Whether starting a small business from scratch or having an established company, acquiring legal assistance early on is smart. A lawyer will help you stay compliant, prevent costly mistakes, and grow your company.
When choosing an attorney, interview candidates carefully. Ask about their rates and discounts and if they’re open to alternative fee arrangements outside the traditional hourly billing model.
Legal Advice
The legal issues in starting, organizing, financing, and operating a business are complex. They’re also often confusing, with thick legalese that can only be deciphered with an attorney’s help.
Linden Law Partners lawyers are knowledgeable about the specific issues that entrepreneurs encounter. They can advise startups on everything from choosing the proper legal structure to securing investment capital and protecting intellectual property. They can also assist with hiring and terminating employees, avoiding draconian penalties for employment law violations, and negotiating and reviewing contracts.
A good lawyer can also introduce startups to other constituent parties in their market. This includes service providers, accelerators/incubators, potential partners, and investors. This enables startups to save money on outside counsel and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. They can also help startups navigate tax laws and understand the consequences of certain decisions.
Streamlined Process
Business lawyers will review and draft contracts for all your business transactions, including hiring employees or contractors, leasing office space, licensing your intellectual property products, securing commercial loans, and purchasing equipment. They will also help you determine your startup’s best type of corporate structure based on your finances, plans, and goals.
They will help you avoid misclassifying contractors as employees or releasing confidential information using non-compete agreements and other contract provisions. They can also guide you through obtaining your federal tax ID number and work authorization for new hires. They can refer you to subject-matter experts for more specialized legal services. This ensures that all your legal matters are handled efficiently and correctly. It will also save you time and money.
Reduced Risk
Many startups neglect to address legal issues during their business formation and later regret it. A skilled startup lawyer can foresee potential trouble and help you avoid pitfalls that could otherwise cost your company dearly.
Find a good lawyer who specializes in working with startups and their industry. He or she can be a one-stop shop for the various specialty lawyers your startup will need as it grows: tax, employment, intellectual property, financing, international, and litigation.
Ask a prospective startup attorney whether they have represented competitors, ousted employees, or former business partners, which could lead to conflicts of interest.
Cost-Effectiveness
A business lawyer can save startup businesses money by helping them avoid unnecessary legal liability, such as tax liabilities and lawsuits. An experienced attorney can also help startups reduce expenses by drafting contracts and agreements that protect their interests.
Legal jargon can be difficult to understand and interpret, especially for startup owners with limited budgets. Choosing an experienced business lawyer who puts their clients first can ensure that startup owners are well-informed and have access to transparent fee structures and packages.
Small business attorneys can advise startups on various issues, including business structure, intellectual property protection, avoiding draconian penalties from employment law violations, contract review and drafting, and more. Big law firms often have multiple clients, which may make it challenging to provide the specialized legal support that startups need.
Time-Saving
The right lawyer can help you save time by handling various legal aspects of your startup. For instance, they can draft contracts with employees and clients. This will prevent any disputes that arise in the future. They can also guide you through other business processes, including obtaining appropriate licensing, filing taxes, etc.
In addition, they can help you establish a proper corporate structure and abide by the laws regarding employment issues such as non-compete agreements. They can also advise you on the best way to classify your staff as independent contractors or employees.
When choosing a lawyer, look for firms that focus on startups. They should have experience representing startups in your industry and growing them into successful companies.
