If you’re a small business, chances are you’ll be sued this year. In fact, 36 to 53 percentof all small businesses attract at least one lawsuit annually. You’ll need a good lawyer for advice and, preferably, to settle the matter before it goes to trial. Of course, good lawyers don’t grow on trees, and they aren’t cheap either. However, with some effort and research, you can usually acquire legal assistance at pocket-friendly prices – and sometimes completely for free. Today, Jeas Corp Consultation and Services brings you the low-down on affordable legal services in this mini-guide.
Frequently sought-after legal services
Lawyers can assist, represent, and guide in various ways, big and small. According to Cronus Law, here are some common services you may need one for (aside from direct representation):
● Contractual work: Small businesses need to draft many simple and complex contracts, ranging from sales to letters of authorization. Lawyers can draft such contracts and show you how to use them.
● Employment: Lawyers can be consulted for matters like employment contracts and legal events like termination of an employee or employee theft.
● Regulations: Businesses must adhere to countless local, state, and federal rules and regulations, from formation to operations to sales. Lawyers can offer guidance.
● Product liability issues: You need a lawyer to represent you when you end up facing a lawsuit for a faulty product or deficient service.
● Tax audits: Audit lawyers can assist in tax disputes and reduce the amount of tax owed. They also guide you through your tax laws. You can also reach out to the experts at Jeas Corp Consultation and Services for tax planning, tax risk management, and tax compliance services.
Acquiring affordable but quality legal assistance
You don’t need a lawyer for everything. If it isn’t complicated or doesn’t involve representation, for example, you can manage it yourself. And you can always secure affordable legal aid when you need it if you know where to look.
Google your query
Businesses tend to encounter similar problems, and all have similar obligations. Entrepreneurs commonly air their grievances online and often ask for assistance from the community on various niche sites or forums. With a well-worded query, you can find enlightening legal material, discussions, and advice from top attorneys on the best way to move forward in your situation. Of course, reading discussions doesn’t count as legal advice. When in doubt, always consult an attorney to avoid major headaches down the road.
Save by creating templates for everyday contracts and documents
Contracts are critical – they protect your business from losses, outline responsibilities clearly, and give you legal standing. Customer contracts, especially, are a powerful tool when wielded properly and, ideally, should be drafted by an experienced attorney. Once you have a few contracts made for common jobs, purchases, and sales, you have a reusable template in your hands for similar circumstances in the future. You don’t have to pay for unique contracts every time. Just change the name of the parties involved and fill in necessary details like names, dates, and prices.
Use official resources
There are several official resources out there chock-full of legal aid, research, forms, opinions, and reports. The Federal Trade Commission offers advice on legal matters around running a business, such as advertising, marketing, and privacy. The Small Business Administration website has a legal compliance section for advice on information, documentation, and administration. For tax-related advice and research, you can visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website.
Ask lawyers online and check professional law websites
If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer but still need a unique pressing query answered, you can use an online free consultation site. Qualified business attorneys will often offer surface-level feedback and guidance on your problem for free. You can generally find reliable assistance on sites like LawGuru.com, Lawyers.com, and LegalZoom.com. Further, if you need a primer on a technical subject, you can look it up on private law blogs or sites like Nolo.com.
Sign up for cheap or free workshops
Many lawyers host cheap or free workshops where they talk about their area of expertise. Attending such a workshop can often give you much-needed insight into an area and doubles as affordable business coaching. Here, you should also be able to meet people in the same boat as you and sometimes join forces or learn from each other. Don’t go in expecting specific advice, though, as these sessions are broad in scope. Lawyers may be willing to field a question or two, but usually nothing too specific.
Get free assistance or consultations from local lawyers
The American Bar Association mandates lawyers spend 50 hours assisting people and organizations of limited means each year. Don’t get too excited – unless you’re in dire straits financially, such assistance is hard to come by. Still, you should at least be able to swing a free initial consultation from most lawyers. With enough convincing, you may even be able to agree on a few to lower their usual rates. When all else fails, you can always visit your local law school. They permit law students to offer cheap or pro-bono assistance to small business owners. They’re supervised by experienced attorneys, don’t worry.
Look into alternate payment structures
Working capital tends to be difficult to free up for small business owners. In case you need legal representation but don’t have the liquidity – and don’t want debts – you can explore alternate payment structures like offering equity for services rendered. For instance, instead of cash, you offer a lawyer a minor percentage stake in your business instead. An alternative is the contingency payment structure. With this, you only pay if your lawyer wins the case. Both options can save you money and can induce the lawyer into working harder at winning the case, as they now have a personal stake in the matter. Be very careful when offering equity, you don’t want to deal with conflicts of interest.
Conclusion
One of the best business decisions you’ll ever make is finding a good business lawyer and cultivating a solid relationship with them. When you’re in legal hot water or are stuck navigating a labyrinth of rules and regulations, it pays to have an experienced, knowledgeable attorney in your corner. The right lawyer can bail you out of trouble, assist in making informed business decisions, and handle the nitty-gritty of your various legal obligations.
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Jeas Corp Consultation and Services is here for individual taxpayers and businesses so they can minimize tax liability and maximize business profit margin. Contact us today for more information! 703-344-8154
Authored by Alexandra Teeter (alexandrateeter@worksowell.com)