You can’t be successful in the business world if you don’t have trustworthy experts to help you reach the next level. From IT professionals to business analysts, you need to surround yourself with talented individuals who can guide your business forward. More often than not, the talent you need isn’t available in the business structure. Advisors, consultants, and lawyers are generally contracted in an advisory function to support strategic business decisions. As such, you need to be sure of their skills from Day One. For companies whose projects rely on a thorough understanding of the law, an unreliable business lawyer is the worst thing that could happen.
#1. They’ve been sued by clients
An attorney is a dedicated professional who works hard not only to gain the best understanding of the law but also to provide the best solution to their clients. If you discover that your legal advisor is involved in a series of lawsuits against attorneys, it might be an indication that their previous work wasn’t up to standard. Ultimately, you want someone you can trust, and that means someone who makes sure their clients are satisfied and served to the best of their knowledge.
#2. They’re never available when you need them
You never know what the day will be made of. Whether you need to protect your brand’s reputation or to manage employee issues, no business owner can survive the challenges of the day without a lawyer on speed dial. While this shouldn’t be a test of trust when you find it tricky to get in touch with your attorney – or if they don’t return your calls –, it’s probably time to look for someone else.
Does your attorney return your calls?
#3. You’ve noticed errors in contracts
Your attorney helps you to ensure that your business contracts are beyond reproach. As a result, you expect their grammar and spelling to be on point. When you receive a contract that contains many mistakes, you need to be realistic about what it means. It’s not a matter of whether or not your lawyer is a talented writer. Ultimately, mistakes imply that your trusted legal advisor lacks time to check their work, which makes them less reliable. Misspelling a name or getting a data wrong could make your contract void. Is it a risk worth taking?
#4. They also work for your competitors
In a specific business sector, it can be difficult to find legal specialists who understand your market. In other words, your attorney might also work with your competitors. In most cases, it doesn’t represent a conflict of interest. However, if your lawyer represents your competitor in a matter of patent practice, you need to make sure they do things by the book – in a negotiation process that is related to the work of your competitor, the law firm needs to obtain the full consent of both clients, for instance. This could create a conflict of interest, which you could avoid by changing law firm.
#5. They lack experience
When it comes to lawyers, you want your advisor to have accumulated several years of practice before acting as an independent professional.
In the business world, finding a lawyer you can trust is detrimental to your growth strategy. Indeed, the right lawyer can provide the support you need to handle client, employee, and market issues effectively. Therefore, it’s vital for business owners to figure out very early in their legal relationship whether they’ve found the best attorney for their situation.
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