Find a Lawyer · Startup & Contracts
Startup, Company And Contracts Lawyer Fees and Cost in India (2026)
Before you hire a lawyer for your startup or a contract, you want to know the cost. That is sensible, and you should ask directly. There is no single price, because it depends on the task, your city, the seniority of the lawyer, and how much negotiation is involved. But the ranges are knowable, and understanding them helps you avoid both overpaying and hiring too cheap for work that matters. This guide breaks down the real cost of company and contracts work and what drives the number.
- No single price: a standard NDA is cheap; a negotiated shareholders agreement or term sheet costs the most.
- Two costs for incorporation: the lawyer's fee plus separate government and filing fees.
- Billing models: fixed fee for routine work, hourly (with a cap) for negotiated work, retainer for ongoing needs.
- Cost drivers: negotiation, customisation, seniority, city tier, urgency, and the stakes.
- Control cost: fixed fees for routine drafting, capped estimates for negotiation, right seniority, reused templates.
- No guarantee: a lawyer reduces risk, but no deal closing or dispute-free contract is promised.
01Why there is no single fee
Company and contracts work ranges from the simple to the heavily negotiated. Drafting a standard NDA is quick and cheap. Negotiating a term sheet and a shareholders agreement for a funding round is involved and costs much more. Company incorporation sits in between and carries separate government fees. On top of that, fees rise with the seniority of the lawyer and the city tier.
So any honest guide gives ranges, not a fixed number. Treat every figure below as a typical range that varies by city, seniority and complexity, and always confirm the exact fee with the lawyer before work begins.
Two kinds of cost
For company incorporation, remember there are two costs: the lawyer's professional fee, and separate government and filing fees charged by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Ask for both so the total is clear from the start.
02Fees by task
Here is how the common work is usually priced. These are typical ranges, not quotes.
| Task | How it is usually charged |
|---|---|
| First consultation | A small fixed fee, sometimes free as an initial assessment |
| NDA or standard contract drafting | A modest fixed fee per document |
| Contract review | A fixed fee per document or an hourly rate |
| Founders agreement | A fixed fee, higher if founders negotiate terms |
| Company incorporation | A professional fee plus separate government and filing fees |
| Term sheet review or drafting | A higher fixed or hourly fee due to negotiation |
| Shareholders agreement | The highest of the routine documents, charged for drafting and negotiation |
| MSA and commercial contracts | Fixed or hourly, depending on length and customisation |
The pattern is clear: routine drafting like an NDA is predictable and modest, while anything negotiated, a term sheet or a shareholders agreement, is where the cost grows.
03Fixed fee vs hourly vs retainer
Corporate lawyers bill in three main ways, and knowing which fits helps you control cost.
- Fixed fee. Best for well-defined tasks: an NDA, a standard contract, a company incorporation. You know the number upfront.
- Hourly. Common for a contract review or a negotiated term sheet, where the effort depends on how the other side behaves. Ask for an estimate and a cap.
- Retainer. A monthly arrangement for ongoing needs, useful once a startup has steady legal work. Only worth it when the volume justifies it.
For routine work, push for a fixed fee. For negotiated work, accept hourly but ask for an estimate and a ceiling so there is no open-ended bill.
04What drives the cost up
- Negotiation. A document both sides argue over, like a shareholders agreement or term sheet, costs far more than a one-sided NDA.
- Customisation. A bespoke MSA costs more than a light edit of a standard template.
- Seniority. A senior corporate partner costs more than a capable junior for the same contract review.
- City tier. Metro firms generally charge more than smaller cities.
- Urgency. A rushed closing needs intensive work at short notice.
- Stage and stakes. A funding round with real money at risk warrants more care than an early template.
05How to avoid overpaying
- Use fixed fees for routine work. An NDA or standard contract should be a known number.
- Cap hourly work. For a contract review or term sheet, ask for an estimate and a ceiling.
- Match seniority to the task. A junior can draft a standard NDA; save the senior for the negotiated shareholders agreement.
- Reuse good templates. Once a lawyer drafts a sound base document, later ones cost less.
- Get it in writing. A written fee note prevents disputes.
For how long each stage runs, see how long a startup and company matter takes. For the right questions to ask a lawyer before hiring, see questions to ask a startup and company lawyer before hiring.
06When cheap is a false economy
The lowest quote can be the most expensive in the end. A rushed founders agreement that is silent on vesting or exit can trigger a bitter, costly dispute later. A term sheet signed without proper review can lock you into terms you regret for years. For the documents that shape ownership and control, pay for care. For genuinely routine paperwork, a fixed low fee is fine. Judge value by whether the lawyer understands your stage and explains the risk, not by price alone. A lawyer reduces your risk; nobody can guarantee a deal closes or a contract is never disputed.
A cheap founders agreement is the most expensive document you will ever sign if it is silent on the things that later go wrong.
07How Claw helps you find the right lawyer
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Claw also runs Claw Find a Lawyer, which connects you to a verified, relevant advocate for your matter. You describe your need in a short guided chat, for example an NDA, a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, a contract review, company incorporation, a term sheet, or an MSA, and Claw matches you to a lawyer who handles that area, in your state or city where possible, for an online or in-person consultation where you can get a clear fee estimate.
You can request a match two ways: a free basic request, or Rs 99 priority for faster, prioritised matching. The lawyer's professional fee for the case is paid to the lawyer directly. Claw is a technology platform that helps you find and reach a lawyer; Claw is not your advocate, does not give legal advice, and (following Bar Council of India rules) does not share the lawyer's fee. Use the first consultation to agree a fixed fee where possible and a capped estimate where not, in writing, before you commit.
08Frequently asked questions
How much does an NDA or a standard contract cost?
Routine drafting of an NDA or a standard contract is usually a modest fixed fee per document, which varies by city and the seniority of the lawyer. Because the work is well defined, you should be able to agree the number upfront. Ask for a fixed fee rather than an hourly rate for this kind of routine contract work.
Why does a shareholders agreement cost so much more than an NDA?
An NDA is largely standard and one-directional, so it is quick to draft. A shareholders agreement or a term sheet is negotiated between parties with real money and control at stake, which means more drafting, more back and forth, and more risk to manage. That negotiation is why these documents sit at the top of the fee range.
What is the total cost of company incorporation?
There are two parts: the lawyer's professional fee and separate government and filing fees charged by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Both vary, so ask the lawyer to show the professional fee and the government fees separately. Treat any figure as a range and confirm it in writing before the work starts.
Should I pay fixed fee or hourly?
Use a fixed fee for well-defined tasks such as an NDA, a standard contract, or company incorporation, so you know the number upfront. Accept hourly for negotiated work like a term sheet or a detailed contract review, where effort depends on the other side, but ask for an estimate and a cap so the bill does not run open-ended.
How do I keep legal costs down for my startup?
Use fixed fees for routine drafting, cap hourly work, and match the seniority of the lawyer to the task, since a junior can handle a standard NDA. Reuse sound templates so later documents cost less. Get a written fee note. Spend most on the documents that shape ownership and control, like the founders agreement and shareholders agreement.
Is the cheapest corporate lawyer a good idea?
Not for the documents that matter most. A rushed founders agreement or an unreviewed term sheet can cause an expensive dispute later that dwarfs the saving. For genuinely routine paperwork, a low fixed fee is fine. Judge value on whether the lawyer understands your stage and explains the risk clearly, not on price alone.