Running a successful company always involves being able to delegate tasks. Now, traditionally, these tasks should be delegated in-house, however, in some scenarios, you’ll have to outsource. The choice of an outsourcing partner is not necessarily a simple thing to settle on. Factors to consider are not always clean and assigning priorities to their advantages and shortcomings isn’t an exact science. So, in order to help you figure this one out, here’s how to choose the best law firm for your company.
- How large is the firm?
The size of the law firm may sound like something trivial, however, it may be more important than you think. Sure, a bigger company has more sway in the industry. They have a bigger network of contacts and a lot of legal experts from across the field collaborated with them (or worked for them) in the past.
At the same time, for a huge law firm, you probably won’t be a priority. They have bigger clients and while they do have enough manpower to assign to your case, as well, there’s something about exclusivity that they just can’t keep up with. Also, remember that too large of a firm has a reputation to look after, which means that they might not be able to charge you what you can afford to pay.
- Do they have experience in your field?
Do they specialize in your type of law? For instance, if you’re running a construction company, you want something with expertise in construction disputes and real estate. Construction law is a huge branch of its own, which is why you want to find specialists. It might also be a good idea to inquire about their portfolio. Who else have they worked with and what kind of projects have they collaborated on?
Local experience is also preferred. First of all, a local firm knows all the local talent. You should never underestimate the importance of networking (something we’ve already addressed in the previous section). According to experts behind Lamont Law, in this field, it’s also important to acknowledge that local (for instance, municipal) regulations may greatly differ. So, picking someone with local experience might make a difference.
- Communication abilities
Communication is key when it comes to working with a law firm. Not everything can be conveyed through submitted documents. Sometimes, you need to give them your version of the events, so you need someone who knows how to actively listen. They also need to know how to ask the right question in order to guide your story in the most relevant direction.
Listening is not the only trait of a good legal expert. You need someone who’s going to tell you when you’re in the wrong. You need a partner who’s capable of telling you that you stand to lose if you don’t settle. Lastly, you need someone who’s capable and willing of telling the truth.
- What about the long run?
As a company, you need a reliable partner. This means that picking a company because you can afford their services now but having to change them in the future might not be the most scalable of options. Moreover, trust takes time to build. Changing the law firm that you work with between different cases is not the best of moves.
Keep in mind that keeping a single lawyer on a retainer may give you more continuity in terms of legal processes. It will also make the legal advice that you receive more consistent. The problem is that the legal coverage that they’ll provide might not be sufficient. When outsourcing to an agency, you’ll never have to worry about whether they have someone available.
- Reputation
There’s a Latin saying about reputation being the public opinion instead of truth, however, when choosing partners, it’s a great indicator of what you’re dealing with. Sure, choose the best lawyer in the world and there’s someone, somewhere with a negative experience. The same goes for the worst one.
Keep in mind that you need a reference point but you need to manage your expectations. Other people’s experiences won’t necessarily apply to your own situation. While looking at ratings, reviews, and social proof (like comments and testimonials) is a good initial idea, on its own, it shouldn’t be enough to base your decision on.
In conclusion
In the end, the choice of the right firm is quite subjective. Picking the right size of firm with an adequate reputation and expertise in your field doesn’t guarantee success. After all, there’s no such thing as a guarantee. Like always, when making a partnership, personal preference will also play a role. There’s someone who you’ll just “click” with. Just remember to balance objective and subjective factors in order to enhance the success rate of your decision-making process.