This professional offers legal advice to people involved in all aspects and stages of any business. Some of the things that business law attorneys do include:
• Make sure all local business laws are followed. If they do business internationally, they will make sure to comply with those laws as well.
• Offer advice and submit forms for every step from company formation to dissolution if necessary.
• Handle lawsuits
• Review and draft contracts
• Create manuals for staff
• Enforce sources or guidelines
• Cover all communications with the media
An important job of these attorneys is the formation of a new business. If there is more than one owner, they will advise them on the type of business they are forming. It could be a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company. Forming a business of any type involves a concrete understanding of the liability and tax implications of each type of business. Once the business is formed, the attorney may be responsible for filing all annual reports and other business-related forms with the different government agencies.
Many times, companies will use such an attorney when they want to terminate or dissolve their business. This is done to ensure that the pre-established dissolution guidelines are correctly followed. The attorney can also handle new matters such as a bond, a large amount of assets, or an outstanding debt. Business law attorneys can also provide advice on some of the daily happenings in a business. They may be asked to develop guidelines for HR staff regarding firing and hiring employees. If an employee feels they have been sexually harassed, discriminated against, or unfairly fired, they can handle the lawsuit if one has been filed. They could work on behalf of the employee or employer.
Sometimes business owners will call business law attorneys if they have questions about specific ways to save money, such as whether they should own or lease a building. They may also want advice on where they can conduct their business to avoid having to pay high taxes, which is particularly true if they are considering expanding their business internationally.
Some business law attorneys are familiar with patent law, so if a company has developed a product, they can contact an attorney to help protect their interests by filing a patent. If the lawyer is aware of intellectual property laws, he may be asked to help a company register the product name or its trade name. Business law attorneys can act as spokespersons for companies if a lawsuit in which they are involved captures the attention of the media.
