How much does a startup lawyer cost in Toronto?

Most early-stage legal work has a clear end product: a company set up, an agreement signed, a round closed. That makes it possible to price each piece of work as a fixed fee. Here is what we charge, what each starting price covers, and what can change it.

What do we charge for common startup work?

Work	Starting fixed fee	What the starting price includes	What can change the price
Incorporation	From $600	Federal or Ontario incorporation for up to three shareholders, articles with one class of shares, organizational resolutions and by-laws, the founder share issuance and a digital minute book	More than one share class
Shareholder agreement	From $1,320	A shareholder or founders agreement for two founders and one share class, covering decision-making, share transfers and founder departure	Number of shareholders; investor terms; custom provisions
Founder vesting and IP assignment	From $920	Founder share vesting terms and an IP assignment from each founder to the company	Number of founders
SAFE round	From $2,600	The SAFE agreement, board approval, a prospectus exemption review and the securities filing for the round	Number of investors; side letters; investors outside Ontario
Terms of service	From $500	Terms for one website or product, with one round of revisions	Subscriptions or online sales; marketplace or user-generated content features
Privacy policy	From $500	A privacy policy for one website or product and a review of your data practices under PIPEDA	Users in Quebec or outside Canada; mobile apps, health information or AI features
SaaS or master services agreement	From $920	The customer agreement and an order form template	Enterprise-specific terms; data processing terms
Employment agreement	From $640	An employment agreement template with confidentiality and IP assignment terms	Executive or equity terms; employees outside Ontario
Contractor agreement	From $450	An agreement for one Ontario contractor, with IP assignment, confidentiality and one round of revisions	Contractors outside Ontario; non-solicit or exclusivity terms
Trademark search and filing	From $920	A clearance search and a Canadian application for one class	Additional classes; responding to an examiner’s report
Contract review	From $400	Review of one agreement up to 15 pages, plain-language notes, suggested changes and a call	Agreements over 15 pages or with schedules; negotiating with the other side
NDA	From $300	A mutual or one-way NDA, or a review of theirs, with one round of revisions	Negotiating with the other side

All fees are in Canadian dollars and exclude HST. Government filing fees and other disbursements are charged at cost. The full list, including the stock option plan and investor due diligence prep, is on our fees page.

Are there bundles?

Yes. Three bundles combine work most companies need at the same moment, and each is priced below its items bought separately:

• Founder pack, from $2,360: incorporation, a shareholder agreement, and founder vesting with IP assignments.
• Launch pack, from $1,600: terms of service, a privacy policy and AI product terms.
• Hiring pack, from $1,040: an employment agreement and a contractor agreement.

Bundle prices also exclude HST and government fees. See the bundles on the fees page.

What does the government charge on top?

Government fees are set by the government office or regulator, not by us, and we pass them through at cost. The ones startups meet most often:

Filing	Government fee	Official source
Ontario articles of incorporation	$300	Ontario fees page
Federal incorporation, online	$200	Corporations Canada fees page
Trademark application, online, 2026	$491.06 for the first class, $149.04 for each additional class	CIPO fees page
Report of exempt distribution to the Ontario Securities Commission, where required	$350	OSC Rule 13-502

An Ontario company with a word name also needs a NUANS name search report, bought separately; a numbered company doesn’t. Government fees change, so check the official page before you file. See how much does it cost to incorporate in Ontario?

Why fixed fees instead of hourly billing?

With hourly billing, you don’t know the final number until the work is done. A fixed fee is set before work starts, for a written scope that says what’s included and what isn’t. The Law Society of Ontario’s rule 4.2-2 requires an advertised fee to be reasonably precise about the services it covers and to say whether taxes and other charges are extra, which is why each line above lists what the starting price includes. See how our fixed fees work.

What isn’t included?

Anything outside the written scope. If something new comes up, such as a second share class, an investor’s side letter or a negotiation with the other side, we quote it first and you decide whether to add it. Plan a first-year budget with the legal budget planner.

How fast is the work done?

Most work is delivered within three business days. Work that depends on another party, such as a negotiation, moves at the pace the other side sets.

Is the first call free?

Yes. The first 15-minute call is free. It’s where we learn what you’re building and confirm the fee for your company. If your work has become steady rather than project by project, see ongoing legal help.

This guide is general information about Ontario and Canadian law, not legal advice for your situation. To get your scope and fixed fee, book a free 15-minute consult.