When I started getting serious about my business and building my brand, I realized that I wasn't prepared to handle any legal problems that we might come across. I didn't know how to defend myself against allegations of wrongdoing in the business realm, but my company was getting large enough that it started to attract some unwanted attention from competitors. To set things straight, I decided to hire a business attorney to help us out. Our lawyer was amazing, and he went through and coached us so that we would know how to handle problems. I was really impressed with his services. This blog is all about why you should have a business attorney.
As you expand your small business, you'll encounter a number of reasons that you'll need legal expertise on your team. Whether you're expanding into overseas markets or protecting your growing number of unique ideas, you'll want help from an attorney. Here are some of the areas where a legal resource is necessary to keep your business growing smoothly.
Human Resource Management
As you grow the expertise in your company, you may begin to rely on contractors, consultants, and even staff you hire in other countries. A lawyer that specializes in human resources and labor management will make sure that you are protected and compliant, wherever you find the skills. They will understand the labor laws of other countries and how hiring and managing employees there affects your business. They also will help develop the contracts that are necessary to protect your company's information when working with consultants and contractors temporarily.
Business Partnerships and Intellectual Property
Your growth may involve working with other companies in partnership on various projects. An attorney will know how to create partnership agreements that protect the interests of all of the companies involved. These agreements specify how each business handles the information it learns from the other companies in the partnership. This protects the intellectual assets that must be accessed by the other partners from being used outside of the current project and for their own gain.
Patents and Trademarks
The unique ideas and inventions that your team creates need to be protected, as well. Filing for protection of those ideas is a complicated task, and one for which a patent attorney is necessary. Working with an attorney on this keeps your team focused on their creative responsibilities and not the administrative tasks of preparing a filing.
Engaging an attorney to register trademarks with you is also a good move. Your brand is important to the growth and recognition of your company. Making sure that trademarks are in place will also help when growing in global markets. Many countries respect U.S. trademark laws even if they have their own system for regulating branded information.
Other Uses of Legal Resources
Beyond these key areas where you'll want to have legal assistance, other activities that benefit from such a resource include:
17 March 2016
