what does a lawyer do for a small business

What Does Small Business Lawyer Do For Small Business?

• Drafting and filing important legal documents.. If a small business lawyer spends time preparing and filing documents...
• Protection of small businesses from unexpected litigation.. No one wants to spend their time fighting with a competitor...
• Protecting the assets of small business owners.. Intellectual property is...

Full Answer

What makes a great business lawyer?

If you’re considering a career in law, you must be able to:

• Break down, analyse and articulate complex issues both orally and in writing
• Work effectively in a team
• Think logically
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Think creatively outside the box
• Solve complex problems
• Think and work under pressure
• Speak confidently in public
• Fight your corner
• Have a keen eye for detail

More items...

What does a corporate lawyer actually do?

Corporate attorneys, also known as transactional lawyers, additionally structure and negotiate business transactions, perform due diligence, prepare and submit materials to governmental bodies, and supervise closings. Corporate lawyers tend to work on “deals” rather than “cases,” and they advocate in boardrooms more than courtrooms.

How much does a good business lawyer cost?

In order to be in compliance with state law, the registrant must publish ... owner of the company from the statement. How much does it cost to file a DBA in Alameda County? Filing Fees for Fictitious Business Names - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office ...

What is the job description of a business attorney?

Job Description. Business attorneys provide legal advice and representation to businesses. Some work directly for a particular corporation, while others work for a firm or private practice that represents multiple clients. As a business attorney, you may take on a variety of duties, depending on your clients' needs and your area of specialization.

Business Formation

Before starting a business, there are a number of key decisions you must make and legal requirements you must comply with.

Business Transactions

Sometimes, you might need an attorney to help your business with transactional matters.

Contract Drafting and Review

No matter what type of business you own, you will almost certainly require contracts at some point or another.

Intellectual Property

As your business grows, you may discover it is time to hire a small business attorney to help protect and pursue your intellectual property rights.

Business Disputes and Litigation

No matter how smoothly your business runs, there is always a possibility that a dispute will arise.

What is a Portland business lawyer?

A Portland business lawyer’s specialty, on the other hand, is to be well-rounded! Our attorneys are equally comfortable reviewing a contract, consulting with business owners, negotiating a complex deal, or litigating in court– and that’s just a fraction of the situations in which we find ourselves. Great business lawyers are flexible and knowledgeable problem solvers who are always looking for the best way to help their clients.

Should I hire a lawyer for my business?

As a business owner, if you ever catch yourself thinking “I don’t need a lawyer, I can handle this myself,” it’s probably a good time to speak with a business lawyer and find out for sure. Your time is better spent running your business than trying to resolve a legal situation on your own.

Do lawyers bill by the hour?

Some business lawyers may bill exclusively by the hour. Can you see the drawback here? The law firm is incentivized to spend more time on the case to maximize their revenue.

Can a business attorney represent you in court?

Yes– but only when we need to. Don’t get us wrong – it’s not that our business attorneys aren’t expert litigators who take great pride in representing our clients in court in Oregon and Washington. But often times there’s a better solution to a dispute and save our clients’ valuable time and money.

How can a small business attorney help you?

He or she can help you choose the right corporate structure, sell your business, and protect your intellectual property.

Why is it important to sell a business?

Selling a business while following all laws is important so that owners properly remove their liability and all ties from the business and receive no surprises after they think they’ve sold the business. The only way to ensure that is to get the help of a small business attorney. Selling a business is a big life change.

What is the importance of choosing a business entity?

The business entity that you choose will have important implication on your business’s tax and liability obligations. Knowing which type of entity is right for your business can be difficult without the help of a small business attorney who understands the legal nuances of each entity.

Why do you add LLC to a business name?

While it may seem like these are added for effect, they serve to act as a way to distinguish how the company was structured. LLC is an abbreviation for “limited liability corporation” while INC is an abbreviation for “incorporated.” Similarly, both entities are formed by filing the required paperwork with the California Secretary of State’s Office. Both structures are designed to protect the directors from certain liabilities. By contrast, they function very differently at the tax and management level.

What is the first step to take as a small business owner?

One of the many steps that you must follow as a small business owner is choosing which business entity to establish . You can choose from a partnership, corporation, and limited liability company, among others. The business entity that you choose will have important implication on your business’s tax and liability obligations.

What is a partnership?

Partnership. One of the choices for your business entity is a partnership. If you’re interested in forming a partnership, it’s important to understand that there are two types of partnership: general and limited. To form a partnership (either kind) you need at least two owners. The major difference between a general and limited partnership is ...

What is a corporation?

Corporations. Corporations are authorized to sell shares of stock to investors. The corporate structure allows stockholders to transfer stocks easily to other owners without a lot of red tape. That’s why this structure is a popular choice for organizations that are going after investment income.

Why is it important to hire a lawyer?

However, if your business is subject to a lawsuit, you’ll be relieved that you hired a lawyer. When evaluating lawyers, you should ask a lot ...

What is a general business lawyer?

1. General Business Lawyer. As the name suggests, a general business lawyer can provide legal advice on a wide range of matters. This type of lawyer has a hand in every legal discipline. If your business doesn’t deal with special circumstances, a general business lawyer may be well suited to your purposes.

How does M&A affect a business?

Contract law and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) will only affect your business if you deal in these areas. If your business is subject to contracts, then you increase the risk. M&A lawyers are probably the least likely you’ll face but could cost you the most as damages from deals are usually for large sums of money.

What kind of law do lawyers specialize in?

People sometimes wonder what types of lawyers are available to them. Lawyers often specialize in either business law or personal law. For this reason, you should search for lawyers who have business law experience.

What is an employment lawyer?

Employment and Labor Lawyer. Using an employment and labor lawyer only makes sense when your business has employees. If it does, your business should comply with state and federal laws. An attorney in this area of the law can help you draft employee manuals and ensure safety standards are in place.

How to find a tax attorney?

When searching for a tax attorney, choose ones that have experience in dealing with tax law. They should be licensed to be a lawyer and have gone through tax law training, preferably a master’s degree. If you belong to an association for your business, consider asking around for a referral.

What are the aspects of employment that affect a business?

Some of the employment aspects that could affect your business are wrongful terminations, workplace discrimination, and sexual harassment . This isn’t a complete list, which is why this type of lawyer can keep your business protected.

What is a business lawyer?

A business lawyer—also called a corporate attorney, corporate lawyer or commercial lawyer—is a legal professional who focuses on issues that affect businesses, including taxation, business transactions and intellectual properties. These professionals might negotiate settlement terms, write legal documents or argue their clients' cases in courts.

What does a business lawyer do?

Lawyers help organizations or individuals throughout legal processes related to businesses. They help their clients file cases, prepare legal documents and oversee trial cases and hearings. Other duties include settling claims, sending correspondence and taking depositions.

Salary and job outlook

Business lawyers often offer legal services by the hour, with rates depending on the legal issue, type of law firm and region. The average base salary of a business lawyer is $139,825 per year. Chief legal officers typically earn higher salaries, while recent law graduates earn the lowest salaries.

Business lawyer job description example

Our private law practice seeks a reliable business lawyer for managing real estate and business transaction cases. They will be responsible for maintaining accurate and organized case files and working closely with our dedicated paralegals to satisfy court requirements for our growing list of valued clients.

How to become a business lawyer

To become a lawyer, you need to pass industry exams and meet the minimum educational requirements for the area you plan to practice law. Here are the typical requirements for becoming a business lawyer:

Related jobs

With a degree in business law and a license to practice law in your state, you can find jobs in related positions such as:

How to prevent unnecessary attorney costs?

To prevent unnecessary attorney costs at the inception of your business as well as tremendous costs after a lawsuit has been filed, you might consider a consultation arrangement with an attorney. Such an arrangement would entail you doing most of the legwork of research and the attorney providing legal review or guidance.

What to do if your business is facing challenges?

Contact a qualified business attorney to help you address potential challenges a business can face.

What happens if your business doesn't cause environmental problems?

An environmental issue arises and your business is involved (even if your business didn't cause the environmental problem, you may be penalized) Negotiating for the sale or your company or for the acquisition of another company or its assets.

Do you need legal help when it's too late?

But when you do, it's good to know where to find the right one. And -- more to the point -- you may not know you need legal help until it's too late, as attorneys can help you stay in compliance with the law and spot developing legal issues early.