Running a business can be very expensive, and so it’s best to cut down on unnecessary and expensive expenses to make sure that you can continue to run your business smoothly. There are many ways for businesses to cut down costs, but what something that should be looked at is where a business is spending the most.
Legal assistance is usually one of costs that businesses spend a lot on. After all, running a business or even a startup will require this. This is especially if the business is dealing with contracts and constant legal advice.
Indeed, legal costs and fees can be very expensive for businesses, but there are actually some ways to save on this and here are some of them.
#1 Interview multiple lawyers
It’s best to have several options before you end up signing a deal. Hiring a law firm or a lawyer for your business should be like shopping around and getting the best deal you could find. Each law firms will offer different rates and options. Most of the time, this will really depend on the tasks you need them for and the expertise of the lawyers you want in-charge with your business.
#2 Don’t skip small law firms
When looking for the right law firm, don’t ignore the offers of small firms. Of course, small firms are more likely to offer cheaper options, but this doesn’t mean that they won’t be competitive. The truth is that small firms usually have a short client list, and so they likely have more time to focus on your business.
#3 Explore and negotiate fee arrangements
When you find a good option or deal, but still think it’s still expensive, you can still negotiate or ask for payment options or arrangements. Back then, most law firms are charging businesses at an hourly rate, but this isn’t really the case nowadays.
There are now lawyers and firms that offer alternative payment options. You can check if they can bill you instead with a fixed, capped, flat-fee, contingent, and other types of rates. The bottom line is that you should always ask if you have these options available for you to avail.
#4 Clear communication with the lawyers
This should start even before you sign a contract with a lawyer or firm. Always make sure that you know how much the rate of the lawyer is and what else is included in the payments that you’ll make. This is very crucial and deceptive advertising or business talk is something illegal and prohibited by law.
#5 Do what you can do without legal counsel or lawyers
If your contract is renewable in a year or more, this means that you have the time to assess whether there are aspects in your business that doesn’t really require any legal costs. If your contract is already ending, check if you can have your bill lowered or if the current firm can fix a rate for a loyal client.
If this is not the case, you can always start asking different lawyers and law firms regarding this matter. This time around, you can already be more specific about the legal needs of your business. Such knowledge can help you figure out or come up with a better deal after a discussion and negotiation meeting with the lawyers.
