which lawyer to hire for leasing a business

Your best bet is to find a lawyer who regularly represents small businesses. These lawyers are used to working with commercial leases and the problems that come with them. They understand the ins and outs of business tenancies and can often suggest effective strategies that general practitioners or specialists in other fields don't know about.

Full Answer

How much does it cost to hire a commercial lease lawyer?

Jul 23, 2020 · Applying for any licenses and permits your business might require. Interviewing and hiring employees (check into federal and state laws which regulate the hiring of employees or look to a legal agency like BizCounsel for help) Obtaining and submitting necessary IRS forms. Documenting and recording company meetings.

Why should I hire a lawyer for my rental property?

Do I need a lawyer to review a commercial lease?

Do I need a lawyer for my Small Business?

Jan 31, 2019 · Legally speaking, no: you are not required to hire a business attorney just to start a business. In fact, South Carolina Business One Stop (SCBOS) offers a free, government-provided guide for individuals who are interested in starting a business in the state. This comprehensive guide outlines our state’s rules as they pertain to starting ...

What is the best legal expertise for a business?

For example, if you own a technology company, then you might be satisfied with a corporate attorney or firm that specializes primarily in intellectual property rights and licensing, even if they have little expertise in other areas of corporate law. If you run a more generic manufacturing or service business, then you might merely need a contracts expert to assist you with client negotiations, drafting and finalizing agreements, maintaining proper corporate records, and so forth.

How to narrow your search for a lawyer?

The best way to narrow your search for a lawyer is to share your company's specific needs with a former or practicing lawyer, a trusted friend with experience hiring lawyers, or (ideally) someone who is both a lawyer and a friend . Competence, diligence, and trustworthiness are critical factors to consider when selecting legal counsel, ...

Do You Need a Business Lawyer to Start Your Business?

Legally speaking, no: you are not required to hire a business attorney just to start a business. In fact, South Carolina Business One Stop (SCBOS) offers a free, government-provided guide for individuals who are interested in starting a business in the state.

What is Business Litigation?

Business litigation refers to any type of dispute that could arise in a business setting. In the beginning, it may seem far-fetched that you’d need a business attorney for litigation purposes—you certainly have no intent on getting in a fight with anyone.

How to Hire a Business Lawyer

In the Upstate of SC, there are many business law firms to choose from. It may seem intimidating to make such a big decision for your business, but hiring a business attorney is a lot like selecting a vendor for any other business function.

Do You Need a Business Lawyer?

Whether you find yourself at the very beginning of your business’ journey or somewhere in the middle, you will likely require a business lawyer at some point or another. When it comes to your business, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What can a lawyer do for you?

Here are some of the important things a good lawyer can do for you: Spot subtle (or even not so subtle) variations on a lease clause you are familiar with, and explain its meaning to you. Warn you of hidden problems (or windfalls) in the lease that aren't-obvious to the unprofessional eye.

Who do you talk to about business?

People who provide services to the business community. Speak to your banker, accountant, insurance agent, and real estate broker. These people frequently deal with lawyers who represent business clients and are in a position to make informed judgments.

What is the best way to represent a small business?

Your best bet is to find a lawyer who regularly represents small businesses. These lawyers are used to working with commercial leases and the problems that come with them. They understand the ins and outs of business tenancies and can often suggest effective strategies that general practitioners or specialists in other fields don't know about.

How does online legal advertising work?

Online legal advertising works one of two ways: The site may simply list lawyers in your locale and in the specialty you need; you browse their self-written profiles and contact the ones you'd like to speak with. Or, like on Nolo, you type a legal question in a search box and receive answers from a few lawyers. You may choose to read more about the lawyers, and depending on what you learn, may decide from there whether to go further.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a lease?

While it's true that hiring a lawyer will add expense and perhaps time to your lease negotiations, in the long run it can be worth it.

Can you winnow out a lawyer?

If you use an Internet advertising site to find a lawyer, you can still winnow-out the ones who are not appropriate for your situation. After collecting names (or obtaining an answer from a lawyer who responds to your question), follow the suggestions in Choosing a Lawyer to Review or Negotiate Your Lease for help in making a decision.

Do lawyers specialize in real estate?

Most lawyers who don't specialize in real estate have only limited experience in landlord-tenant legal issues—and even those with some experience may know only about residential tenancies. So if you just pick a name out of the phone book or go to the lawyer who prepared your will, you may wind up with someone who's less than ideal for handling commercial lease issues.

What is a law firm?

Law firms are typically composed of partners, associates, paralegals, and interns. Not all are structured this way, but most are. It is essential that you understand whether the attorney you’re interviewing or a first-year associate will be doing your legal work; and, whether or not that matters to you!

Why is hiring a lawyer important?

Hiring the right lawyer for your startup is an important decision because your lawyer will help you with almost every step along the way. Your lawyer will guide you through some of your highest highs (raising your first round of funding) and your lowest lows (firing your first employee). Hopefully, the first lawyer you hire is around through ...

Why do law firms have retainers?

Some law firms provide the option of a monthly retainer to pay in advance for services you use throughout the month. Monthly retainers can help you budget and feel at ease for the hour phone call or simple contract you need drafted because you already budgeted for the time.

Do startups hire outside counsel?

Typically, startups hire outside counsel at the onset, and eventually hire an in-house counsel to assist with business operations and regulatory matters while continuing to retain outside counsel for more specialized legal matters.

What is Martindale Nolo?

Nolo is a part of the Martindale Nolo network, which has been matching clients with attorneys for 100+ years.

How much does a lawyer charge per hour?

Paying your lawyer by the hour is the most common method. In most parts of the United States, you can get competent services for your small business for $150 to $250 an hour. Most lawyers bill in six-, ten-, or 15-minute increments. Understand that these are the smallest "chunks" of time that the lawyer will bill for, ...

What is flat fee agreement?

In a flat fee agreement, you pay the same amount regardless of how much time the lawyer spends on the particular job. When an attorney is highly recommended by others and the flat fee is moderate, this can be a great arrangement for you.

What to do when you have runaway hourly fees?

If you are concerned about runaway hourly costs, you can ask the lawyer to agree to a "cap," or an upper billing amount. This means that when the cap has been reached (or is near), the billing will stop (and the lawyer will stop working) until you authorize more work.

How to secure a flat fee?

To secure a flat fee or cap, dangle the prospect of more work ahead. Explain to the lawyer that yours is a small business with a limited budget. Especially if you're just starting out, mention that you'll have other legal needs in the future if your business succeeds.

What is client information form?

a client information form, which asks for details on your business, your finances, and who (if anyone) referred you to the lawyer's office

Do lawyers have to be free from government regulation?

Unlike physicians, for example, who have insurance companies and the government monitoring virtually every move, lawyers are free from heavy-handed regulation. As a result, many choose to avoid bureaucratic paperwork, which they regard as a time-consuming nuisance.

The Minimalist Approach

The typical business tenant tries to get by with a minimum of legal assistance, bringing in a lawyer after the lease has been pretty well negotiated and the landlord has prepared a lease to be signed. At this point, many commitments have been made already—some perhaps unwisely.

Involve Your Lawyer Early

You might decide that using a lawyer the way Andrew did in the example above is good enough. After all, a lease got signed, although Andrew had to compromise on some early concessions he thought he had nailed down. But Andrew's method isn't the only way to get the job done—and it's not necessarily the best.

Why do landlords need a lawyer?

1. The very act of hiring a lawyer shows your landlord that you’re serious and can’t be easily pushed around or deceived. Landlords will be less likely to overstep knowing you have a lawyer on hand who can and will initiate legal action at the first sign of wrongdoing. 2.

How long is a commercial lease?

Commercial leases are typically 3 to 5 years in length. That will feel like an eternity if you are stuck with a lease that is seriously skewed to your landlord’s advantage whether its with arbitrary management fees or ridiculous eviction clauses.

What is lease protection?

It's the wording that you have to watch out for. A lease protects the Landlord, so it's favoured in their direction naturally as they are protecting their asset in which they receive cash flow, but a Tenant also has rights they need to be looked after.

Can you sign a multi-million dollar lease without a lawyer?

Anyone considering signing any kind of multi-million dollar long-term lease/agreement including entry/exit clauses without involvement of a lawyer or subject matter expert should not be holding such level of "authority to decide" ...

Do lawyers pay for themselves?

3. (Good) lawyers PAY FOR THEMSELVES. No really, they do. While having a lawyer may initially be an extra expense, he or she seriously has the ability to maximize your return on investment by saving you hundreds or even thousands over the years. Hiring a lawyer (should) cost less than one month’s rent. It’s therefore worth at least seeing if your lawyer can get you a better deal for the length of your lease.

Is commercial lease review affordable?

Commercial lease review services are more affordable than you think, especially if you consider a legal expert from Groundworks Commercial Leasing, which has been called the “UBER” of law firms because there is no overhead or mahogany desks to pay for. You just get quality advice quickly and affordably.