Sapna is a content writer at Sprintlaw. She has completed a Bachelor of Laws with a Bachelor of Arts. Since graduating, she has worked primarily in the field of legal research and writing, and now helps Sprintlaw assist small businesses.
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The law plays a pretty strong role in the area of business, so if you are running or thinking of starting a business, then the help of a legal expert is extremely beneficial.
Some business owners like to think, “it’s fine, I can manage it on my own”.
This, more often than not, ends up being a pretty costly mistake for them. Getting the help of a lawyer – or an attorney (we’ll explain this in more detail below) can ensure your business has the protection necessary for it to properly function in the business world.
Keep reading to find out how you can choose the right attorney for your small business.
What Is An Attorney?
The word attorney is used to describe a legal practitioner. In Australia, the term attorney isn’t used all that frequently. Rather, we tend to use the general term ‘lawyer’. If we want to be more specific, then we’ll say a solicitor or a barrister.
Even though we don’t say attorney very often, the word can get thrown around here and there. No need to stress about which one to use though. When you hear or read the word attorney, it’s safe to assume that a lawyer is being talked or written about.
Is It The Same As ‘Power Of Attorney?’
No, a practising attorney doesn’t actually have much to do with the ‘power of attorney’.
‘Power of attorney’ refers to assigning legal authority to someone else to make decisions on your behalf. For example, if you're worried that you may have declining health in the future, causing you to lose the capacity to make sound legal or financial decisions for yourself, then power of attorney can be utilised here.
By giving someone else the power of attorney (when the time comes), that person will then have the legal authority to make those decisions for you. It’s important to assign this power to someone you trust – yes, this person can be your own attorney (however it doesn't have to be).
What Is A Business Attorney?
A business attorney is a lawyer that specialises in some form of business law. When you're sorting the legal side of running a business, you’ll need to find a really good lawyer to help you out. This is where you start to look for a business attorney.
Small Business Lawyers can help you out with a number of business related tasks. Though, be wary of lawyers who claim they can do everything under the umbrella of business law.
Business law is a pretty broad area as it covers a lot of different aspects. Therefore, it simply wouldn’t be possible for one legal practitioner to be expertly seasoned and informed about every single thing related to business law.
Think about it, only after years of study, practice and experience can someone become an expert in just one area of law. It’s possible for lawyers to have a couple of specialisations. However, if a single legal practitioner claims they can do everything related to business law, this is usually a pretty big red flag.
It’s best to seek an attorney that specialises in what you need – law firms like Sprintlaw have different types of business law experts under the one roof.
What Things Can A Business Attorney Help With ?
A business attorney helps their clients with the legal side of their business. A few areas you’d go to a business attorney for include:
For most businesses, you’ll likely run into more than one of these areas while managing your business. That means, you’ll need the help of a business lawyer multiple times. It’s best to have a law firm as your go-to, that way legal help is available when you need it.
Thankfully, Sprintlaw can help with all of these areas and more! A Sprintlaw Membership gives you the liberty of phone consultations with our legal experts whenever you need it – we’d say it’s worth looking into.
How Do I Choose An Attorney For My Small Business?
When choosing an attorney for your small business, it’s important to look for someone who’s honest, transparent, reliable and an expert in their chosen area of business law. That means, if you’re looking to get a Trade Mark Registered, it’s best not to go to someone who specialises in Contract Drafting.
This can mean you'll be running to different types of lawyers for various business legal matters. We understand that’s a hassle, which is why it’s best to go to a law firm that specialise in helping small businesses. That way, all your legal needs can be taken care of in one place. We don’t mean to brag but that is exactly what we are at Sprintlaw.
Plus, our legal experts are fully qualified, highly trained legal experts that believe in providing quality legal services in the easiest way possible. Online and at your convenience, with fixed fee pricing, so you don’t need to worry about being sent a bill that’s sky high.
So, it doesn’t matter if you’re thinking of expanding your business into a Franchise or want a Privacy Policy for your website drafted – we’ve got all your business legal needs covered.
Next Steps
Choosing the right attorney for your small business is an important decision that will have a huge impact on your business’s future. It’s vital to take the time to do your research and make a decision that’s best for your business. To summarise what we’ve discussed:
- Legal experts, often referred to as lawyers or attorneys, are crucial for businesses
- Attempting to handle legal matters independently can be costly and risky
- Choosing the right attorney is essential for protecting your business
- The term "attorney" is used less frequently in Australia; "lawyer," "solicitor," and "barrister" are more common
- A "power of attorney" is different from a practising attorney, as it involves assigning decision-making authority to someone else
- A business attorney specialises in various aspects of business law
- Business law encompasses many areas, so it's advisable to choose an attorney with relevant expertise
- A business attorney can assist with franchising, consumer law, intellectual property, contracts, regulatory compliance, employment law and more
- When selecting an attorney, look for honesty, transparency, reliability, and expertise in the specific area of business law you require
- Consider using a law firm specialising in small businesses to address various legal needs
- Sprintlaw is an example of such a firm, offering qualified legal experts and fixed fee pricing for convenience
- The right attorney choice is crucial for your business's future success
- Take the time to research and make an informed decision for your business's legal needs
If you would like a consultation on choosing the right attorney for your small business, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.
Sapna Goundancontent writer
