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Every business needs an attorney at some point of their life cycle. An attorney is needed to carry out routine legal work or for some specific legal issue that may arise. Finding corporate lawyers in India is not a difficult task, but finding a good lawyer whom you can rely upon and who suits your legal needs perfectly requires a lot of homework to be done. Setting up a business requires a lot of legal paperwork, so you might need one at the time of inception. He/she will help you in company formation. For first time business owner, it is all the more important to hire an attorney at beginning to assist in completing all legal formalities.
However, there are many factors that need to be considered before you hire a business lawyer. The first and foremost is affordability. Many small and new businesses find it difficult to hire a full-time attorney as they do not want to spend too much money on legal aspects in the beginning as they are financially constrained. Also, the quantum of legal work has to justify such an appointment. Usually, new businesses hire outside counsel in the beginning and eventually, as their business grows, hire in-house counsel to carry out the routine legal and regulatory work. Nonetheless, whenever you decide to hire a business attorney you have to keep certain things in mind. Discussed below are some tips on hiring a business lawyer.
Do Your Homework
As mentioned above, doing a proper research is the first step in the hiring process. You can start with taking recommendations from people you know, people who have had the experience of hiring an attorney in the past. This is the best way to scout for a business attorney as these people would give you a first-hand testimony of a prospective lawyer. Also, if you are regular on social media, you can seek recommendations from your followers
Another way to learn about the credentials of a lawyer is to review their social media profiles. This is a digital world that we live in, and everybody is embracing technology to further their personal and professional interests. Check their social media profiles, especially on the business and profession oriented ones, such as linkedIn. Read the testimonials and recommendations of other users. Try to find out if they write any blogs on any platform and read them. This is a great way to get insights about the knowledge and experience of an attorney.
Talk to Law Firms
The next step would be to contact a law firm. When you get in touch with a law firm, make sure that you speak to the attorney who would be working with you. Usually what happens is that when a firm is soliciting business, the senior most members of the firm attend the meeting for initial consultations, but may not be always available to assist you with your requirements. It is, therefore, important that you only interact with the person who will always be involved with your case. Also, do not get influenced by the reputation of large law firms. They serve hundreds of clients and charge a hefty fee. There would be many big client from whom they earn majority of their income; you may not get the priority and attention that your business needs. So, search for corporate lawyers in India based on your requirements and affordability.
Ask Questions
One common mistakes people commit while looking for an attorney is to straight away ask for their fee. Instead, you should first ask certain questions to get an insight on the knowledge and understanding of the lawyer on business laws. You must ask questions to learn about firm’s philosophy, who would be dealing with you, their experience of working with companies like yours, etc. As much as you would want to know about the attorney, a good lawyer would also want to understand your situation and advise you on what is needed to be done, instead of just quoting a price for whatever service you ask for. Fully satisfy yourself before making a decision.
Find the Right Business Attorney with a Long Term Perspective
You don’t go to business attorney just to get legal documents prepared. You should look for attorneys who are proactive enough to ask you questions about your situation and offer solutions accordingly. The attorney must understand your business, should be able to anticipate future problems that may arise, and also have the ability to recognize opportunities.
Also, do not go to a general business lawyer for specific business issue. For example, trademark and copyright related issues can be best handled by an intellectual property lawyer. There are experts to cater to different specialized areas of business law
A business lawyer is an important member of your core team, and you must look for someone you can trust and build a long term relationship with. The lawyer should be a person with whom you can candidly discuss all your legal matters.
Discuss the Fee
Finally, the most important part of your search is to discuss the fee structure. As a business owner you have probably set a budget for hiring an attorney, so it is very important to have clarity and transparency in pricing. Hire an attorney whom you can afford and is within your allocated budget. Some attorneys charge on an hourly basis, some have a flat fee structure, while still others work on monthly retainer fee. Hire an attorney whose fee structure suits you the most.
You have to be very careful while hiring corporate lawyers in India. Mentioned above are some important steps that can help you hire business attorney.
