Ongoing legal support for startups
Legal support that grows with your product.
Add one or two legal hours to your balance each month, with unused time carried forward. The same lawyer keeps the context of your product, contracts and team. Use the time for Polish-law matters as your priorities change.
See how the balance worksOne startup, changing priorities
Meet Jacob, Tim and Celina.
Their MVP works. Now they want to sell to their first customer, and the questions become concrete.
These are fictional founders in an example startup, not Lis.Legal clients.
- 01 MVP
- 02 Questions
- 03 First customer
- 04 Pivot
01First sale
The MVP works. What needs to be ready before the first sale?
Jacob, Tim and Celina have built a platform for consultations. They are preparing to sell to their first Polish customer. Questions about product rights, contracts and personal data now need answers, but not everything needs doing at once.
02Too many questions
Which of these rules actually apply to us?
Research produces a growing list of acronyms and possible obligations. The founders need to know what matters before the first sale, what depends on the product model and what can wait.
A data processing agreement may be needed now. A wider compliance project may not be. The first step is to understand the product and set priorities.
- GDPR
- SHA
- DPA
- DSA
- Data Act
- AI Act
- Omnibus
03First customer
Then the customer sends its contract.
A Polish B2B customer sends a draft with its own liability, IP and data processing terms. The team needs someone to review the agreement, explain the risks and help negotiate the wording.
The same lawyer already knows the product and the decisions made so far. You can get to the contract questions without briefing a new person from scratch.
04Pivot
The product stays. The business model changes.
After early customer conversations, the startup begins selling to organisations that manage multiple specialists and their clients. Sales, onboarding and data flows change.
The legal work needs to follow those changes. A lawyer who knows the team can revisit customer terms, data roles and product rights in the context of earlier decisions.
Where the subscription fits
You do not have to predict which month will need the most legal work.
Hours are added each month. Unused time stays available for later, and a larger matter can be handled ahead of future allocations within an agreed limit. Support can follow the product, sales and the team’s next decisions.
How the balance works
Time is added each month. Work uses the balance.
Unused hours carry forward. When a matter needs more time, we can work ahead of your current balance within the agreed limit.
When a larger matter comes up
Example for Startup 2h
- Starting point 0h balance
- Monthly allocation +2h +2h balance after allocation
- 5 hours of work −3h balance after work
- Next month: +2h −1h new balance
A negative balance records work completed ahead of future allocations. The following monthly allocations reduce it.
What about quieter months?
On the 2h plan, with no new tasks, the balance grows: 0h → +2h → +4h after two monthly allocations.
Balance limits
- Maximum positive balance
- +10h
- Advance-work limit, Startup 1h
- −3h
- Advance-work limit, Startup 2h
- −6h
Time records
See the work completed and the balance remaining.
You have access to an up-to-date ledger throughout the relationship. This example shows Startup 2h after a monthly allocation.
| Date | Matter | Activity | Time | Balance after entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 October | Customer contract | Review of the draft and comments on liability | 45 min | +1h 15 min |
| 7 October | Customer contract | Discussion of the comments with the team | 30 min | +45 min |
Time is recorded in 15-minute increments, with each started increment counted. Small tasks concerning the same matter may be grouped.
Subscription plans
Two monthly allocations. One way of working.
Both plans work the same way. The monthly allocation, effective hourly rate and standard advance-work limit differ.
EUR and USD amounts are fixed reference prices, not live exchange-rate conversions.
Prices are net. VAT will be added where applicable.
Startup 1h
400 PLN95 EUR105 USDnet / month
+1hadded to your balance each month
-3hstandard advance-work limit
Effective hourly rate: 400 PLN/h95 EUR/h105 USD/h
Book a free consultationStartup 2h
750 PLN175 EUR195 USDnet / month
+2hadded to your balance each month
-6hstandard advance-work limit
Effective hourly rate: 375 PLN/h87.50 EUR/h97.50 USD/h
Book a free consultationPositive hours can be used until the notice period ends. They then expire. Any negative balance still needs to be settled. Read the termination rules.
Working arrangements
The limits are clear before you start.
Know what happens at the advance-work limit, how the positive cap works and how to end the relationship before choosing a plan.
- Positive balance
- Up to +10h
- Advance work
- Standard limits of -3h or -6h
- Agreement
- Indefinite term, one month’s notice effective at the end of a month
What happens when the balance reaches +10 hours?
If the next full monthly allocation would take your balance above +10 hours, we do not charge for that month and do not add hours. Charges and allocations resume in a period when the entire allocation for your plan fits within the cap. There is no partial allocation or partial monthly fee.
Can you work beyond my current balance?
Yes. Within an assigned matter and the agreed advance-work limit, we can carry out tasks without asking for approval for each additional part of an hour. The standard limits are -3 hours for Startup 1h and -6 hours for Startup 2h. Before work that would exceed the limit, we explain the recommended scope and estimated time. You decide whether to agree a higher limit or defer that part of the work. A larger limit can be agreed individually. The negative balance records time already worked, not a financial loan.
What happens to the balance after termination?
You can use a positive balance until the notice period ends. Unused hours then expire and are not refunded in cash. A negative balance remains payable in monthly instalments of up to the selected plan’s monthly fee: 400 PLN net for Startup 1h or 750 PLN net for Startup 2h. The final instalment may be smaller. These payments do not add new hours. You may pay the remaining amount in full earlier. If two consecutive instalments are not paid on time, the entire remaining fee becomes due. The EUR and USD reference prices shown on this page do not change these PLN settlement limits.
When are hours added to the balance?
Your first allocation is added after the first invoice has been paid. In later periods, the allocation is added at the start of the billing period, provided there are no overdue payments owed to the firm. The +10-hour cap still applies.
FAQ
Questions before you start
If your situation is not covered here, tell us about it. We begin by understanding the product and deciding what needs attention now.
Is the subscription limited to one or two hours of work each month?
No. One or two hours is the monthly allocation, not a fixed monthly work limit. You can use accumulated hours later and, where needed, draw on advance work within the agreed limit.
Do unused hours expire?
While the agreement is active, unused hours carry forward, up to a maximum positive balance of +10 hours. After cancellation, you can use them until the notice period ends. Any hours left after that expire without a cash refund.
Do we need to prepare every document at the start?
No. We first identify what is needed before sales, what follows from your product model and what can wait. Finding the name of a regulation during research does not mean it applies to your startup.
Do I need to approve every task?
No. For an assigned matter, we can work within the agreed negative-balance limit without approval of each individual task. Before work that would exceed that limit, we give you a recommendation and estimated time so you can decide.
How is time recorded?
Time is recorded in 15-minute increments, with each started increment counted. Small tasks concerning the same matter may be grouped. You have access to a ledger showing the date, matter, activity, time and current balance.
Can I cancel the subscription?
Yes. The agreement runs for an indefinite term, with one month’s notice effective at the end of a month. There is no mandatory six- or twelve-month commitment. Positive hours can be used during the notice period. The termination rules above explain expiry and settlement of any negative balance.
Can I use it for a larger project?
Yes. Accumulated time and advance work can support a larger contract review, negotiation or IP review before investment. If the estimated work would exceed your agreed limit, we discuss the scope and time first. You decide whether to increase the limit or defer part of the work.
Is this only for Polish startups?
No. It can support an international company with a Polish entity, co-founder, developer or customer, as well as a Polish startup working internationally. The advice covers Polish law and technology regulation applicable in Poland. We agree the Polish scope at the outset.
How does VAT work?
The prices shown are net. VAT will be added where applicable. We confirm the VAT treatment for your circumstances before starting; the selected display currency does not determine it.
Can we talk before choosing a plan?
Yes. Tell us what you are building and what you would like to discuss. We can usually arrange a conversation within about two to three days of your first message. The free 30-minute consultation helps us agree the next step.
Start with your product
Tell us what you are building and what needs attention.
You can suggest a plan now or choose one after the conversation. We can usually arrange a call within about two to three days of your first message.
If the link does not open your email app, write directly to kontakt@lis.legal or copy the address.