From the very start, any good business will need to hire two professionals – an accountant and a good business solicitor. You’re probably already aware that you need to hire an accountant, but why would you need to think about getting a solicitor if everything that you are doing is above board and legal? The truth is that hiring a solicitor has many benefits, even if you’re sure that you’re not breaking the law. There are several legal aspects of running a business that can be quite complicated to those who do not have the training and know-how, and a good legal professional can help you navigate these with ease. Here are some important factors to think about when choosing a business solicitor:
How Big is Your Business?
Even if you’re still in the process of setting up your brand-new business, it’s important to think about both its current size and your future goals when you choose a solicitor. Don’t just think about the size of your business right now – consider how much you want it to grow over the next few years and the strategies that you are going to take in order to make that happen. For example, as your business grows you, might find that you are dealing with more copyright and trademark issues, so it’s important to hire somebody who is experienced with that.
Business Property:
Whether you operate from a business premises that are rented or owned should also affect the type of solicitor that you hire. If you plan to trade on the high street, for example, then you will usually need to either rent or buy a commercial property, in which case you will need a solicitor who is experienced with this aspect of things. On the other hand, if you plan to operate your business solely online and plan to work from home, property probably won’t be a big issue when choosing your legal professional.
Intellectual Property:
If your business operates within a creative industry like the arts, media, advertising, or something else, there’s a chance that you are going to run into problems with intellectual property. Intellectual property is anything that your brand creates from new products to written content, videos, photographs, websites, logos – even hand-made craft items are intellectual property, and you might find yourself with a need to get certain things copyrighted or trademarked in order to prevent others from copying your work. Maybe you are planning to expand your business and you need someone who understands the trademark registration process in China. Or, you might see someone stealing your product designs and need to protect your brand through copywrite. If you suspect that this might be a problem for your business in the future, you will need a good solicitor with experience of trademarks and copyright.
Employees:
Even if you have never hired a solicitor for your business before, if you are preparing to hire your first employee, now is a good time to consider making this step. A good employment law solicitor like Catherine Herries-Smith can help you ensure that you fully comply with employment laws and prevent any disputes with employees. These employment law solicitors in High Wycombe specialise in all aspects of employment to help your business succeed as your team grows. Learn more at herries-smith.co.uk.
Working With Them:
Finally, it’s a good idea to spend some time with a prospective solicitor, ask them a lot of questions, and get to know them before making any final decisions. Remember that your legal professional is somebody you will want to be able to turn to for advice whenever you need it, and they need to be somebody who you can work well with.
You know that you need to hire an accountant for your business, but the reasons for hiring a solicitor are not always so obvious. Don’t allow your company to be caught out by tricky legal issues and work with a legal professional from as early as possible.
