Business Law Blog on Lawyers.com

If you need a corporate lawyer for your business, experienced business owners will tell you to take your time and do the same due diligence that you would hope your legal counsel will display once hired.

The first step is compiling a list of prospective outside counsel, something that can be done through a variety of means.  One of the best ways to get started, however, is to use your existing contracts to get some ideas of who is doing what or rely on referrals from business friends.

However you compile your  list of prospective counsel you want to be sure and ask questions designed to  determine which firm is the best fit for your needs.  In my experience I have found three things that really help you cut to the chase – experience, the ability to efficiently get the job done and, frankly, chemistry.

Look at the background of the firms to see if it they have experience with the type of matters that you need assistance with. It helps if the firm has experience with your specific industry. Obviously you can make good use of law firm website such as Martindale Hubble to get information before you even interview.  We have detailed biographies and area information about what we do and why we’re great at it.

Find out who will be handling your firm’s work and how it will be priced out.  How fast a firm can turn around a legal matter and whether a lawyer or lawyers with the appropriate seniority and skill sets will be handling specific tasks can make a real difference in the final billing. Right now it pays to shop around. There are many attorneys with great experience and ability locally who are not charging what the larger firms in more populated areas are charging.  Efficiency in handling work is also important.  Our firm goes out of the way to make sure that your matters are handled in the most cost effective way possible.

Obviously if you can get the work done efficiently, that can be even more important than the hourly rate. You don't want to pay $150 an hour for an inexperienced lawyer to handle a matter and have him or her take 10 hours to complete it when a more experienced lawyer charging $200 an hour can complete it in half an hour. And if the firm has the resources and experience you need especially in specialized areas such as intellectual property, trademarks and copyright and is charging a fair price, you have a real deal.  Also find out if a partner or a lower ranked legal specialist will be handling your work.

It’s important to get billing arrangements in writing. While there are flat fees and retainers, the most common arrangement is still the hourly rate, which is not always the most efficient method for the client. Look for firms that are flexible and willing to consider arrangements that are value driven.  Our firm does its best to  make sure that in times like these we are in line with your search for value.

Finally, know that all of this is of little consequence, if there is no chemistry between you and the lawyer, even if the lawyer in question has tremendous credentials. If the firm’s members are out in the community offering help where it’s needed,   it’s likely that they also have people skills and the ability to be value driven when it comes to working for you. If you are looking for a firm that values your time and experience and puts your needs first, you should check us out.