How to choose a good business lawyer for your business: my top 10 tips. Conventional wisdom (and many Attorneys) will tell you that if you are a business owner or manager, you will get yourself in trouble if you don't have a good best and great business lawyer. But when I hear this, I view this as somewhat of a negative statement, which frankly I annoy. I assume that smart business people do not want to be belittled and told that if they do not have a lawyer, they will be too Naive or inexperienced to avoid mistakes.
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So with this in mind, I will rephrase the primary benefit of a great lawyer by Your Side as follows: You make more money. You should like this point of view, a business lawyer as your partner who will help you make the choice that will improve your business and drive your bottom line upwards.
Now, if you are finding for a lawyer or are not happy with your present lawyer, how do you finding a good business lawyer. But first a definition. What is a top business lawyer?
I personally distinguish a great business lawyer from a corporate or commercial lawyer. For me, the business lawyer in the classic sense of the term body of the classic lawyer-client relationship where the lawyer's, which is more than any paper out cranks.
I explain to the business lawyer as you around the business partner or colleague. Someone you can trust, who can solve your all problems, better understand you, and help you more grow.
Now here are my top 10 tips to choose a best great and good business lawyer, not in any order of importance.
10. Don't assume you need is a large blue-chip firm.
9. Not only focus on the billable hour rate.
If you are hesitant between someone who costs you $250 per hour and at $350 per hour, not your judgment strictly price. What matters are two things: first, what the final bill will be and, second, what value would that have received.
The hourly rate is a red herring. What is the point of asking someone to do a job for you at $250 per hour if the person needs 40 hours work to where the other lawyer $350 per hour only need 20 hours?
Especially if another lawyer can do better work for you. Billing policy is much more of a thorny and difficult problem to solve in a few lines. My point is just that the hourly rate is not the be-all and end-all.
8. Find someone you'd be happy to have a drink with.
If your relationship with your good business lawyer is going to work out, you need to reach out to him (her) on a personal basis. It is to your advantage to let your lawyer in your life as the quasi-friend. To do this, there must be personal chemistry.
7. Look for business experience.
If your business lawyer is going to advise you on your business, it is trite to say that business experience is necessary. Then this is the difference between dealing with a junior associate just out of school and who have any real practical hands-on business experience.
6. Look for someone to open a fixed fee arrangement.
No one I know wants to retain a great business lawyer not knowing what the final bill will be. While it is often difficult for a lawyer to evaluate, he said that (he) may be open to a flexible or fixed fee arrangement. And he (they) should be able to give you at least a good idea of the fee.
5. Look for one deal maker, not 1 deal-breaker.
In any business, the deal is dozens of reasons the deal can't work or why the deal is not right. You don't want that lawyer to throw unnecessary obstacles to make the agreement work. It takes a practical approach. It's all about business risk and your lawyer you the pros and cons and provides advice rather than blocking the deal.
Think of your best great and good business lawyer as your part-time vice president of legal.
4. Think of your business lawyer as your part-time.
Think of your business lawyer as your part-time vice president of legal. Some business lawyers are open to the holder arrangements where they will agree to act as your part-time vice president of legal at a lower cost than hiring a law firm. A lawyer can, for example, offer to work for a certain number of days per month for a fixed fee. It can save you money and help you grow your business with a smart person inside who gets to understand your business inside out.
3. Find someone with good business connections. Getting things done in this world often needs a good business network. Access to this through your Great business lawyer is invaluable.
2. Find a person, people.
1. Seems that is the bottom line.
Lawyers cost money but I submit it should not be your first thought. What you should be thinking about is whether the costs by, say $1,000, your lawyer can help you generate $2,000. If so, the lawyer is not a value. He said that (he) is a co-generator of a Rate of Return of 100%. If you think about it that way and your lawyer provides, the price will not be so bad to digest.
With these items, you will be in a position to make a good decision on what works for you.