Accountant or Lawyer? What No One Tells You When Starting Your Startup

Understanding the difference can save you legal (and costly) problems

When a startup begins to take shape, many founders choose the fastest and cheapest option: “hiring an accounting firm to handle everything.”

And yes, an accounting firm can help you file taxes, manage bookkeeping, or register as self-employed.
But when clauses, shareholder agreements, investors, intellectual property, terms of use, or conflicts arise… the accounting firm is no longer enough.

In this article, we explain the real difference between an accountant and a lawyer in the startup ecosystem — and why processing is not the same as protecting.

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What does an accounting firm do?

An accounting or tax consultancy typically handles the following tasks:

- Registration with the Tax Agency and Social Security.
- Tax filings (VAT, income tax, corporate tax...).
- Bookkeeping and mandatory ledgers.
- Filing annual accounts.
- Basic procedures with the Tax Agency (AEAT) or Social Security.

And they do it well within their scope.
But they are usually not trained to anticipate or resolve complex legal risks.

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What does a lawyer specialized in startups do?

A lawyer doesn’t just “manage” — they design and protect legal structures. Specifically:

- Drafts bylaws, shareholders’ agreements, and founders’ agreements.
- Advises you on brand protection, confidentiality, and intellectual property.
- Reviews or drafts your terms of use, privacy policy, and digital compliance.
- Prepares commercial contracts with suppliers, employees, or clients.
- Represents you in negotiations, disputes, or inspections.
- Ensures your business model complies with the law — not just with “common practice.”

👉 The accountant executes. The lawyer advises, analyzes, drafts, negotiates, and defends.

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Why do so many startups confuse the roles?

Because many founders assume that “having an accounting firm” is the same as having legal backing.
But it’s not:

| Function | Accounting/Tax Advisor | Startup Lawyer |
|---------------|-----------------------------|--------------------|
| Filing tax forms (AEAT) | ✅ | ⚠️ (not their function) |
| Drafting legal terms | ⚠️ (not their expertise) | ✅ |
| Reviewing shareholders’ agreements | ❌ | ✅ |
| Representing you in court | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ensuring compliance with GDPR or LSSI | ⚠️ | ✅ |

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What happens when the roles are mixed?

The issue is that many accounting firms offer template-based contracts, agreements, or legal terms without reviewing them on a case-by-case basis.
And that can lead to situations like:

- Signing ineffective or contradictory shareholders’ agreements.
- Launching a website that doesn’t comply with EU digital regulations.
- Hiring someone without a proper contract, making future claims impossible.
- Failing to register your trademark or protect your IP — and someone else beats you to it.
- Giving away more rights than intended due to poor negotiation.

💬 Cheap turns expensive — eventually.

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So, do I need both?

Yes.
In fact, a good startup usually has:

- A trusted accounting firm for bookkeeping and taxes.
- A go-to lawyer who understands the business, the sector, and the legal stages of a growing company.

And if both work together (as we do at Legal Core Labs), even better — this avoids duplications, mistakes, or unnecessary bottlenecks.

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Need help with this?

At Legal Core Labs, we help you:

- Review your startup’s legal structure from the start.
- Draft and review agreements, contracts, legal terms, registrations, and key documents.
- Coordinate with your accounting firm to ensure fiscal and legal compliance.
- Prepare legally for investment, scaling, or exit.

At Legal Core Labs, you don’t have to choose between accounting or legal advice.
We have professionals specialized in both the accounting and tax fields and the legal field, ensuring your startup is properly structured, protected, and aligned with its growth strategy.

💡 An accountant keeps you up to date.
A lawyer protects you.
With us, you get both.