Find a Lawyer · Company Incorporation
How to Find a Lawyer for Company Incorporation in India
Incorporating a company is more than a form on a portal. The structure, shareholding and objects you choose at the start shape your taxes, your control, and how easily you can raise money later. The right lawyer sets it up so it fits your plan, not a default. This guide shows you how to find a lawyer for company incorporation in India, what the process involves, what it costs and takes, and how to get matched to a verified advocate quickly.
- Involves: choosing a structure, name reservation, MOA and AOA, director IDs and digital signatures, and MCA filing.
- Lawyer worth it when: structure or shareholding must fit a plan, there is more than one founder, or investment is coming.
- Who: an advocate who also does a founders agreement, shareholders agreement and term sheet.
- Cost: advocate professional fee is separate from statutory and stamp fees; no government-fixed rate; confirm with the lawyer.
- Time: often days to a few weeks, subject to name approval and processing.
- Verify: enrolment number and State Bar Council; free legal aid via DLSA, SLSA and NALSA for those who qualify.
01What company incorporation involves
A company incorporation in India usually means choosing a structure (often a private limited company), reserving a name, preparing the MOA and AOA, obtaining director identification and digital signatures, and filing with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The advocate advises on the structure and shareholding, drafts the constitutional documents, and makes sure the objects fit what you actually plan to do.
Structure first
Private limited, LLP, OPC and others each have different consequences for control, compliance, tax and fundraising. The advocate helps you pick before you file, which is far cheaper than changing it later.
02Do you need a lawyer for it
Parts of a company incorporation are guided on the government portal, and a simple single-founder setup can be done with care. A lawyer is worth it when the structure or shareholding needs to fit a plan, when there is more than one founder (so a founders agreement goes with it), or when investment is expected soon (so a shareholders agreement and a term sheet will follow).
For whether your situation needs an advocate now, see signs you need a startup and contracts lawyer now.
03The right kind of lawyer for this
You want an advocate who does company incorporation regularly and also handles the documents that come with it: a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, a term sheet, and the NDA and MSA you will sign with early vendors and clients. That way your incorporation and your agreements fit together from day one.
Online consultation is usually fine for the advice and drafting, though some steps such as digital signatures and certain verifications may need separate action.
04How to verify the advocate
Being listed on a website, being verified by a platform, and being legally entitled to practise are three different things. Only an advocate enrolled with a State Bar Council under the Advocates Act, 1961 (Section 22) can practise law in India. Ask for the enrolment number and the State Bar Council, and confirm it before you share IDs or pay. Note that some incorporation filings are also handled by company secretaries and chartered accountants; be clear who is doing what.
If you are incorporating to buy into or run a specific business, a litigation and risk check on that sector is useful; for an example of sector risk screening see litigation risk scoring for the hospitality sector in India.
05Cost, time and free options
There is no single government-fixed advocate fee. The advocate's professional fee for a company incorporation is separate from the statutory government fees and stamp duty, which depend on the state and the authorised capital. As a rough guide only, the professional fee for a straightforward private limited incorporation is often a few thousand to higher, depending on complexity and the agreements that go with it. Treat any figure as a range that varies by city, seniority and complexity, and confirm with the lawyer.
Time is often days to a few weeks, subject to name approval and portal processing. If cost is a barrier, free legal aid is available for those who qualify through the District and State Legal Services Authorities and NALSA under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
06Documents to keep ready
- ID and address proof of every proposed director and shareholder (PAN, Aadhaar, passport).
- Proof of the registered office address.
- Proposed company name options and the business objects.
- The proposed shareholding split and, if more than one founder, the terms for a founders agreement.
07How Claw helps you find the right lawyer
Claw Find a Lawyer connects you with a verified, independent advocate who handles company incorporation and the documents that go with it, such as a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, a term sheet, an NDA, an MSA and contract review. You describe the matter in a short guided chat and get matched to an advocate in your state or city where possible, for an online or in-person consultation.
Use a free basic request, or a Rs 99 priority request for faster, prioritised matching. The advocate's professional fee for your matter is paid directly to the advocate. Claw is a technology platform that helps you find and reach the right lawyer; Claw is not your advocate and does not give legal advice, and per Bar Council of India Rule 36 does not share the advocate's fee. The advocate stays independent.
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.
To set your company up correctly, go to Claw Find a Lawyer and get matched to an advocate for your company incorporation.
08Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer for company incorporation in India?
Not always. A simple single-founder setup can be done with care on the government portal. A lawyer is worth it when the structure or shareholding must fit a plan, when there is more than one founder and a founders agreement is needed, or when investment is expected and a shareholders agreement and term sheet will follow.
How much does it cost to incorporate a company with a lawyer?
The advocate's professional fee is separate from the statutory government fees and stamp duty, which vary by state and authorised capital. There is no government-fixed advocate rate, so treat any figure as a range that varies by city, seniority and complexity, and confirm with the lawyer.
How long does company incorporation take?
Often days to a few weeks, subject to name approval and portal processing. Having all director and shareholder IDs, the office address proof, and the name and object choices ready helps avoid delays.
Can a lawyer do the whole incorporation online?
Most of the advice and drafting can be done over an online consultation. Some steps, such as obtaining digital signatures and certain verifications, may need separate action, so confirm the process with your advocate.
What documents do I need to incorporate a company?
ID and address proof of every proposed director and shareholder, proof of the registered office address, your proposed company name options and business objects, and the proposed shareholding split. If there is more than one founder, be ready to discuss a founders agreement.
How do I confirm the lawyer is genuine?
Ask for the enrolment number and the State Bar Council they are enrolled with under the Advocates Act, 1961, and confirm it before sharing IDs or paying. Being listed on a website is not the same as being enrolled and entitled to practise.