how do i get a client as a single startup lawyer?

by Rachelle Haley 3 min read

One of the best solutions for how a lawyer can get clients is to stay connected with people you worked with early in your career. This includes your peers in college, law school, and your employers. Make sure you treat everyone you come into contact with as if he could be a future client.

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How do I find a startup lawyer?

The final way to find a startup lawyer is simply to ask fellow business owners. These include business owners you personally know, as well as owners on forums or online groups. Personal referrals sometimes will score you a free consultation or a discount on the lawyer’s standard rate.

How can a lawyer get clients?

One of the best solutions for how a lawyer can get clients is to stay connected with people you worked with early in your career. This includes your peers in college, law school, and your employers. Make sure you treat everyone you come into contact with as if he could be a future client. See You Need to Be Connected With Others at Work. C.

How much does it cost to hire a startup lawyer?

The cost of a startup lawyer can range anywhere from a $50 fixed fee on an online legal service to over $1,000 per hour for a senior partner from a prestigious law firm. Cost can be a major deterrent in hiring a startup lawyer, so it’s important to find out upfront how much you will be expected to pay your attorney.

Why do startups need in-house legal attorneys?

As startup companies scale, in-house legal attorneys play an evolving and increasingly critical role as the possibility of legal quagmire inevitably grows. When Away faced a potential FAA regulatory issue relating to lithium-ion batteries being banned from airplanes, Beser was at the center of solving the problem.

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How do lawyers attract clients?

In summary, lawyers get new clients by two major methods–referrals and reviews. By utilizing networking skills and events, you can get your name out there and let people know that you are a reliable, trustworthy source of legal representation.

What do startups need from lawyers?

Startups need lawyers when lawyers provide the best, value-driven solution for specific problems the startup is facing. This will change from one startup to another. Here are some variables: Company formation: In most cases, you don't need a lawyer to set up a company, and it will be overkill to use one.

What is the advantage of hiring a local attorney for a startup?

Working locally—at home—is a big advantage for an attorney. When you describe your business's situation, a local attorney can see how all the pieces fit together before the process even starts. Local attorneys know the judges, the court clerks, and how litigation is generally conducted in that particular area.

What are multiple reasons you need a lawyer for a startup?

For this and other important reasons, you most likely will need a lawyer for your startup.Contracts. Most businesses execute contracts for space, services, and supplies. ... Registering, Licensing, and Permits. ... Business Form. ... Multi-State Business. ... Strict Conformity. ... Capital. ... Variety of Entities. ... Autonomy.More items...•

How can lawyers help Startups?

Legal help for Startups in their business formation and to cover statutory legal compliances results in laying a solid base and hassle-free operations which provides entrepreneurs/ founders/ promoters to focus on the more vital needs such as hiring, funding and finance and other processes to enable growth.

Do you need a lawyer for startup?

However, it is crucial that a startup engages a lawyer before signing anything — not just with investors, but also with co-founders. Ideally, legal advice should be obtained even before proper negotiations begin.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Some of the highest-paid lawyers are:Medical Lawyers – Average $138,431. Medical lawyers make one of the highest median wages in the legal field. ... Intellectual Property Attorneys – Average $128,913. ... Trial Attorneys – Average $97,158. ... Tax Attorneys – Average $101,204. ... Corporate Lawyers – $116,361.

Can a lawyer be an entrepreneur?

"Lawyers turn out to be immensely successful entrepreneurs”. History says that this statement is pretty much true to an extent. Law graduates now operate in various fields, from ICT and mining to the airline industry.

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.

Why does an entrepreneur need a lawyer?

Lawyers have connections and a clientele base like you Lawyers will offer insights that may prove very useful in the long run to a start-up. In addition to offering legal services, they can be a marketing tool for your business as they speak of your business to potential clients.

Why every small business needs an attorney?

Existing small businesses have their share of legal issues to contend with and often need a lawyer to help get a resolution that benefits them best. These situations include things like debt collection, hiring and firing employees, and dealing with a lawsuit that has been filed against them.

Why do small business need an attorney?

Why do small businesses need a lawyer? Small businesses rely on lawyers to provide legal expertise in some areas, which they might not be well-versed. These include the knowledge to: Ensure compliance: A lawyer can help make sure that your business opens and operates by federal, state and local laws.

Why is the internet important for lawyers?

The seeming reluctance of lawyers to have an online presence has a lot to do with the old legal practice of not advertising. But there are great ways to use the internet without running afoul of the restrictions on an advertisement. One of the advantages of the internet is that it is a good place to get clients as a new lawyer.

What are the advantages of being a young lawyer?

One such advantage is the use of social media. Sadly, many use it for recreation instead of business.

Why is networking important in law?

The importance of networking in attracting clients to your law firm cannot be underestimated . Networking is the process of building and nurturing mutually valuable relationships with other people. There are several ways to network. So decide on the best one for you and make yourself visible and available.

Is getting clients an art?

Getting clients in the legal profession, therefore, is an art, and only those who have mastered it thrive. Below are a few tips to help you get clients as a new lawyer and break-even in the profession.

Does the legal profession advertise?

Unlike most professions that advertise their products and services, the legal profession allows little or no advert for its members. The process of attracting clients is particularly hard for new lawyers who have just finished law school or who’ve decided to set up their own office.

Should new lawyers underestimate the importance of a case?

If you expect big clients to start walking into your brand new law firm with fat briefs, then you aren’t being realistic. New lawyers should never underestimate the importance of any case. Do not reject any matter because you consider it a small case.

Part One: Digital Marketing

First things first: If you don’t have a robust plan for digital marketing, you’ll struggle to get new clients.

Part Two: Traditional Marketing

While they may be going out of fashion in other industries, traditional marketing mediums — including TV, radio, and outdoor ads — should still be a part of your legal marketing strategy.

Part Three: Grassroots Marketing

The last component of your law firm marketing strategy is grassroots marketing.

Set Yourself Up to Get More Clients Today

All things considered, marketing for law firms involves more extensive efforts compared to most service-based businesses.

How do I start my own law firm?

Every lawyer starting their own law firm needs to have a marketing plan—it’s a non-negotiable task that is essential to attracting clients. Keep an eye on how much business you’re generating from your marketing spend, and in which areas of your practice. Understand the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing efforts, and don’t keep chasing a losing bet.

What is the best advertising channel for lawyers?

Google Ads. Google Ads is a popular advertising channel for lawyers, but nailing down an exact cost to budget for is hard—you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, and it’s an auction-style cost (you bid against other lawyers), so it varies greatly.

Should I have a referral section for my law firm?

For lawyers starting their own law firm, referrals should have a separate section in your marketing plan. While marketing through your own efforts is important when you’re first getting started, referrals remain a cornerstone of how clients find lawyers. According to successful law firm owner, Stephen C. Paul;

What Does a Lawyer for Startups Do?

A lawyer for a startup helps entrepreneurs through the early legal processes involved in creating and scaling a startup.

How Much Does a Startup Lawyer Cost?

Startup lawyers can be a big investment for a startup, but it is an important investment to make sure you set your startup up for success. The hourly rate of this specialized lawyer can run anywhere from $250 to $400 an hour and up. Many early tasks can be handled on a flat fee early, like business formation and contract drafting.

Common Fee Structures for Startup Lawyers

Startup lawyers are attorneys that specialize in helping startups with legal issues early on. They can seem to be expensive early on but getting in touch with a good startup lawyer as early as possible is the best way startups can protect themselves from legal trouble.

How Do I Choose a Startup Lawyer?

Choosing a startup lawyer is an important step in the timeline of your new startup. Here are a few questions you can ask to determine which startup lawyer is right for you:

Where Can I Find a Startup Lawyer?

If you have a new startup, forming a relationship with a startup lawyer should be a top priority. Obtaining legal counsel to walk you through the beginning phases of formation will make a lasting impact on your company.

Meet some of our Lawyers

Experienced and broad based corporate/business attorney and Outside General Counsel (OGC), for start-ups, small businesses and growing companies of all sizes, advising and assisting clients with corporate and LLC formation, contracts and agreements, internet and terms of use/service agreements, trademarks and intellectual property protection, the purchase and sale of businesses (M&A), labor and employment matters, compliance and risk management, corporate governance, and commercial leasing matters.

How do lawyers get clients?

One of the best solutions for how a lawyer can get clients is to stay connected with people you worked with early in your career. This includes your peers in college, law school, and your employers. Make sure you treat everyone you come into contact with as if he could be a future client.

What do clients want from an attorney?

Clients want attorneys who are likely to do the best work possible and make clear decisions. When you examine most organizations that are very successful and have been around for a long time, it is easy to see that they tend to look for “steady” people who are not particularly mercurial and seem quite competent.

What are some mistakes lawyers make?

One of the biggest mistakes attorneys (and even law students!) make, proving they do not know how to get new clients for a law firm, is ignoring that every single person they ever meet is someone who could be a client or will someday be in a position to be their client. Many attorneys believe that they are often being “smart” sizing up people they meet and trying to assess whether they could potentially be their clients. They may assume, for example, that the janitor in their building could never be their client. They may assume that the person who sells them auto insurance could never be their client. They may assume that someone who was once their biggest enemy could never be their client.

Why is it important to have a lot of business as an attorney?

Having a lot of business is essential to having security as an attorney because you will always have work to do. Having work to do will provide you the platform to hire others to work for you, to build your organization, and to further your career.

What does it mean to be familiar with an attorney?

This means phone calls on people’s birthdays. This means frequent letter updates. This means forwarding articles of interest.

What are the most important things to do in law school?

When people are in law school and even during their first few years out of law school, they tend to believe that the most important components of a successful law firm career involve (1) billing a lot of hours (meaning working hard) and (2) doing quality work. Very rapidly, however, young lawyers come to understand that just as important as doing ...

Who is your dry cleaner?

Your dry cleaner, the person who mows your lawn, the mechanic who fixes your car —whomever you can imagine is a potential source of business for you. Stay in touch with them and remember to always be nice.

What is a good startup lawyer?

A good startup lawyer is more than a lawyer. They are also a close advisor and confidante as you’re trying to grow your business. Here are some of the important steps that startup lawyers can help you with: Deciding how to structure your new business.

What is a free initial consultation?

Some lawyers offer a free initial consultation during which you can introduce your business and evaluate if the lawyer is a good fit for you. During the consultation, the lawyer should give you an overview of how they plan to help your business.

Do lawyers know other lawyers?

Good lawyers typically know other good lawyers. Just be sure to make it clear that you need a lawyer who is experienced in helping new businesses get off the ground. Some lawyers identify themselves as business attorneys, but they may be more familiar advising mature businesses.

Do corporate lawyers prefer business?

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a corporate lawyer secretly—or, in many cases, not so secretly—would prefer a career in business. Any recruiter who speaks regularly with corporate/transactional associates at big law firms invariably hears that their eventual goal is to move over to the business side, or at least to get closer to the business. But what many of these attorneys fail to realize is that there are ways to continue practicing law while still getting to flex those business muscles as a key member of the top-level strategic team at fast-paced, growing companies. Now, does that sound like something you might be interested in?

Is a startup a risky endeavor?

Startups are inherently risky endeavors. As Whistler Managing Director Kathleen Mon sees it: “ Startups are disruptors. If you want that life, you have to be about that life. If you want to work in this space, you can't expect to follow the typical legal career path.

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