
It’s never ideal when a meaningful business relationship breaks down or comes to an end, especially if it is one of your key advisors, such as a business lawyer. However, in many instances, you might have a compelling reason to consider new options and resources.
This article will share five key reasons that should influence you to upgrade your business lawyer to one that can deliver the outcomes that your business requires. To keep your business legal proof, at the forefront of recent developments and ahead of your competitors, you will need a passionate business lawyer on board.
It has been said that …
“The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson Tweet
Reason #1 – Not part of the team
At Lazarus Legal, our mission is to bridge the gap between the legal complexities and the ambitious business aspirations that our clients have. There is no better way to achieve this nexus other than by providing a highly personal service that allows you to have the trust and confidence you need as you grow your business.
But what does a “personal service” mean in the legal context?
Well, at Lazarus Legal, a personal service is not only about picking up the phone and replying to emails, but it is about having a trustworthy client-lawyer relationship in which clients feel a sense of comfort in knowing that their business sits at the apex of legal protection
Your business lawyer does not only need to understand your legal obligations and rights, they need to fully get the bigger picture, mission, and ethos of your business. By being fully immersed in your business and passionate about their role they can better grasp your challenges, problems, plans to grow and be a solid rock you can rely on.
The crucial question here is, why would you pay business lawyers a hefty monthly retainer? If it’s just to get technical advice, many lawyers can give sound legal advice at a lower cost. Paying a great business lawyer means you should get a solid lawyer-client relationship that is highly personal and feels like they are part of the team.
If you are not getting this trustworthy and personal business relationship with your current lawyer, it’s time to look for other options.
Reason #2 – The bill keeps going up.
When hiring an external legal counsel (or any external contractor for that matter), the golden rule is to have complete transparency as to the expected cost of their services. When hiring a business lawyer, you need to allocate a reasonable budget but also ensure that your lawyer will honour it. The last thing your business needs is to get a massive bill at the end of the month.
Granted, there are times you or your business might request additional services; for the most part, your legal bill should match what you’ve initially agreed on. A great business lawyer will always keep you updated and advise you when the agreed quota of hours have been consumed and get your approval to add more work and billable hours.
Reason #3 – They are slow in their responses.
In this day and age, everything moves fast. To grow, you must be able to make quick yet reasonable decisions. If your lawyer cannot reply back to you and give you the answers you urgently need, then your business is likely to be negatively impacted. A business lawyer who is passionate about your business’s growth and is heavily invested in your work will not keep you waiting for a response.
Of course, it is unrealistic to expect your lawyer to be available around the clock the entire week, including the weekends. However, if they don’t get back to you for over a day or two on urgent matters, it’s time to bring it up or find someone who can give you the responsiveness you need.
This brings us to the question of what happens when your lawyer is on leave? Well, in this case, one of the best advantages of working with a law firm is that you can always have someone to support you even when your lead lawyer is not around. At Lazarus Legal, our lawyers operate as external legal in-house counsels. This means that our clients get the advantage of working with lawyers who fully understand their business as well as the flexibility and availability of working with our other lawyers when and if they need their assistance.
Reason #4 – You are not getting the outcomes you need.
This is perhaps one of the most critical reasons to upgrade your lawyer. But let us preface this point with the following, it is not realistic to always get the legal outcomes your business expects. However, a great lawyer will hit the mark more often than not. A great lawyer is someone that will come out on top when the stakes are high.
In saying that, like every other profession, there are different levels of competencies across the board. If your business lawyer is often not rising to the occasion and perhaps letting you down, there is a valid and urgent reason to consider other alternatives.
Reason #5 – They don’t understand your industry and product.
When it comes to the law, there is no ‘one size fits all’ lawyer. Every country, state and industry, has specific laws and regulations. Even within the law, many areas often require lawyers to specialise in them. A very important conversation to have with your lawyer is to understand their areas of expertise but also how much they know about your industry. For example, if you are construction business, you need to ensure that your lawyer has full knowledge and experience in dealing with construction-specific litigations and disputes.
You’ll never find a lawyer who understands all matters of the law to a level of speciality. However, your lawyer should have great experience in the majority of the matters that occur throughout your business journey. When and if a matter arises that they cannot handle, you need to know that they can bring the right resource to fight a good fight and get you the outcomes you deserve.
Key Takeaway
Hiring and working with a business lawyer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make within your business. It is crucial to know when the time is right to look for a new lawyer who can assist your business with its continual growth and meet its legal obligations.
There are many ways to engage a lawyer but the most important step is finding someone that understands your business and can passionately and wholeheartedly serve your business to achieve its desired outcomes.
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Mark Lazarus
Mark Lazarus, the visionary behind the business and the fresh blood of the Lazarus Legal team, Mark (or Laz as he is often known) owes much of his success to his past experiences. And he’s made it his personal goal to bring that wisdom and formula to the firm.