General Counsel Services
WHAT YOU NEED
Businesses, including small to medium enterprises, face an increasing number of legal and compliance requirements that apply to their everyday operations. These requirements are often confusing, fragmented across areas of the business, and frequently require professional assistance to understand. Often, when engaging a particular subject matter expert (such as an intellectual property lawyer, employment lawyer, or accounting and taxation professionals) you may receive advice that whilst sound for the particular specialised issue, fails to consider the broader commercial and strategic impacts on the business.
General considerations may include:
- Marketing and advertising considerations – the ACCC is particularly concerned with sustainability claims made by businesses which may constitute misleading and deceptive conduct, or ‘greenwashing’.
- Intellectual property – your name, brand, and logos should be protected
- Employment matters – it is deceptively easy for your business to fall foul of employment law, especially as this space is undergoing significant and frequent changes
- General governance assistance – when your business outgrows sole tradership, or partnership, setting up your company and establishing your governance processes can save you lots of pain in the long run
- Contract review – whether between you and your customers, or your business and its suppliers, we can assist in contract matters across a variety of formats
Just to name a few. There is a large number of areas in which legal assistance is prudent for businesses to seek, within the context of their overall business plans and strategic goals.
This issue is easy to spot, but difficult to address.
Businesses frequently do not have sufficient resources, or even a significant enough amount of work for it to be worth employing and maintaining an internal legal professional to deal with these issues.
What we can do
Hikari Solutions currently performs contract general counsel services to a number of businesses ranging in size. We provide these clients with different levels of service and coverage dependent on their size, needs and budgets.
For enquiries, please contact us at admin@hikarisolutions.com.au
Contract General Counsel – retainer services
Our retainer service means that for a minimum monthly amount, you receive an agreed amount of time in coverage/hours which are reserved for your business to deal with any BAU and ad hoc issues which may require some legal specialisation to address. The amount allocated can vary dependent on the needs of your business.
Contract General Counsel – ad hoc services
If you are unsure whether your business consistently requires enough legal work, or does not have any BAU legal tasks, we can also provide ad hoc general assistance on an as needed basis. Hikari Solutions can then provide your business with assistance, guidance and advice on hand in those unique tasks as they arise on an hourly basis.
General legal advisory services
Hikari Solutions can also provide you general legal advisory services upon request if you have an independent and discrete legal matter that you need assistance with, in the below areas.
Modern Slavery Act
Testimonials
"We engaged Natalie as our General Counsel in February 2022. She has been through our business and ensured it is compliant in HR, OHS and internal procedures. She has assisted us to understand the duties as a Company Secretary and also even presided over a purchase of a related business. She was instrumental in helping us prepare for our own sale of a minority shareholding and has also assisted us in a number of disputes. Her combined legal and sustainability skills are invaluable to us."
Jonas Bengtsson
Chief Executive Officer - Edge Impact
"Hikari Solutions is a key partner of Master Plumbers. Natalie and the team provide us with the legal and audit assistance which assures that our products, services and advice to members and the broader building and construction industry is accurate, timely and influential."
Peter Daly
Chief Executive Officer - Master Plumbers
“The Group Training industry is complex, involving the employment and on hire of predominantly young people as apprentices and trainees. Natalie and her team at Hikari Solutions have become invaluable partners to our organisation. We rely on Hikari to interpret complex legislation and regulations providing our team with easy to understand guidance for implementation. Hikari ensure we are up to date with knowing our legal obligations and what changes are on the horizon.
Hikari Solutions have given me assurance that our company has solid a understanding of our legal obligations and that these are well framed in our policies. I recommend Hikari to any organisation looking for legal advisors who can provide practical assistance to your business.”
Hikari Solutions have given me assurance that our company has solid a understanding of our legal obligations and that these are well framed in our policies. I recommend Hikari to any organisation looking for legal advisors who can provide practical assistance to your business.”
Peter Andersen
General Manager - National Timber & Hardware Association