When starting up a business, every entrepreneur will need two experienced professionals: an accountant and an attorney. Business owners hire accountants to assist them in setting up their accounts, regularly audit their numbers, and arrange and file each and every federal, state, and business tax returns. On the other hand, although hiring a business lawyer is often overlooked, it would still be best to hire a business lawyer for the reason that they will be able to provide the crucial support needed with almost every element in a business – from simple zoning conformance and trademark and infringement advice to technical matters with business incorporation, legal proceedings and liability.
It is not always easy to find a great lawyer who will be able to effectively help entrepreneurs with their business ventures. Just looking in the phone directory or reading advertisements will not always lead in finding the best business lawyer. These sources do not always contain sufficient information that could help in making a sensible assessment of the lawyer to be retained. It is advised to hire lawyers within or near the state where the business is located in order to meet the lawyer face to face and evaluate whether he or she is the right business lawyer suited for you. Take for instance, a San Diego business lawyer would be the perfect choice if your business is in San Diego, California.
The process could be quite challenging when hiring a business lawyer. One can make it easier though if he or she knows what she is looking for in a lawyer. To make sure that you will be hiring the right business lawyer suited for you, listed below are the tips that you should consider when hiring one.
Try those free initial consultations.
Business lawyers usually provide free initial consultations to give you the opportunity to be able to meet them face to face, elucidate your concerns and determine whether or not they are best suited for your particular case. It is usually a good idea to bring all the relevant legal documents you have and you could also prepare a set of questions that you could ask the lawyer about during the free consultation session. With this, you will be able to find out more about their expertise and experiences in the business field and whether or not they can easily accommodate and manage other cases comfortably.
Always go for experienced lawyers.
When choosing a business lawyer to work with, the length of time the lawyer has been handling cases is also a critical determining factor. Most, if not all, people assume that in order to get the best service provided, a lawyer should have been handling cases for many years. That is not always true, though. Even those business lawyers who have little experience might be able to help you out better than those who have been in the same field for a long time. So always be on a lookout for a lawyer who actually understands how your business operates so that you can get recommendations and feedbacks on how to improve your business.
Know the lawyer’s billing method.
The thought of consulting a lawyer usually evokes a terrifying notion of sky high legal fees for most business owners. While it cannot be denied that hiring a lawyer is generally costly, the fact that you have a legal aid will assure you that your business’ legal matters are in good hands.
Before hiring any business lawyers, it would be a great If you would check first legal payment fees to avoid any potential problems. Typically, attorneys usually charge on a flat rate or by the hour. Working with a lawyer who bills on a flat rate, notwithstanding the hours they would spend on working with your case, is recommendable.
Do a background and credential check.
It is wise to do a background check and also review credentials of the prospective lawyer that you would want to hire. Checking what school he or she came from and whether or not they specialize with other fields in lawyering are some defining factors that you should consider. You could also check previous cases that the lawyer had handled and what was the outcome of the case. In addition, you could search it up online and see on how they rank – this can be an indication if he or she is best suited for your case.
Consider the lawyer’s personality.
Pay special attention to the working chemistry that you have with the lawyer. No matter how skilled and quite well-recommended a lawyer is, you may not ever attain a desirable lawyer-client relationship if you are not comfortable with the person during your first or second meeting. Always trust your gut and find a lawyer who is compatible with your own personal character. Seek for a lawyer that you like to work with so that you could easily talk to him or her with any legal matters concerning your business.
Seek for lawyers who are located within or near your area.
Although this can vary depending on your needs, it would still be great to have the chance to meet up with your lawyer regularly. There might be times that you will need to meet up with them right then and there, so it would be strategically wise to opt for lawyers who are located within or near your area. For example you can seek for a San Francisco or San Diego business lawyer if you are within California.
Alternatively, there are also a number of business law needs that does not require having a client-attorney meet up on a regular basis. Most of their concerns can just be easily communicated through phone or via email. If this is the case, you can feel free to seek for lawyers outside your geographic area, but just make sure to give them a heads up on where you are located and check with them if they will be able to manage any legal concerns that you have.
