Choosing a Legal Advisor – Part 2

Finding a good lawyer who can efficiently help with your particular problem may not be easy. Choosing a lawyer for your business may be even more difficult than choosing a lawyer for a fundamental rights enforcement procedure or for your divorce suit. In modern times, commercial law firms and lawyers are required to act in competent representative capacity for their clients. They carry clients through their business like a professional partner and there are intricacies of modern business demands that the lawyer must understand to more than a reasonable extent the business of his client, strategies, corporate personality etc.

Contrary to the general perception of people about lawyers, lawyers are nice people and are invaluable toward starting and maintaining your small business. They do more than just dispense legal information or go to court. They offer strategic advice and apply sophisticated technical skills to legal problems. Their role in commercial activities may involve reviewing legal documents, structuring and negotiating commercial deals, and also providing proficient legal advice. Also in establishing a business, it is mandatory to seek the services of a lawyer to advise and assist with relevant compliance, statutory and regulatory requirements. Your goal is to find someone who’s not only talented and affordable, but who also can grow with you and your company and become a long-term partner and trusted associate. Therefore, in your first meeting or interview with a solicitor for the purpose of assisting with establishing your business, you need to satisfy yourself that the solicitor understands and can relate to your peculiar business idea and objects. These are some factors you must consider:

–  Qualifications: Hire a lawyer who’s as qualified and experienced as possible.

–  Accessibility: Make sure that your lawyer can meet your needs quickly, when you need them the most.

–  Price: Don’t be afraid to shop around for the best combination of skill, experience, and price.  Be careful not to compromise professionalism and efficiency for lower fees.

–  Ethics: Your lawyer should have ethical standards that are just as high as the standards you uphold.

–  Compatibility: The ideal situation is to find someone who meets all your criteria and with whom you also get along well. If you are a young entrepreneur, you may want to consider an equally young but smart and experienced legal practitioner for a longer-term business partnership.

What can lawyers do for your business? Here are some of the most common tasks lawyers take on for their small business clients:

–  Choosing a legal structure for your business

–  Writing, reviewing, and negotiating business contracts

–  Dealing with employee issues

–  Helping with credit problems and bankruptcy

–  Addressing consumer issues and complaints

–  Working with rental or leasing agreements

–  Advising you on your legal rights and obligations

–  Representing you in court

Remember, having readily available legal representation of highly professional quality is invaluable to the success of your business. The experience of commercial lawyers in business can hardly be matched by any other profession as a result of their vast experience in commercial dispute resolution in diverse sectors. Finally, in this time and age, having a lawyer who is adept with computer application, communication and technology is a valuable edge to your business.