If you run a business, you have a lot of things to think about. Between making sales, managing supplies, and working with employees, your day is likely chock full of tasks that feel far more urgent and profitable than talking to a lawyer.

Many small business owners hire an attorney for the first time when they are confronted with a lawsuit, only to find that they could have saved a lot of hassle by working with a legal professional earlier on. You may want to consider consulting a business lawyer before you experience any acute legal challenges.

What is a Business Lawyer?

A business lawyer (also sometimes called a corporate lawyer) is a specialized attorney who focuses on legal issues that affect businesses. Business lawyers can help with taxes, personnel policies, intellectual property, financial contracts, and more.

Most business attorneys are well-equipped to handle business formation needs, like creating an LLC or drafting business contracts. Some attorneys also focus on specific practice areas like tax law or trademarks.

When to Hire a Business Lawyer

You should hire a business lawyer any time you are facing a complicated legal issue, starting a new venture, or in a situation that could be affected by legal changes. Hiring a business lawyer can help you with avoiding future problems as well as dealing with current ones.

There will almost certainly be times when your business faces legal issues that are too complex to handle on your own. You may want to hire a business lawyer in situations like the following:

  • A former employee is suing your company
  • A government entity is investigating your company’s compliance with the law
  • You are negotiating to acquire another company’s assets

It’s also a good idea to call a business lawyer in any situation that could involve the government or may be affected by legal changes:

  • Tax planning
  • Business acquisitions and sales
  • Reorganizations and mergers
  • Business contracts
  • Financial contracts
  • Personnel policies
  • Employment contracts

If you’re just starting out with a new venture, you should seriously consider forming a long-term relationship with a business lawyer. Ideally, you will want to know a legal professional with broad knowledge and the ability to refer you to specialists as needed.

You don’t need an attorney for every aspect of running your business, but working with a lawyer initially will help you avoid tricky legal problems later on.

How to Hire the Best Lawyer for Your Business

If you are looking for long-term legal counsel, you will likely want to choose a lawyer with broad expertise in business law. They should understand your business niche and make you feel comfortable.

A lawyer who brings other resources to the table, like webinars, events, and a professional network, can bring more value to your business. When you need advice for legal matters that require additional expertise, your lawyer should be able to refer you to specialists such as a business tax planning lawyer or business acquisitions and sales lawyer.

Hiring a Business Lawyer in Snohomish County

Anderson Hunter has been serving the legal needs of businesses in our community for over 100 years. We provide general legal counsel in a broad range of areas, including entity formation, business acquisitions, reorganizations, anti-trust, and pension & profit sharing.

Our reputation for responsive, personal service is evidence of the importance we place on each of our clients. Contact us today to get in touch with one of our experienced business lawyers in Everett, WA.

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