When you start your own business, you’re handling most of the daily operations yourself. As your business grows, others will come aboard to help. When legal issues arise, you’ll likely need the expertise and experience of a business lawyer. Here are 4 possible reasons why the help of a well-trained business lawyer can pay for itself.

Corporate Structure

Your business attorney should be adept at analyzing your company and helping you select the proper structure. Each type of corporate structure carries a different level of personal liability for you, the business owner. If you choose your business structure without the help of a lawyer, you may unwittingly assume more personal risk than necessary.

Handle Lawsuits

You’ll eventually need to either file a lawsuit or protect yourself against one filed by someone else. Going to court is incredibly expensive. It’s rarely a worthwhile investment. A good business lawyer can help your company handle lawsuits while avoiding the time and expense of going to court. Often, your lawyer can even prevent legal issues from escalating into lawsuits.

Review Contracts

Running a business means using contracts. The professional relationships you have with investors, partners, vendors and employees requires the use of contracts to make sure each person’s (or entity’s) rights are protected. Many business owners make the mistake of creating these contracts without legal help. Then, they’re surprised when those contracts don’t provide adequate legal protection in court. Have your business lawyer draft these contracts to avoid issues down the road.

Labor Laws

As your business grows, you’ll continue to add employees. There are labor laws that protect your employees’ rights. Because you’ll be busy running your business, you won’t be able to keep up with the constant changes made to these laws. As a result, you may unknowingly violate your employees’ rights and find yourself the unfortunate target of a lawsuit. A business lawyer can be invaluable here. He’ll help your company avoid unnecessary labor law legal issues.

Located in Troy, Michigan, the law firm of Campbell, O’Brien & Mistele, P.C. has been serving their clients professionally, successfully, and loyally, since 1952. It was originally founded by Dale C. Campbell and Edwin G. O’Brien (formerly with the Internal Revenue Service) and was later joined by Henry E. Mistele who brought his entrepreneurial and business background to the firm. The firm now caters to small- and mid-size business and corporate clients in the entire Southeast Michigan area, as well as serving individuals in personal matters in certain practice areas. To discuss your legal matters with the attorneys of Campbell, O’Brien & Mistele, P.C., call them for a free telephone consultation.

Finding a good business attorney may be more difficult than it sounds. While it is possible to open the phone book and pick the first corporate litigation or business lawyer you see, that is often times not the best choice. The right business attorney for your company will most likely come from a referral or information service offered by the local bar association. These organizations specialize in providing businesses with corporate attorneys that best match their needs. Usually, the bar association will set up a free initial consultation with an attorney or provide you with free referrals to business lawyers that specialize in your particular area of business and is better equipped to handle your needs.

Researching corporate lawyers on the Internet is another method of finding the right business attorney, but you have to take the time to research each firm. Like searching through the phone book, there are many attorneys who label themselves as “business lawyer” or “corporate attorney,” but they may not have the specific qualifications, knowledge and experience you’re looking for. Make sure the business attorney you contact has real-world experience with legal business issues that are similar to yours.

You can also find business attorney referral websites, which sometimes offer free referrals to corporate lawyers in your area. Simply enter the search terms like “business attorney,” “starting a corporation” or “corporate litigator” and the referral service will list the best matches for you. It may take some time to receive the results, but once you have found a business lawyer that appears to be right for you, you can set up a consultation. Be sure to check with your local chamber of commerce and/or the Better Business Bureau before your face-to-face meeting. Find out if the business attorney has any complaints against them.

During the consultation, you can ask more in depth and specific questions to make sure the business attorney has the right experience and qualifications to be retained for your company. Find out exactly what the lawyer’s specialty is and if it is an area in which you need legal assistance.

After all, you will be spending a lot of time with the lawyer and they will be privy to the inner workings of your company. Having a business attorney you trust will help navigate your company through rough legal waters and get you through with an outcome that is most beneficial to your business.

At Howard, Stallings, From & Hutson, P.A., they are dedicated to helping their individual and business clients achieve success, avoid legal problems, and reach practical solutions to their legal needs. Since their firm was established in 1983, they have followed high legal and ethical standards and maintained a tradition of excellence, characterized by personal, responsive service to clients. Their attorneys provide a broad array of commercial and personal legal services. Business clients come to them to organize corporations, partnerships or LLCs, and they continue to assist them with ownership, governance, employment issues and business transactions such as buying, financing and leasing real estate. As clients expand, they help them acquire or merge with other companies, or sell their businesses, as the case may be.

With offices in Raleigh and New Bern, they are convenient to clients in the Triangle area and throughout North Carolina. From the Capitol to the Coast, their lawyers are there when and where you need them. If you would like to speak to an attorney at Howard, Stallings, From & Hutson, call them or complete their quick web contact form.