How do you choose the best lawyer for your event planning business? Starting a business comes with many risks and as a responsible business owner, it is your duty to seek legal advice before you need it. In this post, I’m sharing the best way to determine what you need from a lawyer and how to select the best one for your event planning business.Â
So you might be asking yourself: Do I really need a lawyer for my event planning business?
The simple answer is, yes you do.
I know, you can find a ton of free templates and contracts online without using a lawyer. But I’m going to share why that’s actually not always the best idea.
A lawyer is important for assisting you to better plan and manage potential business risk. Lawyers can help you understand some of the most common risks in the event planning industry, how to prevent future problems, and minimize your business liabilities. They can also defend your business from client harassment and discrimination claims, facilitate business deals, and draft favorable contracts.
As an event planner, it is a good idea to work with a lawyer to create and review your client contracts. While you can find many contract templates online for event planning clients, I strongly suggest only purchasing a lawyer-approved contract, or working with a lawyer to review the details and create a customized contract template specific to your business.
The last thing you need is to be left covering the cost of an event because of an avoidable contract loophole. See below a link to custom contracts for Event and Wedding Planners.
So how do you choose a lawyer for your event planning business?
Here are 4 things to consider when hiring a lawyer for your event planning business:
1. Conduct a Search for Lawyers in your Area
The first step to finding a lawyer for your event planning business is to start with a search. This can be a search of your local area, or an online search for lawyers who specializes in working with small business owners such as event planners. You can start your search as quickly as typing “Lawyers Near Me” in Google.
2. Interview your Options
Finding a lawyer online doesn’t automatically make them the best option for your business. Think about this just as if you were about to hire any other professional or employee. Meeting with at least three (3) lawyers for comparison and interview each to see if they are the best option for you.
Here are some examples of things you can ask:
- Ask about their specialties and experience.
- Get a clear answer on how much they charge for their time.
- Ask if they are familiar with businesses in the event and wedding industry
- If you don’t like the answers, then shop around for another lawyer.
3. Get your Documents Ready
Don’t go to see a lawyer empty-handed! Gather and bring your current business contracts, accounting books, business plan, licenses and permits, and any other applicable documents to help the lawyer better understand your business. This will also help you to better evaluate them by seeing how knowledgeable they are about your specific industry.
4. Think Beyond your Contracts
Lawyers aren’t just for writing and reviewing your event and wedding planning contracts. They can also examine your
business practices to ensure that all your business operations are legal. Think along the lines of discrimination,
harassment, and event injury suits, as these are major issues that can get event planning business owners sued.
To ensure that you are making the best decision when selecting a lawyer for your event planning business, we sure to download a copy of our free checklist and take it with you when researching your options.
Using the checklist, take the time to search for lawyers in your area. Give them a call, explain your business situation, and make a note of their pricing and service offers. To guarantee an efficient process, be sure to contact at least three lawyers. Then once you are comfortable with your research, go ahead and select the lawyer that bests suits your business and your budget.
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