Best Small Business Attorneys
When should I employ an attorney for my business? Are the services of an attorney needed for a small business?
This is a question often asked by small business owners. Small business owners run a high risk of been sued. The cost of such a lawsuit in a year can be more than $100 billion.
So the answer to the above often repeated question is a ‘Big Yes’.
Every small business owner must have an attorney. A lawyer or attorney is needed for various legal issues and business decisions. A lawyer called in at the last moment to handle trouble is not advisable. It is better to have a lawyer right from the time you set-up your business. The lawyer can advise regarding the incorporation of type of business, check for regulation compliance and also deal with legal liability.
During the initial set-up of your company, the lawyer can help you to decide the type of business entity your business should be registered as. It can be a Sole proprietorship or limited liability or a corporation. He will check if all the legal requirements are met. He will help you with the paperwork pertaining to patents or copyright applications. He will fight against any lawsuit filed either by your customers or employees. Thus a business lawyer is helpful and needed at various levels of your business.
A good business lawyer is an essential requirement for any business entity. But it doesn’t mean that you should hire someone expensive and go beyond your budget. Hiring a lawyer can be well within your stipulated budget. You should ideally zoom-in on a good lawyer at the start your entrepreneurial journey. So to make the right choice you can decide which areas of your business you would need a lawyer. You can choose either a “generalists” who can cater to all aspects of business. In case you need a specialist who can focus on the core aspects of business then you can search accordingly. You must always keep the budget in mind when it comes to choosing an attorney. The fees can range from $150 per hour to $1,000 per hour.
So how do you go about seeking an economically viable lawyer?
There are a few excellent websites that offer legal services for small businesses at affordable rates and packages. Let’s look at a few of these websites:
LegalZoom Review
LegalZoom is a legal help platform which offers various legal services for businesses and personal matters.
The website is simple and easy to use and browse. LegalZoom offers a wide variety of services.
In the business section, you can choose services as per your business entity. If you are a sole proprietor of a small business then they can take care of legalizing your business name, getting business licenses, give you tax advice, converting your business to a limited liability company and many such types of services.
For your business needs, they have numerous monthly packages. You can choose one that is suitable for your business. If you need any advice on legal matters then you speak to their specialists and get your queries resolved. You can also avail of their option to speak to an independent lawyer. The packages are economical as it starts at $31 per month. This is much lower than standard lawyer fees. The reviews online regarding LegalZoom are quite positive.
RocketLawyer Review
RocketLawyer is another good online platform for legal services for small businesses.
Rocketlawyer makes authentic legal documents for business contracts, real estates and family matters. On the business front, it helps you with starting your business, employment & HR-related legal matters, compliance and copyright protection and more.
You can also get legal advice directly from the lawyer. You can view all legal documents on their website. It is easy to access and create legal documents in your business’s name. You need to answer the relevant questions on the website and your response the document is generated. You can print and store these documents.
This site also gives additional information about legal documents, procedures and more. It acts like a complete legal guide. Apart from this they also have their customer support specialists to answer all your queries.
You can access RocketLawyer through a mobile app as well. The pricing structure is uniquely designed wherein you can avail their free trial service for 7 days, post which you can become a premium member at just $39.99 per month. Once you become a premium member many legal services can be availed free of charge. In case you don’t want to opt for the premium membership then you can avail individual services at the rates mentioned on their website.
IncFile Review
IncFile is exclusively into providing online incorporation of businesses. If you are undecided about the type of business entity you want to establish, then the specialists at IncFile are the right team for you.
At the time of formation or incorporation of the company, you are required to fulfil legal formalities like LLC registration, agreement drafting, filing of legal report and more. IncFile helps you out with all these legalities.
The site is easy to browse and has its Learning center which is vast. You can get all the information about businesses, processes, compliances and other legal documents here. The pricing is perfect at $49 + state fees. All the formalities of your company’s formation can be dealt at just $49.
Conclusion
The main advantages of using online legal platforms are its cost-effectiveness, especially for small businesses and start-ups. You won’t able to avail legal help and guidance from independent lawyers at low rates of $31 per month.
You can choose IncFile if you need legal service only at the time of incorporation. LegalZoom and RocketLawyer are apt not only for the formation of the company but also for regular legal help.