and lend money to its members only. Examples of a Nidhi Company are permanent funds, mutual benefit funds, a mutual benefit company and benefit funds. RBI has exempted the notified Nidhi companies from the core provisions of the RBI Act and other directions applicable to a NBFCs. Therefore, Nidhi Company is an ideal entity to obtain cash deposits from members or contribute to them, for the common gain of the two parties. registered under Section 406 of Companies Act, 2013. The main business of such a company is to facilitate lending money between the core members of the company. This way members (or shareholders) are encouraged to save money and invest them within the company. These deposits are then used by the company for its members (or shareholders), to provide loans or advances, and to acquire government-issued stocks/bonds/debentures/securities. It is regulated by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, while the RBI monitors all its financial dealings. Register a Nidhi company for your lending-deposit business.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is introduced by the European Union to safeguard the privacy of data for European citizens. In this digital age, many government establishments, private organizations, non-profit groups, etc. have access to our private information without our consent and are being abused. With the GDPR coming in, there will be transparency and strengthening of the basic rights of people. This data protection bill aims to provide people with better check related to the usage of their data. The GDPR consists of 11 chapters. This data protection bill mentions stipulations regarding principles, general prerequisites, data rights, supervisory authorities, duties of data controllers, and so on. The GDPR compliance statutes also deal with the transfer of private data to other nations, penal provisions, and responsibility and remedies for breach of rights, etc.

Every business structure has its own benefits, and while a partnership is easy to manage a business, it does keep its partners at risk by exposing their personal assets to liability. LLP, a newly introduced concept, provides limited liability protection for the partners, separate legal entity status, ability to take on an unlimited number of partners and ease of ownership transfer. Conversion of a Partnership to Limited Liability provides you most benefits a private limited company enjoys while keeping compliances low, and is a go-to option for Small and Medium size businesses. Our counsels help you transfer your assets, plan your structure and help in legal and financial transitions.

With the fast-changing environment and economy, holding a patent gives your business and idea an edge. A patent is a right granted by the governments which prevent others from using, copying or selling the patented product/ process. It can be obtained by any business or individual that wants to secure their ideas or creation. A provisional patent is an interim way to protect your idea/ process/ invention from infringement. It is obtained when an invention can’t be disclosed but is still not reached final competition. It helps in maintaining “patent-pending” status for a period of 12 months. It gives the individual or the enterprise to find out further applications, production planning, prototype building and market research. It is faster, affordable and easier than directly obtaining a permanent patent.

Closing a business is a tough decision, but a right one to make in case business isn’t working or you have any other reasons, to avoid paying unnecessary charges on compliance and audit. Our legal experts will help you complete any pending compliances, sell off stocks, pay the due amount to creditors, and give the remaining assets to shareholders or partners.

One person company (OPC) is a new concept that gained a big success for sole entrepreneurs and proprietorship firms. It combines the benefits of a private limited company with that of a proprietorship firm and thus, allows an individual to reap the benefits of being a company with limited liability. The individual can take riskier decisions without having to worry about losing personal assets and this has encouraged many startups and young entrepreneurs to register as an OPC. Register a One Person Company in India and accelerate your business.

Today, businesses and individuals are growing at a pace, faster than before. People are spending more than before on lifestyle, companies are diversifying their assets to a great extent, and to sustain this growth, everyone needs strong financial institutions. These financial institutions carry out different activities based on their structures and plans. And while building a Bank isn’t easy and allowed to everyone, RBI has come up with NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) to allow businesses in the categories like Asset Management, Investments, Loan, Infrastructure, Housing and Micro-finance. sThis structure, being under RBI, mitigates risks, brings transparency and enables to carry out activities of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/ stocks/ bonds/ debentures/ securities of government or private organisation, managing assets, mortgages and other financial activities. Organisations like Bajaj, Muthoot, Tata, Indiabulls, ICICI Securities, Capital first, Reliance, Indian Railways, all operate with NBFC entities to provide financial services.

A Joint Venture (JV) agreement is filed by a group of people or companies to partner over a venture or a project, without affecting their own legal status. The JV Agreement binds both parties, defines the scope of relations, and facilitates provisions, such as money, properties, and other assets, each entity will bring to the venture. The contract also establishes how the venture will be managed and how control of it—and profits and losses from it—will be divided. A joint venture might involve two companies with different areas of expertise working together to create a new product or provide a new service. Or a company looking to break into a new geographical market might form a joint venture with a company that is based in or has an established presence in the country or region.

Private Limited Company is the most prevalent and highly recommended corporate entity to start a business. Its liability is limited to the shares owned by the owners, meaning it cuts off the risk of losing the personal assets of the shareholder. ​Indian start-ups and growing companies pick it because it allows outside funding to be raised easily, limits the liabilities of its shareholders and enables them to offer employee stock options to attract top talent. Register a company today to get funding and tax benefits.