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24 Sep, 2014 by Anonymous
To Anyone Seeking An Attorney:
This letter is a testimonial for attorney Ken Chyten from two very grateful clients. We would like to say at the start that we consider ourselves fortunate to have had Ken Chyten as our advocate. He is an exemplary attorney, and we give him our highest and most unqualified recommendation.
We are a married couple who were involved in very complex and highly contentious business litigation. From the outset, and during the entire course of the lawsuit, Ken showed a keen grasp of the legal issues. He kept us informed of everything as it transpired, and was accessible whenever we needed him, including evenings and weekends. Ken demonstrated an incomparable work ethic, and a phenomenal commitment to thorough preparation.
Ken was opposed in our case by a very large and prominent law firm. Ken responded with tenacity and brilliance, while always being composed, adroit, and confident. Ken’s litigation strategy was ingenious, and his implementation of that strategy was unparalleled. If Ken Chyten is your attorney, you can rest assured that if your case goes to trial, you will be going to trial with a thoroughly prepared advocate who will have thought through every aspect of the case, and who will have covered every last detail.
Ken’s billing is transparent and fair. Indeed, he has been generous and considerate in the extreme. He is a man of honor and integrity; a true man of his word. We have come through the crucible of litigation considering Ken to be not only a supremely competent, razor-sharp attorney, but a good friend as well.
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10 Apr, 2014 by Anonymous
Ken Chyten recently handled a breach of contract law suit for me. Unlike most other firms, Ken does not have big overhead costs that you get billed for. He handles the cases from start to finish with no duplicate charges for a paralegal, admin assistant, associate attorney etc. In my case, I was able to work in collaboration with Ken. He listened to and reviewed my concerns, my arguments and evidence and then negotiated with the counter-party to achieve a favorable outcome after a long and protracted battle by the counter-party. I was very pleased with the outcome and am confident that a similar result would have cost me much more at most other large or small law firms. Ken knows his stuff and is diligent and hard working for his clients. I highly recommend him in the areas he practices.
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02 Oct, 2013 by Paul
When my litigation law firm in Sydney needed to recover a large sum in California, we did our research and Ken came highly recommended. We were not disappointed. Ken undertook our matter with zeal and thoroughness. He saw off a number of large law firms who represented our opponents and easily outperformed all of the other lawyers involved. Ken’s tactics were brilliant, and he was aggressive and tenacious. We achieved a spectacular result that surpassed our expectations and was much quicker than we had hoped. Without doubt Ken is one of the finest lawyers I have ever met. I only wish he was in Australia and I could retain him more often.
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17 Mar, 2016 by Heather
Mark helped me through a very difficult issue with the upmost professionalism and expertise. He was honest and realistic with me through the whole case but also empathetic when I needed it. I highly recommend him.
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01 Mar, 2018 by Anonymous
I've worked with Mr. Scott for the last 8 years, on and off. He helped me put my LLC into play. He also helped me, with different personal situations. He's is extremely professional, and was very savvy with all my needs.
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23 Sep, 2024 by Holly barrow
Aweful experience. I was handed a folder full of "how much money and how many magazines I've been in". Then they declined our case even though a ventura doctor was the main cause of my father's sudden passing because it wouldn't make the law office millions and he told us Ventura county is allowed to hire D- doctors. Now we lost our dad, the doctor kept practicing and my mom struggled for years because my dad was the bread winner.
Read more
15 Sep, 2024 by Nataliee bonilla
Honestly the best service i could have asked for any questions or concerns i had were addressed and handles. Highly recommend Karen.
Read more
05 Sep, 2024 by Karie ragan
The thought of filing for bankruptcy was terrifying, feeling scared and not knowing what to do was awful. I was referred to Karen by a friend, I called and she was able to schedule a consult right away. She made me feel so comfortable and explained the whole process step by step. She made me feel like I was doing the right thing and that everything was going to be okay. She was there every step of the way and answered all of my questions. She made the process easy and painless. Her office was great and reminding me of what what documents were needed and when. She followed up after everything was done and was there if I had any questions or concerns. I would definitely recommend her.
Read more
29 Aug, 2024 by John garcia
I Juan Garcia the Shermer firm highly recommended in auto accidents.they sent me to the medical doctors for my injuries.the attorney and assistances were very helpful on the case I was very pleased on the outcome thank you 😊
Read more
22 Aug, 2024 by Nazario dorado silva
Excellent service very professional and made this whole process stress free I highly recommend the Schurmer firm.
Read more
22 Aug, 2024 by Robert coronado
Amazing communication throughout the entire process the entire process! Met with Attorney Schurmer twice, which is something that I have never experienced, usually they are to busy. Again amazing experience
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24 Jul, 2024 by A r
We hired Kendall VanConas and this firm to update our estate - they initially said they'd print our documents and give return them to us in a day or two - instead they took weeks just to print copies of our estate documents and only gave them back weeks later after we had to prompt them and ask for them.
After that, we had to continually call and send emails to repeatedly ask when we were going to ever hear from them about our estate planning after our initial meeting in May, we were told their assistant went on vacation so they were behind and would try to catch up soon (but still never heard anything from them after that), weeks went by and again we reached out to ask when things would move forward and were told Kendall had surgery and had "gotten behind" on things in her recovery (We were never told she was out for a medical leave prior to that). We had to contact them again on July 1st only to be told they were all out of the office until after July 8th - this firm doesn't do work, they do billing and make excuses, that's about it.
They also refused to give us notes from the one meeting we had with them - for which we were billed $750 and told, the notes from that meeting were "privy for them" not for us so our request for a recap of our own estate planning meeting was refused.
Do not waste your time with this firm, they have NO incentive to move forward with your project or estate planning, they will take you as a client then sit on your estate planning and DO NOTHING, but bill you for any meetings, then drop the ball, and you will never hear from them again, very unprofessional and our experience with them was completely frustrating and a total waste of our time, as well as costly - as we got nothing from our $750 meeting with them, not even an outline or meeting recap of the notes they took from our estate planning meeting.
They also don't communicate at all, and never told us about the lead attorney's surgery or time out from the office for her recovery - and apparently, no one else in the firm does anything. (They take a full week off for July 4th - the entire firm apparently, as no one responded to our July 1 email as they were all "out of the office until after July 8th). After July 8th we still heard NOTHING. Kendall told us she would follow up with a timeline of our estate planning status the following week, but she never did, and that never happened.
When they had an assistant out of the office that also apparently makes all their work come to a screeching halt - all of this is inexcusable, unprofessional and is a poor representation of a firm that is supposed to be on their game helping people update their estate planning.
You will likely pass away before they ever get to updating your estate - we moved on and found a much better firm that actually does work, and would strongly recommend people stay away from this firm if they need something done in a reasonable time and feel communication is important at all, as this firm doesn't communicate, they make excuses when you reach out because if you hire them, you will be the one doing all the planning and reaching out, they do not do anything at all but sit on your estate planning and watch time go by!
From the first meeting in May until we fired them in July for a span of almost 2 months, we had one meeting, they copied our files and then absolutely nothing else ever happened in moving forward with our estate planning - they never gave us a timeline for getting it done, which we asked about for 3 weeks, but they never provided a timeline because they had no plan to do the work or had decided for some reason due to their incompetence and lack of continuity in their own office and within their staff's capability to take years to do an update on our estate planning.
This firm is not doing anything but taking business then sitting on it, doing meetings with clients and refusing to give the clients any notes or minutes from meetings clients are being billed for! There are firms that do effective estate planning, but sadly, this isn't one of them.
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02 Jul, 2024 by A g
Poor representation.
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27 May, 2024 by India smith
Great service highly recommended
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24 Jul, 2024 by A r
We hired Kendall VanConas and this firm to update our estate - they initially said they'd print our documents and give return them to us in a day or two - instead they took weeks just to print copies of our estate documents and only gave them back weeks later after we had to prompt them and ask for them.
After that, we had to continually call and send emails to repeatedly ask when we were going to ever hear from them about our estate planning after our initial meeting in May, we were told their assistant went on vacation so they were behind and would try to catch up soon (but still never heard anything from them after that), weeks went by and again we reached out to ask when things would move forward and were told Kendall had surgery and had "gotten behind" on things in her recovery (We were never told she was out for a medical leave prior to that). We had to contact them again on July 1st only to be told they were all out of the office until after July 8th - this firm doesn't do work, they do billing and make excuses, that's about it.
They also refused to give us notes from the one meeting we had with them - for which we were billed $750 and told, the notes from that meeting were "privy for them" not for us so our request for a recap of our own estate planning meeting was refused.
Do not waste your time with this firm, they have NO incentive to move forward with your project or estate planning, they will take you as a client then sit on your estate planning and DO NOTHING, but bill you for any meetings, then drop the ball, and you will never hear from them again, very unprofessional and our experience with them was completely frustrating and a total waste of our time, as well as costly - as we got nothing from our $750 meeting with them, not even an outline or meeting recap of the notes they took from our estate planning meeting.
They also don't communicate at all, and never told us about the lead attorney's surgery or time out from the office for her recovery - and apparently, no one else in the firm does anything. (They take a full week off for July 4th - the entire firm apparently, as no one responded to our July 1 email as they were all "out of the office until after July 8th). After July 8th we still heard NOTHING. Kendall told us she would follow up with a timeline of our estate planning status the following week, but she never did, and that never happened.
When they had an assistant out of the office that also apparently makes all their work come to a screeching halt - all of this is inexcusable, unprofessional and is a poor representation of a firm that is supposed to be on their game helping people update their estate planning.
You will likely pass away before they ever get to updating your estate - we moved on and found a much better firm that actually does work, and would strongly recommend people stay away from this firm if they need something done in a reasonable time and feel communication is important at all, as this firm doesn't communicate, they make excuses when you reach out because if you hire them, you will be the one doing all the planning and reaching out, they do not do anything at all but sit on your estate planning and watch time go by!
From the first meeting in May until we fired them in July for a span of almost 2 months, we had one meeting, they copied our files and then absolutely nothing else ever happened in moving forward with our estate planning - they never gave us a timeline for getting it done, which we asked about for 3 weeks, but they never provided a timeline because they had no plan to do the work or had decided for some reason due to their incompetence and lack of continuity in their own office and within their staff's capability to take years to do an update on our estate planning.
This firm is not doing anything but taking business then sitting on it, doing meetings with clients and refusing to give the clients any notes or minutes from meetings clients are being billed for! There are firms that do effective estate planning, but sadly, this isn't one of them.
Read more
02 Jul, 2024 by A g
Poor representation.
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27 May, 2024 by India smith
Great service highly recommended
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21 Aug, 2024 by Deana castaneda
Mr. Herman is a fantastic lawyer! From our first meeting, he explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I was impressed by his expertise and professionalism and the outstanding outcome of my case. I highly recommend The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman!
Read more
16 Aug, 2024 by David arroyo jr
Mr. Herman is amazing and one of the most consistent, reliable, and caring individuals you can work with. His communication through the whole process is top-notch. He gives you proper expectations through the whole process.
Read more
14 Aug, 2024 by Carlos aguilar
I want to personally thank Jeff for the amazing job he did with mine and my girlfriends auto accident case. Thank you Jeff for going above and beyond mine and my girlfriends expectations when we contacted you. You are one knowledgeable, attentive, emphatic, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, caring, and approachble lawyer. Thank you for everything you did sir! I truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate what you did for me and helping us resolve our auto accident claim in a timely manner. You are one heck of an attorney!! I will always talk greatly about you and send you referrals! Thank you!!!
Read more
21 Aug, 2024 by Deana castaneda
Mr. Herman is a fantastic lawyer! From our first meeting, he explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I was impressed by his expertise and professionalism and the outstanding outcome of my case. I highly recommend The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman!
Read more
16 Aug, 2024 by David arroyo jr
Mr. Herman is amazing and one of the most consistent, reliable, and caring individuals you can work with. His communication through the whole process is top-notch. He gives you proper expectations through the whole process.
Read more
14 Aug, 2024 by Carlos aguilar
I want to personally thank Jeff for the amazing job he did with mine and my girlfriends auto accident case. Thank you Jeff for going above and beyond mine and my girlfriends expectations when we contacted you. You are one knowledgeable, attentive, emphatic, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, caring, and approachble lawyer. Thank you for everything you did sir! I truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate what you did for me and helping us resolve our auto accident claim in a timely manner. You are one heck of an attorney!! I will always talk greatly about you and send you referrals! Thank you!!!
Read more
21 Aug, 2024 by Deana castaneda
Mr. Herman is a fantastic lawyer! From our first meeting, he explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I was impressed by his expertise and professionalism and the outstanding outcome of my case. I highly recommend The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman!
Read more
16 Aug, 2024 by David arroyo jr
Mr. Herman is amazing and one of the most consistent, reliable, and caring individuals you can work with. His communication through the whole process is top-notch. He gives you proper expectations through the whole process.
Read more
14 Aug, 2024 by Carlos aguilar
I want to personally thank Jeff for the amazing job he did with mine and my girlfriends auto accident case. Thank you Jeff for going above and beyond mine and my girlfriends expectations when we contacted you. You are one knowledgeable, attentive, emphatic, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, caring, and approachble lawyer. Thank you for everything you did sir! I truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate what you did for me and helping us resolve our auto accident claim in a timely manner. You are one heck of an attorney!! I will always talk greatly about you and send you referrals! Thank you!!!
Read more
21 Aug, 2024 by Deana castaneda
Mr. Herman is a fantastic lawyer! From our first meeting, he explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I was impressed by his expertise and professionalism and the outstanding outcome of my case. I highly recommend The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman!
Read more
16 Aug, 2024 by David arroyo jr
Mr. Herman is amazing and one of the most consistent, reliable, and caring individuals you can work with. His communication through the whole process is top-notch. He gives you proper expectations through the whole process.
Read more
14 Aug, 2024 by Carlos aguilar
I want to personally thank Jeff for the amazing job he did with mine and my girlfriends auto accident case. Thank you Jeff for going above and beyond mine and my girlfriends expectations when we contacted you. You are one knowledgeable, attentive, emphatic, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, caring, and approachble lawyer. Thank you for everything you did sir! I truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate what you did for me and helping us resolve our auto accident claim in a timely manner. You are one heck of an attorney!! I will always talk greatly about you and send you referrals! Thank you!!!
Read more
21 Aug, 2024 by Deana castaneda
Mr. Herman is a fantastic lawyer! From our first meeting, he explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I was impressed by his expertise and professionalism and the outstanding outcome of my case. I highly recommend The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman!
Read more
16 Aug, 2024 by David arroyo jr
Mr. Herman is amazing and one of the most consistent, reliable, and caring individuals you can work with. His communication through the whole process is top-notch. He gives you proper expectations through the whole process.
Read more
14 Aug, 2024 by Carlos aguilar
I want to personally thank Jeff for the amazing job he did with mine and my girlfriends auto accident case. Thank you Jeff for going above and beyond mine and my girlfriends expectations when we contacted you. You are one knowledgeable, attentive, emphatic, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, caring, and approachble lawyer. Thank you for everything you did sir! I truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate what you did for me and helping us resolve our auto accident claim in a timely manner. You are one heck of an attorney!! I will always talk greatly about you and send you referrals! Thank you!!!
Read more
29 Aug, 2024 by John garcia
I Juan Garcia the Shermer firm highly recommended in auto accidents.they sent me to the medical doctors for my injuries.the attorney and assistances were very helpful on the case I was very pleased on the outcome thank you 😊
Read more
22 Aug, 2024 by Nazario dorado silva
Excellent service very professional and made this whole process stress free I highly recommend the Schurmer firm.
Read more
22 Aug, 2024 by Robert coronado
Amazing communication throughout the entire process the entire process! Met with Attorney Schurmer twice, which is something that I have never experienced, usually they are to busy. Again amazing experience
Read more
23 Sep, 2024 by Holly barrow
Aweful experience. I was handed a folder full of "how much money and how many magazines I've been in". Then they declined our case even though a ventura doctor was the main cause of my father's sudden passing because it wouldn't make the law office millions and he told us Ventura county is allowed to hire D- doctors. Now we lost our dad, the doctor kept practicing and my mom struggled for years because my dad was the bread winner.
Read more
15 Sep, 2024 by Nataliee bonilla
Honestly the best service i could have asked for any questions or concerns i had were addressed and handles. Highly recommend Karen.
Read more
05 Sep, 2024 by Karie ragan
The thought of filing for bankruptcy was terrifying, feeling scared and not knowing what to do was awful. I was referred to Karen by a friend, I called and she was able to schedule a consult right away. She made me feel so comfortable and explained the whole process step by step. She made me feel like I was doing the right thing and that everything was going to be okay. She was there every step of the way and answered all of my questions. She made the process easy and painless. Her office was great and reminding me of what what documents were needed and when. She followed up after everything was done and was there if I had any questions or concerns. I would definitely recommend her.
Read more
24 Jul, 2024 by A r
We hired Kendall VanConas and this firm to update our estate - they initially said they'd print our documents and give return them to us in a day or two - instead they took weeks just to print copies of our estate documents and only gave them back weeks later after we had to prompt them and ask for them.
After that, we had to continually call and send emails to repeatedly ask when we were going to ever hear from them about our estate planning after our initial meeting in May, we were told their assistant went on vacation so they were behind and would try to catch up soon (but still never heard anything from them after that), weeks went by and again we reached out to ask when things would move forward and were told Kendall had surgery and had "gotten behind" on things in her recovery (We were never told she was out for a medical leave prior to that). We had to contact them again on July 1st only to be told they were all out of the office until after July 8th - this firm doesn't do work, they do billing and make excuses, that's about it.
They also refused to give us notes from the one meeting we had with them - for which we were billed $750 and told, the notes from that meeting were "privy for them" not for us so our request for a recap of our own estate planning meeting was refused.
Do not waste your time with this firm, they have NO incentive to move forward with your project or estate planning, they will take you as a client then sit on your estate planning and DO NOTHING, but bill you for any meetings, then drop the ball, and you will never hear from them again, very unprofessional and our experience with them was completely frustrating and a total waste of our time, as well as costly - as we got nothing from our $750 meeting with them, not even an outline or meeting recap of the notes they took from our estate planning meeting.
They also don't communicate at all, and never told us about the lead attorney's surgery or time out from the office for her recovery - and apparently, no one else in the firm does anything. (They take a full week off for July 4th - the entire firm apparently, as no one responded to our July 1 email as they were all "out of the office until after July 8th). After July 8th we still heard NOTHING. Kendall told us she would follow up with a timeline of our estate planning status the following week, but she never did, and that never happened.
When they had an assistant out of the office that also apparently makes all their work come to a screeching halt - all of this is inexcusable, unprofessional and is a poor representation of a firm that is supposed to be on their game helping people update their estate planning.
You will likely pass away before they ever get to updating your estate - we moved on and found a much better firm that actually does work, and would strongly recommend people stay away from this firm if they need something done in a reasonable time and feel communication is important at all, as this firm doesn't communicate, they make excuses when you reach out because if you hire them, you will be the one doing all the planning and reaching out, they do not do anything at all but sit on your estate planning and watch time go by!
From the first meeting in May until we fired them in July for a span of almost 2 months, we had one meeting, they copied our files and then absolutely nothing else ever happened in moving forward with our estate planning - they never gave us a timeline for getting it done, which we asked about for 3 weeks, but they never provided a timeline because they had no plan to do the work or had decided for some reason due to their incompetence and lack of continuity in their own office and within their staff's capability to take years to do an update on our estate planning.
This firm is not doing anything but taking business then sitting on it, doing meetings with clients and refusing to give the clients any notes or minutes from meetings clients are being billed for! There are firms that do effective estate planning, but sadly, this isn't one of them.
Read more
02 Jul, 2024 by A g
Poor representation.
Read more
27 May, 2024 by India smith
Great service highly recommended
Read more
23 Sep, 2024 by Holly barrow
Aweful experience. I was handed a folder full of "how much money and how many magazines I've been in". Then they declined our case even though a ventura doctor was the main cause of my father's sudden passing because it wouldn't make the law office millions and he told us Ventura county is allowed to hire D- doctors. Now we lost our dad, the doctor kept practicing and my mom struggled for years because my dad was the bread winner.
Read more
15 Sep, 2024 by Nataliee bonilla
Honestly the best service i could have asked for any questions or concerns i had were addressed and handles. Highly recommend Karen.
Read more
05 Sep, 2024 by Karie ragan
The thought of filing for bankruptcy was terrifying, feeling scared and not knowing what to do was awful. I was referred to Karen by a friend, I called and she was able to schedule a consult right away. She made me feel so comfortable and explained the whole process step by step. She made me feel like I was doing the right thing and that everything was going to be okay. She was there every step of the way and answered all of my questions. She made the process easy and painless. Her office was great and reminding me of what what documents were needed and when. She followed up after everything was done and was there if I had any questions or concerns. I would definitely recommend her.
Read more
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What a Business Lawyer Can Do for You
A business lawyer provides critical legal guidance and support to entrepreneurs, startups, and established businesses. Whether you are forming a new company, drafting contracts, or navigating complex regulations, a business attorney ensures you are legally protected and operating within the law. They can also help prevent legal disputes or represent you in negotiations, transactions, or lawsuits that arise during the course of business operations.
Business lawyers have expertise in areas such as business formation, contract law, intellectual property, employment law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. They ensure that your business is compliant with relevant laws and help mitigate risks that could threaten your company's success.
When Should I Hire a Business Lawyer?
Hiring a business lawyer is essential at various stages of business development, including:
- Forming a business: When deciding on the best structure for your company (LLC, corporation, partnership, etc.), a lawyer can guide you through the registration and compliance process.
- Drafting contracts: If you need contracts for employees, partners, suppliers, or clients, a lawyer ensures these documents are legally sound and in your best interest.
- Mergers, acquisitions, or dissolutions: If you are buying, selling, or dissolving a company, legal counsel is critical to avoid costly mistakes.
- Compliance and regulatory issues: A lawyer can help navigate complex regulations, particularly in industries like healthcare, finance, or tech.
- Resolving disputes: Whether it's contract disagreements, intellectual property infringement, or employment issues, a business lawyer helps mediate, negotiate, or litigate on your behalf.
What Does a Business Lawyer Do?
Business lawyers provide a wide range of services that cater to different legal needs of a business. They can:
- Help you choose the best legal structure for your business.
- Draft, review, and negotiate contracts with employees, suppliers, customers, or business partners.
- Ensure regulatory compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
- Advise on tax strategies to minimize your business's tax burden.
- Assist with intellectual property protection, such as trademarks, patents, and copyrights.
- Handle mergers, acquisitions, and business sales, ensuring all legal paperwork is in order.
- Resolve disputes through negotiation, arbitration, or litigation.
How Are Business Lawyers Paid?
Business lawyers typically charge either by the hour or on a flat-fee basis, depending on the complexity of the work. Common payment structures include:
- Hourly rates: The lawyer charges based on the time spent working on your case. Rates vary depending on the lawyer's experience and location.
- Flat fees: For certain tasks, such as incorporating a business or drafting a standard contract, a lawyer may offer a flat fee.
- Retainer: Some businesses may hire a lawyer on retainer, paying a fixed amount each month to have ongoing access to legal services.
The payment structure is often discussed during an initial consultation so you can choose the one that best suits your business needs and budget.
How Much Does a Business Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a business lawyer depends on factors such as:
- The complexity of the legal issue: More complex matters, like mergers or intellectual property disputes, typically cost more than routine tasks like contract drafting.
- The lawyer's experience and location: More experienced lawyers or those in larger cities often charge higher fees.
- The nature of the billing arrangement: Hourly rates can range from $150 to $1,000 or more, depending on the lawyer's expertise. Flat fees are usually available for simpler matters like forming an LLC or drafting a standard contract.
It's essential to discuss fee structures upfront to avoid surprises.
Top Questions to Ask a Business Lawyer
Before hiring a business lawyer, ask the following questions during your consultation:
-
What is your experience with businesses like mine?
Find out if the lawyer has handled legal issues for companies in your industry. -
What services do you offer?
Ensure the lawyer can meet all your business's legal needs, from contract drafting to dispute resolution. -
What are your fees, and how do you bill?
Get clarity on how you'll be charged - whether by the hour, flat fee, or retainer. -
How do you handle conflicts of interest?
Ask how the lawyer ensures there is no conflict in representing your business. -
Can you provide references from other business clients?
Speaking with past clients will give you an idea of the lawyer's expertise and professionalism. -
Do you have experience in my specific industry?
Industry-specific knowledge can be crucial, especially in highly regulated fields like healthcare or finance.
How to Check the Credibility of a Business Lawyer
To ensure you're hiring a reputable business lawyer:
- Check state bar association records: Verify that the lawyer is in good standing and has no disciplinary actions against them.
- Look for client reviews or testimonials: Online reviews, testimonials, or word of mouth from other business owners can provide insight into the lawyer's reliability and effectiveness.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should have satisfied clients who can vouch for their services.
- Check professional memberships: Membership in respected legal organizations (such as the American Bar Association or a local business lawyer association) can signal credibility.
- Review their website and professional profile: A well-established lawyer typically has a professional website showcasing their areas of expertise, credentials, and case success.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most out of your first consultation with a business lawyer, prepare the following:
- A description of your business and its structure: This will help the lawyer understand your legal needs.
- Any current contracts or agreements: If you're seeking contract advice, bring copies of existing contracts.
- A list of legal issues or concerns: Be ready to discuss any potential legal challenges, such as regulatory compliance, disputes, or transactions.
- Financial documents: If applicable, bring financial records related to the legal matter you're seeking help with.
- Questions about fees and billing: Ensure you understand the lawyer’s payment structure and fees upfront.
By preparing these materials, you can ensure that your first meeting with a business lawyer is productive and informative.
