3 Signs That It's Time To Hire A Lawyer For Your Small Business

17 June 2015
 Categories: Law, Blog

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As a small business owner, you are probably always looking for ways to do things yourself so that you can cut down on costs. Therefore, you might have never thought about hiring an attorney to help you with your small business before.

Although it's certainly possible to run many small businesses without the assistance of a lawyer, there are some situations in which you and your business are both at risk if you don't seek out legal representation. These are a few signs that it's time to hire a lawyer for your small business.

1. You are Facing a Lawsuit

If you find that you are facing a lawsuit, you will need to seek legal representation immediately. However, if possible, you might not want  to wait until the lawsuit has actually been filed before you hire an attorney. If someone has threatened to sue you in conversation, or if you know that one of your employees has possibly discriminated against someone or sexually harassed someone, or if you otherwise think that a lawsuit could be impending, it's best to be proactive and hire a lawyer immediately.

2. You Are Making Big Financial Changes

If you are planning on selling part of your company, bringing in business partners or otherwise making big financial changes, you should consider hiring a lawyer beforehand. Then, you can help ensure that you do things legally and will have a legal professional to help you draw up the contracts and other paperwork.

3. You're Concerned About Environmental Issues

You should know that environmental issues can be a big deal for your company. If your company has caused pollution -- either accidentally or knowingly -- then there is a good chance that you will need an attorney. Even if the environmental issue at hand was not your fault -- such as if you bought your property like it is but later found that it is negatively impacting the environment -- then you could find yourself facing heavy fines and serious legal issues. In all of these situations, it's smart to hire a lawyer to help protect you and your business.

As you can see, hiring a lawyer for your small business can be a smart idea in many situations. These are all cases in which you should hire a lawyer to help represent you and your business, but if you feel uncomfortable or need legal assistance in another situation, then it's still a good idea to talk to a business attorney at http://www.carterwestlaw.com about your concerns. In the end, it's better to be too well protected rather than not protected at all when it comes to legal issues.