Ready to hit publish on your group coaching sales page?
Before you do, there’s one thing you need to be sure of:
that your legal foundations are strong enough to support growth without exhausting you, harming your reputation, or inviting refund and payment disputes.
As a lawyer for coaches, I see group programs from the inside — not just when they’re working beautifully, but when things go sideways. And almost every issue comes back to missing, unclear, or misused legal documents and policies.
This post walks you through exactly what you need in place to run and scale a group coaching program with confidence.
What We’re Really Protecting in a Group Program
When coaches think about legal protection, they often think only about compliance.
That’s not the full picture.
In a group coaching program, your legal setup should protect:
- your energy and sanity
- your income and payment flow
- your content and intellectual property
- your community culture
- your reputation in the marketplace
All of these are directly tied to one thing: happy clients who get results.
Every document and policy below supports that outcome.
The Three Documents Every Sales Page Must Have
If you have an online sales page — even if you’re closing sales on calls — you need three foundational documents linked in your footer.
Privacy Policy
Your privacy policy tells visitors:
- what information you collect
- how it’s used
- how they can unsubscribe or be forgotten
This is required anytime you’re collecting emails, names, or other personal data. It’s also one of the easiest things to get right early.
Terms and Conditions (Website Use)
Your terms and conditions govern everyone who visits your site, not just buyers.
They set rules around:
- copying your content
- scraping your messaging
- interfering with your site or funnels
Important clarification:
Website terms and conditions are not the same as a client contract. They apply before anyone ever buys.
Disclaimer
Your disclaimer manages expectations.
It clarifies:
- what coaching is (and is not)
- that results require effort
- that you are not providing licensed professional services
This is especially important in health, money, and business coaching, where clients may assume you’re offering medical, legal, or financial advice.
Together, these three documents form your baseline protection.
The Group Coaching Client Agreement (Non-Negotiable)
Beyond your website documents, every group coaching program needs a client agreement.
This agreement does far more than confirm payment.
A strong group coaching agreement covers:
- payment terms and what happens if payments stop
- refund policies
- access length and delivery format
- how content can (and cannot) be used
- acknowledgment of the group setting
- confidentiality limitations
- recording policies for calls
Clients must understand upfront that:
- other participants may hear what they share
- you cannot control what others do with shared information
- recordings may be reused for future cohorts
This transparency dramatically reduces disputes later.
Checkbox vs. Signature: What’s Appropriate?
For group programs under $2,000, a checkbox agreement on the order form is typically sufficient.
For programs over $2,000, or programs that include:
- one-on-one access
- higher emotional investment
- longer delivery timelines
I strongly recommend:
- showing the agreement before payment
- requiring a separate e-signature after checkout
This creates clear evidence that the client:
- reviewed the terms
- understood the commitment
- chose to proceed anyway
At higher price points, this step alone can prevent costly chargebacks.
Support Coaches and Guest Experts Require Their Own Agreements
Support coaches and guest experts are not “just helpers.”
They are part of your delivery system — and a major legal consideration.
Whether they are employees or independent contractors, you need written agreements that clarify:
- scope of support
- availability expectations
- confidentiality
- recording and content ownership
- use of their name and likeness in marketing
Your clients also need clarity on:
- whether support calls are recorded
- whether work product is reused
- whether guest content becomes part of the program
Done well, these agreements protect you and strengthen your program.
Group Rules: The Unsung Hero of Legal Protection
Group coaching is fundamentally different from courses and 1:1 work because clients interact with each other.
That creates risk — and opportunity.
Every group coaching program should have written group rules that address:
- no promotions
- confidentiality expectations
- code of conduct
- how disagreements are handled
- appropriate discussion topics
- prohibition on affiliate links
Affiliate links are especially important.
Improper affiliate disclosures can create legal exposure for you, even if a client posts the link.
Group rules should be:
- clearly posted
- reinforced in a welcome video
- referenced when issues arise
In larger groups, I’m increasingly seeing programs co-create group norms at the start. When done well, this reduces moderation workload and improves buy-in.
Why Group Dynamics Affect Refund Risk
Unhappy clients are the biggest source of legal drama in coaching businesses.
In group programs, dissatisfaction often stems from:
- feeling unsafe to participate
- uncomfortable group culture
- unchecked promotions or conflict
- lack of clear expectations
When clients disengage, they don’t always complain — they go straight to the payment processor.
Clear agreements + group rules = fewer refund disputes.
What This All Adds Up To
When your legal foundations are set up correctly, you can:
- launch confidently
- protect your income
- reuse recordings and materials
- promote guest experts
- scale without chaos
Group coaching can be an incredible way to grow — but only when the structure supports the transformation you’re promising.
What’s Coming Next
In the next video in the Group Coaching Legally series, we’ll dive into:
- the surprising legal benefits of support coaches and guest experts
- how those relationships protect you in disputes
- what must be in place before you scale delivery
