Quick But Important Tips for Choosing a Corporate Lawyer
If you own a business of course you need the advice of a corporate lawyer, even if your business is very small and somewhat simple. Making sure you’re following applicable laws for how your business is formed, how it operates, how it figures and reports profits, and of course how it employs a labor force means saving yourself headaches and hassles, as well as potential monetary fines.
Getting the right advice from a lawyer can also mean making decisions that are financially beneficial for your company as well. If you understand how international trade laws or banking laws or things such as these work in your favor, you can take advantage of different laws in order to maximize profit potential.
So how do you choose a corporate lawyer for yourself and your firm? There is no real right way or wrong way to do this, and unfortunately no concrete checklist you can follow exactly. However, you can keep in mind a few simple tips to help you make the best decision for yourself.
Check References
It may be difficult to simply ask for a list of corporate references from a potential lawyer since of course this is confidential. However, many larger and more successful firms do note the companies they represent and deals they have closed for them. As a matter of fact, a quick check of their website may yield a wealth of results.
If you check on these other companies that they have represented, make sure they are in the same type of business you are or that they’re at least close. This is because a lawyer, like a doctor, will have a specialty. There is a huge difference between international banking laws and mining laws, so be sure you choose one that represents the type of business you are in.
Experience
Previous experience and their track record will mean a lot when it comes to choosing a lawyer for your company. How long have they been practicing, and what cases have they handled in the past? An attorney can give good legal advice but you want one that has experience in walking clients through deals, whether it’s mergers, acquisitions, or anything else.
Their experience should be a matter of public record and you should be able to check on this for a potential lawyer easily enough. Often they will include the results from past cases and business deals right on their website so you can easily see the experience they have, and which will work for you.
Finding the right lawyer isn’t something that should be taken lightly. You want to choose a firm that gives you individualized attention, even if your business is very small. He or she should listen carefully to your concerns and should take the time to understand what your business needs. You of course also need to make sure you’re doing the same; when your lawyer gives recommendations, make sure you’re working with him or her, not against them!
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