If you’re setting up a new business, it can be very helpful to have an attorney on board to help you with all of your legal matters.
You can then have the time to focus on other important areas of your business.
But before you start your search for a lawyer, you need to know what to look for in an attorney for your startup.
Evaluate Why You Need an Attorney
An attorney can help your business in a myriad of ways, so the first thing you need to do is determine the areas in which a lawyer can help. You’ll then be on good footing to find the best attorney for your specific needs.
For instance, you could need a lawyer for the following reasons, to name just a few.
Confidentiality Agreements
If you’re planning on using confidentiality agreements in your business, which can be an important way of protecting your startup to ensure different parties establish confidentiality about business ideas, processes, trade secrets, and so on, you should hire an attorney to draw up robust and legal non-disclosure agreements.
Intellectual Property Protection
Your business is sure to have some type of intellectual property, even if it’s just your branding. So, it’s important that you ensure all of your intellectual property, like copyright, trademarks, and patent applications, are handled correctly.
With an attorney on board, you can be certain that your startup is legally protected with its intellectual property. It could also be useful to use a copyright checker tool.
Lawsuits
If your startup should face a lawsuit, it cannot only be financially damaging. It can also ruin your reputation before you’ve even got your startup off the ground.
For example, you could face a lawsuit if a customer has an accident and is injured on your business premises if you didn’t take the appropriate steps to prevent the accident from occurring; such as putting up signage around a slippery floor.
By having an experienced and skillful lawyer on hand, such as the attorneys at Dolman Law Group website, you can ensure accident lawsuits and related problems are dealt with swiftly and professionally to achieve the best possible outcome.
Find an Attorney That’s a Good Fit for Your Startup
Once you have identified the reasons why you need an attorney, you can find one who has the specific legal skills you require. But finding the right lawyer goes beyond that. It’s just as important that you look for someone who will be a good fit for your specific startup.
That means finding someone who you trust and who you enjoy working with. It also means ensuring that they have all the necessary traits and skills for your specific industry.
You need to find an attorney who is competent, responsive, and experienced with a variety of legal issues. So, bear such things in mind when you begin searching for an attorney.
Make consultation appointments with any attorney you’re considering hiring so that you can ask questions and get a feel of what an individual lawyer is like.
Consider the Attorney’s Fees
Make sure that the attorney you hire is upfront about his or her costs. You need to know how the lawyer charges, such as by the hour or per project.
You also need to know how much a prospective attorney will charge. So, make sure you ask about costs when you have your consultation.
Beware of Red Flags
Just as important as knowing what to look for in an attorney for your startup is knowing what to be wary of. Watch out for red flags like a lawyer who doesn’t understand your type of business, who isn’t available when you need him or her the most, and who bills you for unexpected costs.
