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About 40 million people file lawsuits across the US every year. If your business is currently facing a legal issue, hiring the right corporation lawyers is the most important step toward protecting yourself and your team.
Here, we’re going to give you 5 tips for choosing a corporate attorney that’s perfect for your company’s specific needs.
Know What You Need
Some companies simply want to have corporate lawyers on call if they need any immediate assistance in the future. This is a great proactive measure to make sure that you’re prepared in the event of a lawsuit. People can sue for just about anything these days, so it’s important to be prepared even if you research regulations meticulously and follow them to a T. But it’s also important to note that many companies don’t keep a lawyer on call. They hire them for a specific problem when facing a legal issue.
If this describes you, don’t worry- you’re far from alone. In fact, it might be a good thing because you can tailor your attorney selection to your current needs. You’ll just need to do a little extra research to make sure you get the specific services that you need. Figure out the exact nature of the legal problem you’re facing. Look into lawyers within that legal specialization. For example, if you’re facing a lawsuit because of a faulty product, you need someone who specifically understands the product liability category of personal injury.
Compare Multiple Possibilities
You don’t want to just go with the first legal firm that comes up when you Google “corporate lawyers near me.” Just as you’d compare products before choosing which one to buy, you’re going to need to look into and compare many different lawyers so you can make an informed decision.
Find about 10 possibilities and do an in-depth dive into their websites. Make sure to look at the entire legal team’s experience, not just the one corporate attorney who founded the company. Lawyers don’t really work alone, and whole teams will come together to make sure they get the best possible outcomes for their clients.
You don’t want to work with any lawyer who has fewer than 10 years of experience. The longer they’ve been in operation, the better. Rates might be lower for fresh-out-of-school attorneys, but you get what you pay for. Low rates mean lower-quality representation in the vast majority of cases.
Make sure that you also choose an entire firm with a good track record. If the founder has a 98% success rate on their own, this is meaningless if the firm as a whole has a 70% success rate. In fact, that’s probably bad news if you’re working with the whole firm since most of those successes will have been the founder’s alone. Any legal team worth their salt will have a ton of information about their results and successes. They’ll be happy to share facts and stats with you.
Prioritize Availability
Legal problems can arise for your company at any time of the day or night. Waiting to deal with these issues could be detrimental to your case, so it’s important that you’re able to take immediate action. The ideal corporate attorney will be available 24/7. You don’t want to be kept waiting too long since a fast response can advise you on what to do next. This can save your business since you won’t dig yourself into a hole by talking with opposing teams on your own and tripping on your own words.
Get References
Online reviews can help you feel more confident in your decision to work with a corporate lawyer. You’ll get firsthand information from others who have used their services before. They’ll tell you the ins and outs of communicating with them, getting assistance, and more. Usually, a legal team will have some top testimonials on their website. While you’ll obviously want to dig deeper, this gives you a starting point. It’ll likely link you to LegalZoom, Yelp, FindLaw, and similar pages.
You’ll then have the opportunity to peruse all the reviews at your leisure. 5-star testimonials like those you’ll find on the website will give you a feel for what the team does right. One or two-star reviews will let you know whether their downsides are deal-breakers. Once you narrow your search down a bit, you can also ask for direct references when consulting with a corporate attorney. Most lawyers are willing to give you the email address or phone numbers of former clients who are willing to talk with you about their experience. Transparency is important in a corporation lawyer, so you’ll want to rethink working with them if they refuse.
Don’t Shirk a Consultation
Once you narrow down the possibilities to just a couple of options, schedule a consultation with the attorneys that you’re considering hiring. Most lawyers offer free consultations that you can schedule online, so there’s no excuse to shirk talking to the team. Remember that a consultation isn’t a commitment. It’s a chance to ask any questions you have so you can feel confident in your decision to hire someone.
Make sure to inquire about their experience with cases similar to yours. Ask them what their win-loss ratio is and how they plan to ensure success with your case. Discover when they’re available to help, how much time they can dedicate to your company, and who on their team will be handling your needs.
Find the Right Corporation Lawyers ASAP
Now that you have some tips for choosing corporation lawyers to provide legal protection, it’s time to get started. Check out the “business” tab on our home page to learn more about how you can keep your organization compliant with local and industry rules and regulations. You may also be interested in the search function if you’re looking for more specific informative content on corporate law.
