Below you will find short answers to some of my most frequently asked questions. If you don't find what you are looking for, you are very welcome to contact me directly. I answer all enquiries personally, and am more than happy to chat to you about your specific questions or business needs.
My DIY Packs have been prepared by analyzing a wide range of contracts and legal precedents, distilling out the most important content and reducing it to questions that you can answer in your own words. By completing the fillable PDF Worksheet, you answer all of the questions that a lawyer would generally ask you when taking instructions to prepare your contract for you.
You also receive a Blank Draft doc which guides you through setting up the document with your branding and entering the answers from your Worksheet. The aim is to end up with a beautifully crafted legal document written in the loving language that your clients expect and deserve from you. Because you have written it yourself, you have ownership over the process and are empowered to tweak your document as needed over time, so it stays a living document that you can adapt to meet the changing needs of your business.
The DIY Pack is NOT suitable for you if your business is complex or where there are high stakes involved. That means where people are trusting you with a lot of money or where your products or service pose a significant risk to their well being. It is also not suitable if you are not proficient at writing marketing copy for your business. In those situations, you might prefer to consider my Done for You or VIP services. My DIY Packs are also designed for Australian businesses. If you are not running an Australian business, they may not be suitable for your needs.
Payment for the DIY Packs is required upfront. You are purchasing them as a product rather than a legal service. Please make sure that you read and understand the Terms of Purchase linked on every DIY Pack and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Every purchase of a DIY document, includes a free 1 hour Accountability Action Session. This is a co-working session for you to use when you need it, so I can hold your hand, answer your questions, and help you get your legals off your to-do list and out into the world. More information about the Accountability Action Session can be found below.
To be totally honest, I don't know. I don't know because I have not seen your final document, discussed your business with you or had any part in preparing the final document.
Having said that, I do know that your DIY Legal Document is going to provide you with more protection than a generic template that you found on the internet or borrowed from someone else, because:
- You wrote it! It is specifically tailored to your unique business and you have put thought and care into every word of it.
- You have read it! Many people who have generic template contracts - or even contracts prepared by a lawyer - don't have a clue what their legal documents say.
- You understand it! You know exactly what is in your legal document and what every word in it means.
- You have ownership of it! Because you prepared it and know it inside out, you are not going to be scared of tweaking it over time when you find things that aren't working for you or as your products or services change. We are entrepreneurs - our services grow and develop - we need legal documents that can evolve and pivot with our business. I recommend revisiting your legal document every 3 months to make sure it is still relevant and serving your needs. This just means reading through it and making sure there are no changes you want to make. You will still have your Worksheet, so if big changes have occurred, you can go back and remind yourself of what questions you answered to create your legals and answer them for your current situation.
- Your clients will read and understand it! How important is that?!? Your legal document may be the make or break for someone who is considering working with you. Do you want your clients, visitors and potential clients to feel held and cared for, or for their eyes to glaze over as they wonder why they are bothering to find out this important information about how you work.
I have put as much thought, skill and care into creating these DIY Packs as I can. I use them myself when drafting legal documents for clients and for my own business. If you look at my own Website Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy or Affiliate Agreement, you will see how friendly and informative your legal documents can be. If you are still unsure and want the maximum protection available to you, then it is incredibly simple to upgrade to a DIY+Review, Done For You or VIP service where you will become my legal client and I will advise and assist you accordingly.
Each DIY Pack contains:
- a copy of the Terms of Purchase. These are also linked near the BUY NOW button. Make sure you read them before purchasing.
- a comprehensive DIY Worksheet as a fillable PDF which you will use to prepare the information and policies you need.
- a Blank Draft document with instructions for using your Worksheet answers to create your own fully branded contract.
- an Accountability Action Session to support you in completing your DIY Pack and answer any questions you may have.
It is important to me that you actually USE your DIY Pack. Many people who purchase a DIY Pack experience subconscious resistance, procrastination or struggle to schedule time to complete their DIY Packs or Worksheets - much as they want to get them done. I know the DIY Packs can feel a little bit overwhelming, which is why I offer a free 1 hour Accountability Action Session with every DIY Pack purchase. There may be up to 3 other people who are also working on their DIY Packs on the call, but since I offer 2 sessions every week, you've got a good chance of having me all to yourself. Even if it's a full house, everyone gets quality attention and no-one misses out.
This session is an opportunity to ask me questions, pick my brain and get my support so you don’t get stuck wondering what you are supposed to write. Some people like to book their session at the start for co-working accountability to help them stop putting the project off and get writing. Others fill out as many questions in the Worksheet as they can, and then book a session so I can help fill in the blanks where they didn’t know what to write. Others power through the whole process and bring their first drafts to the session, so they can finalise any areas of concern or uncertainty. This session is for YOU to use, however you need it, so you have access to my guidance and support, and don't feel abandoned and overwhelmed.
Basically, I go around and around the circle answering questions – and if you run out of questions, I sit and read my book while you keep working on your document, so I am there to help if you need me.
Please note that during this session I do NOT review your draft – if you would like me to edit, proofread and sign off on your finished document, that is a separate legal service, the DIY+Review Upgrade (see below).
The Accountability Action Session is NOT a legal service – I am providing generalised information and mentoring without a full knowledge and understanding of your business. It is designed solely to support you doing the work yourself through the DIY process. If you want the full legal service, upgrades are available, and I offer generous payment plans on request.
You will receive several reminders with your booking link. In other words, I will nag you until you book in your session, tell me you didn't need it, or ask me to stop bugging you. Sessions don't expire, so there's no excuse for not finishing your DIY Pack!
You are entitled to book one session for each DIY Pack you purchase, so for example, if you purchased a Website T&Cs DIY Pack and a Privacy Policy DIY Pack, you are entitled to book 2 sessions which you can use however and whenever you want.
If you are not confident that your draft meets the unique needs of your business, you would like to know that your document ticks all of the legal requirements, or you would like greater assistance with refining your language to ensure your message is clear, I suggest upgrading to a DIY + REVIEW service.
You start by purchasing the DIY Pack, filling in the Worksheet, and creating the first Draft of your document.
You then email your first draft to me at michelle@michellewhitehead.com.au, letting me know that you would like to upgrade your product purchase to a DIY + Review Service.
I polish your first draft until it shines, making sure that it legally covers the needs of your business and that it is clear, comprehensive and easy to understand. Within 4-6 weeks after I receive your first draft, unless you have agreed to an urgency fee, I will email you a revised second draft in PDF format. This draft may contain highlighted areas or questions that require clarification. We go back and forth making amendments until we are both 100% happy with the final result.
Finally, when you are totally satisfied with the work we have done together, I invoice you for the cost of the upgrade. All prices are set out clearly in the Terms of Purchase that you will find linked on every legal document. Make sure you read and understand them before purchasing.
When you confirm your satisfaction, I will email you a final draft of your agreement, in both PDF and .doc format, and my Tax Invoice for the Review, payable within 14 days.
If you are finding that the words are not flowing and you need more assistance with turning your worksheet answers into a polished contract that reflects the beautiful presence of your business, my DONE FOR YOU service is available.
You start by purchasing the DIY Pack and filling in the Worksheet.
You then email your Worksheet to me at michelle@michellewhitehead.com.au, letting me know that you would like to upgrade your product purchase to a Done For You Service.
I take 4-6 weeks to create your first draft using your question answers, drafting a document that meets the legal needs of your business and that it is clear, comprehensive and easy to understand. I send it back to you and we go back and forth making amendments until you are 100% happy with the final result.
Finally, when you are totally satisfied with the work we have done together, I invoice you for the cost of the upgrade. All prices are set out clearly in the Terms of Purchase that you will find next to the BUY NOW button for each legal document. Make sure you read and understand them before purchasing.
When you confirm your satisfaction, I will email you a final draft of your agreement, in both PDF and .doc format, and my Tax Invoice for the Done for You upgrade, payable within 14 days.
If you don’t enjoy DIY, don’t have the time to fill in the Worksheet for yourself or just prefer to outsource the paperwork, my VIP service may suit your needs.
You start by purchasing the DIY Pack, reading through the Worksheet, making notes and collecting any information you need.
You then send me an email at michelle@michellewhitehead.com.au, letting me know that you would lik>We talk through all the Worksheet answers together in an interview style (rather than sentencing you to death by paperwork). The session is recorded, and I use the recording to draft your legal document for you (and since we have laughed our way through the interview, lavishing love on your business, the result will be the most high-vibing legal document you can imagine.)
I will send you a first draft within 4-6 weeks after our interview, unless we have agreed to an urgency fee. This draft may contain highlighted areas or questions that require clarification. You respond to my questions and notify me of any further changes or amendments you require. The email correspondence will continue until you are 100% satisfied with your document.
When you confirm your satisfaction, I will email you a final draft of your agreement, in both PDF and .doc format, and my Tax Invoice for the VIP Upgrade, payable within 14 days
Yes, I really, truly am a lawyer. I was admitted to the Supreme Court as a solicitor in NSW in 2010 and have practiced law continually ever since. Before that, I worked in a small law firm in a country town for 2 years gaining practical legal experience. I am a professional member of the NSW Law Society, and a qualified mediator. If you need me to wear a suit to our zoom conference, forget it - I much prefer us both to feel relaxed and comfortable. I try to be the living proof that lawyers don't have to be intimidating to get respect.
I have first class Honours in English and in Law, and a Master of Laws with Honours. I have Grad Dips in Legal Practice and Family Dispute Resolution, and Certificates in Workplace Mediation, Trauma Informed Mediation and Mediating with Children.
I am qualified to help clients all over Australia and NZ. I don't represent people in court because, as a mediator, I believe in most cases there are less stressful, less expensive, better ways to resolve problems, particularly when it comes to small business disputes. One of the very best ways to do this is to have a Contract that Cares, which does such a good job of managing your relationship in the present, setting expectations and clearing up misunderstandings before they happen that problems very rarely arise - and if they do, you have a built in mechanism for dealing with them in a way that is to your mutual benefit.
When I am not writing Contracts that Care (or supporting my clients while they write their own) I am processing trade mark applications, or editing and creating Masters level law courses as a Program Developer with the College of Law.
You can read more about my journey and my approach to the law on my About Page.
My branding not only reflects who I am and what makes me happy - it also ensures that the right clients know when they have found me, and the wrong clients (those who don't appreciate my approach) move right on by without wasting their time or mine. It is also a whole LOT more FUN! Life is too short to be boring and beige, don't you think?
There are more FAQs about Castle Quest and The Serenity Connective at the bottom of those pages.
I just feel so secure and safe with a very clear set of terms, conditions and expectations, and I know my clients have really loved having this laid out too. Not only does it look professional but we are all very clear about where we stand and what our expectations are of one another!
Zoe Blakeney
Hypnobirthing, Postpartum Doula, Yoga Teacher
I really appreciate Michelle’s unique and thoughtful approach to her work. The thought of creating legals for my business overwhelmed me for so long, but it was actually so easy doing it Michelle’s way. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to my colleagues!
Nina Kingsford-Smith
Nutritionist
Michelle makes legals easy. Now I have a clear and concise contract to define the scope and boundaries of a web design project, so that my business and the client both know exactly who is responsible for what, what the process is, and what the time frame is.
Karen Philips
Blossom & Grow SEO