Where Do You Start With Obtaining Legal Advice For Your Business?

Running a business is a pretty complicated job that encompasses a wide range of different tasks. Often as part of that, whether to navigate regulations or assess your position in an employment issue, you’ll need to consult with legal professionals. Finding the right legal advice is crucial if you want to get answers that genuinely help your business out – let’s look at where to start.

Assessing what you need help with

Before you start with the search for legal advice, you need to identify specific legal areas where your business might need help. This can range from drafting contracts to setting up a legal business structure and ensuring ongoing intellectual property protection – that being said, it can also include a wide range of other industry-specific issues. Once you’ve identified where you’ll need help, you can start looking for firms like Weightmans that provide support in that business area.

Starting your search

Next, you’re ready to start looking for appropriate solicitors. The best place to start is often to ask other people in your niche, whether they’re a friend or a loose business connection, where they go for legal advice.

You can also take a look online, and in relevant legal directories like The Legal 500. Part of this process will consist of going through reviews of their service, to make sure that they’ve got a proven track record dealing with the kinds of issues you’ll need help with.

Initial consultation

If you’re looking for a legal professional with whom you can develop a long-term working relationship, you need to make sure that you see eye to eye. Schedule an initial meeting, where you can talk through the things you’re concerned about and see if you’re on the same page. Prepare a series of questions beforehand, and most importantly, see if you get along with each other.

Be clear

It’s important to be clear with your solicitors, and to ask for clarity from them in turn. Communicate your expectations on what you’ll need help with, including things like timeframes and their availability. Make sure that all fees are clearly communicated up front as well, so that you’re not stung by an unexpected bill.

The importance of specificity

It’s important to be fully aware of the regulatory frameworks that apply to your industry. While you might find a great solicitor, if they’re not trained and experienced in your precise legal niche, they likely won’t be able to help you in the ways that you need. They should be upfront about this, but you also need to do your due diligence; at the end of the day, it’ll be your loss if you don’t get the exact help that you need.

By taking these basic steps, you should be well on your way to seeking the legal assistance you need. Remember to focus on finding a firm or solicitor with direct experience in your niche, with a proven track record of success clearly illustrated by their reviews. Be clear with what you need help with, and the rest should slot into place. Take your time to find the right option – you can move around if you don’t think you’ve found the perfect suit, and it’ll be worth it in the long run.