How to Find the Business Attorney Who’s Right for Your

The legal field can be highly complex and varied, and
not all attorneys are experienced in the myriad
issues affecting small businesses. When selecting an
attorney to handle your company’s legal affairs, don’t
just call the first attorney you come across in the
phone book.

by Jeffrey Moses

Instead, rely on the referral system. Talk with owners
of small businesses in your area, and ask for
recommendations. Your direct competitors might balk at
referring you to their attorneys, but non-competing
owners usually will be pleased to discuss the subject.
If you have trouble getting referrals, call your local
Bar Association. Always focus on finding attorneys with
experience in small-business law.

Draw up a list of four or five attorneys to whom you’ve
been referred. Speak with them first on the phone and
then set up a personal meeting with the three that seem
most promising. There’s nothing like a face-to-face
meeting to see how well you’ll get along with an
attorney and to determine how experienced he or she is
in regards to your specific needs.

Ask for a list of references so you can contact them
before the meeting. The list may include former and
previous clients (particularly other small businesses),
other attorneys and officials at organizations with
which you may frequently deal.

Take your business plan to the meeting so you can
discuss all pertinent details of your present and
future operations. A lawyer may not have extensive
experience in your particular industry, but he or she
should have experience in closely related fields that
have legal needs similar to yours.

Look for the following traits during the meeting:

* Affordability. Ask about hourly fees or fixed fees
for specific projects. Note: don’t strike an attorney
off your list based on hourly rate alone. An
experienced lawyer may be able to accomplish in several
hours what could take an inexperienced lawyer a full
day or more. This could save you money, but it’s hard
to determine in advance how quickly someone will work.
When talking with the clients used as references, ask
about fees in relation to actual time billed.

* Willingness to work with a company of your size. Be
direct: ask if small projects that may not take much
time will receive the same prompt attention as issues
of larger companies. This is one of the most important
aspects of finding a good fit. Many lawyers will tell
you they don’t mind handling small jobs, but the proof
will come quickly after hiring them.

* Ability to explain complex legal issues in simple
terms. You’ll need to understand what your attorney is
doing, so don’t let someone steamroll you with a lot of
legalese.

* Your personal feeling for the relationship. It’s not
necessary that an attorney become your best friend, but
why work with someone you don’t get along with? Your
goal in finding a business attorney is to establish a
long-term relationship that will ease your company’s
growth to the next level, and beyond. The more
harmonious you are with your attorney, the more
pleasant and perhaps more effective each of your
meetings will be.

* How quickly the attorney will return your calls. Make
a big point of this. When you have something important
and timely, it will be frustrating if your attorney
doesn’t return your calls for days at a time. Again,
the real test of this will come after you begin the
relationship.

* How eager the attorney is for your business. If the
attorney’s attention wanders during the meeting or if
continual incoming calls disturb the meeting, it’s
likely that you’ll receive the same level of service
after you’ve established a relationship.

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