An entrepreneur usually needs a lawyer at the birth of a business to incorporate the company, set up the partnership, or register the sole proprietorship. But beyond those early days, a highly competent legal adviser is crucial to the continuing operation of the firm. Here are some guidelines. Find someone who understand you. Most people who become lawyers are knowledgeable about the law, but they know little about running a business.
Great lawyers start client relationships by understanding customers' business strategies.
Then they look at the legal issues and determine how to get you what you want. They can't be the right lawyers without this knowledge. One entrepreneur signed a contract with a significant penalty clause for failure to perform. He went to a lawyer who was an expert in this field to help eliminate the penalty. The lawyer gave him the technical answers but did not recognize the business and the personal issues that were critically important.