How to Find an Affordable Attorney for Your Business

Starting a business is a whirlwind, but don’t let legal matters fall between the cracks. Follow these steps to find an affordable attorney you can trust.

If you are a new business owner, there are countless things you’re probably thinking about. One of them may be the question of whether you need a business attorney.

Many people think that attorneys are expensive and small businesses don’t have the money to pay them. As a result, most business owners will only hire an attorney when confronted with a serious legal problem.

However, sometimes waiting until the last minute may end up hurting you more. Legal help is a cost of doing business that will save you money and help your business in the long run.

Starting a business can be a whirlwind, but don’t let legal matter fall through the cracks. Read on to learn about how to find an affordable attorney you can trust.

Reasons to Hire a Business Attorney

There are many reasons for why you should hire a business attorney. When starting a new business, there are many problems that will arise. Make sure that you are ready to deal with any issues that come up. Below are some reasons to hire an affordable attorney:

Employee Issues

There are many situations that may put you in a sticky legal situation. Employee-related issues are some of the most common problems that you may face.

As a new business, you may be making important decisions about whether to hire employees or use independent contractors. A good business attorney can help you with the legal rules in regards to those decisions.

You should also always consult an attorney before hiring or firing an employee to ensure that you don’t put yourself at risk for a discrimination lawsuit. Another important situation for consulting an attorney is if you find yourself faced with an employee lawsuit.

Contracts

You will definitely deal with different types of contracts during your time as a business owner. An affordable attorney can help ensure that you don’t sign one that will put yourself or your business in jeopardy.

Attorneys are experts at spotting problems in contracts and also identifying when additional language or amendments need to be added. If the other party has breached a signed contract, an attorney can point out your options and help advise you on the best steps to take.

Environmental Issues

If an environmental issue comes up that involves your business, you will need to consult an attorney immediately. These issues can arise from various things such as manufacturing, emissions, and waste disposal.

There are other situations where your business may not be directly involved, but could still be affected.

These are just some of the issues that may come up where an attorney would be extremely important in helping you make the right decisions for your business.

How to Find an Affordable Attorney

The cost for a small business attorney can range from $150 per hour to over $1,000 per hour for attorneys from large firms. You may be worried about how you are going to afford hiring legal help.

There are many other fees such as your business’s marketing strategy or customer service training for your business that may seem more important. However, a good attorney can really help you out when you are in a tight spot.

Here are some tips on how you can find an affordable attorney that is a good fit for your business.

Ask the Right Questions

Asking the right questions is the first step to making sure you find an affordable attorney that you like and trust. Working with an attorney won’t do you any good if you don’t trust them.

One of the first things you should ask when interviewing attorneys is their experience. You will want to work with an attorney who has worked with small businesses before and is aware of the laws regarding your industry.

For example, if you are involved in traffic accidents, you would seek out a firm such as Craig Swapp & Associates traffic accidents lawyers near me to represent you since they have a lot of experience in that particular area.

Another important thing is to know if your attorney has any other clients in your same field or industry. Your attorney should be somewhat familiar with your business field and its legal environment. This will ensure that they know how to deal with problems when they arise.

Visit a Law School

If you are concerned about the legal fees for hiring a professional attorney, you should consider visiting a law school. You can hire an up-and-coming law student to give you advice.

The general rule is that students in law school clinics are certified to practice law as long as they are under the supervision of a faculty member who is a practicing attorney. Student practice rules do vary by state, so make sure you are aware of what rules pertain to the state your business is in.

Contact the County or State Bar Association

Contacting your county or state bar association is a great way of finding an affordable attorney. They may recommend new attorneys who have just passed their bar exam who are currently offering pro bono legal help or reduced-fee help.

Pricing Attorneys

There are many different pricing scales out there. You may be able to find someone willing to take your case on contingency. That means that if you lose your case, there will be no fee. But if you win, the attorney will take a percentage of your rewards.

Most small business lawyers charge hourly fees, others may charge a flat fee. Make sure you agree upon the rate before engaging their services. Some attorneys are quite flexible on fees and payment schedules.

Ready to Find an Affordable Attorney?

You may be hesitant on starting the search for an attorney because of preconceived notions that legal help is expensive. While that can definitely be true, there are many attorneys out there who can offer their help and advice for a much smaller fee then you think.

Having a great attorney on your team gives you peace of mind that you and your business will be protected when the time comes. Having a person on your side that is well versed in the law will help you avoid major business problems and making bad decisions.

Check us out for more information on how to make your small business flourish.