How to Hire a Corporate Lawyer

Whether you are looking to create a corporation or you already own one and need help keeping your business legal, hiring a corporate lawyer is a smart move. When looking to hire a corporate lawyer, you will want to check credentials, work histories and references to ensure that you get the best advice.

Instructions

Research Available Lawyers

1. Check the bar association website for the state in which your corporation resides. Bar association websites list attorneys who are licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. You can obtain a list of attorneys who work near you by clicking on the names of attorneys or by searching by city.

2. Refine your search to include only lawyers who specialize in corporate law. Lawyers must pass additional tests and have specialized experience in order to claim they are specialists. Bar association websites note which licensed attorneys are also corporate-law specialists.

3. Ask other business owners to recommend corporate attorneys with whom they have worked. Ask the business owner what project the corporate attorney was hired for, how she approached the project and whether the lawyer had a personable demeanor when dealing with outside parties.

4. Review the discipline history for any corporate lawyer on your short list. State bar associations add notes to their websites about any disciplinary action taken against attorneys.

Interview Prospective Candidates

1. Ask each lawyer you may hire whether he practices corporate law exclusively. Corporate law is complicated, and attorneys who practice in multiple fields of law may not have the exposure to provide you with the most up-to-date advice.

2. Discuss the specific type of project for which you need to hire a corporate lawyer. There are many sub-specialties within the field of corporate law. Ideally, you want to hire an attorney who sub-specializes in the area of law with which you need help.

Enumerate the Terms of Employment

1. Discuss the exact nature and scope of the project for which you are hiring the lawyer. This will help you determine a fair fee, and it may help both parties understand exactly what is expected of them. For example, if you only need a corporate lawyer to draw up the paperwork, tell your lawyer this before you hire him.

2. Put the entire employment agreement in writing. Include the work the attorney will perform for your corporation and the fee she will earn. Also, state when the fee will be paid.

Tips & Warnings

• Even if a lawyer comes highly recommended, always check the state bar association website to be sure she is properly licensed. Some work performed by unlicensed attorneys will not be legally effective.

• If you need help with a corporate merger, ask each lawyer you interview how many mergers he has facilitated and whether his clients were satisfied.