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7 Reasons Subscription Legal Services Are Perfect for Small Businesses

Written by Small Business Legal Solutions | 9/15/24 3:13 PM

As a small business owner, do you ever wonder if you should use a lawyer more often? After all, legal fees can be expensive, right? 

That’s true, but DIYing your legal questions can cost you even more in the long run. The good news is there’s a way to get affordable, consistent legal help without any surprise costs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Subscription legal services are predictable and budget friendly.
  • A subscription based small business lawyer becomes part of your team and can help you business grow.
  • Consulting with a small business lawyer regularly can stop little issues from becoming big issues. 

Why You Need a Subscription Legal Service

Subscription plans are designed to make hiring a lawyer simple, predictable, and stress-free. Here are the top 7 reasons why you need to use a subscription legal service today: 

1. Preventative Legal Support

One of the biggest advantages of using a subscription legal service is preventative support. 

What does that mean? 

In a nutshell, avoiding problems

Think of preventative legal support like preventative maintenance on a car. 

You don’t wait until your car breaks down to take it to the mechanic, right? Regular oil changes, tire rotations, and inspections help keep your car running smoothly and avoid bigger, more expensive problems later on. 

It’s the same with legal matters for your business.

Regular contact with your small business attorney will help you address potential issues before they turn into costly headaches. 

Issues like:

Reviewing Contracts: Didn’t know that contractor who caused $100k worth of damage to your property capped his liability to $10k? Ouch. 

Hiring Employees: Can I ask that during an interview? Is this guy an independent contractor? Guess wrong and you could get sued or fined. 

Compliance: Do I have to pay that employee overtime? Better get that one right. 

Preventing legal issues is WAY better than fixing them. 

It’s a lot cheaper too.

2. Predictable Costs for Easy Budgeting

One of the scariest things about hiring a small business lawyer is not knowing how much it will cost

Most lawyers charge by the hour. Every tenth. 

You know that email you sent that your lawyer responded to?

Yeah, that cost you a 0.2. Translation: at $300 per hour, that quick read and respond cost you $60. 

You never know how many hours something will take or what the final bill will be. 

A subscription service changes that by offering predictable, flat monthly fees.

Small businesses operate on tight budgets. So knowing exactly what you’ll spend each month on legal services makes it much easier to plan and manage your finances. 

There are no surprises. So you can focus on growing your business.

3. You Develop a Long Term Partnership

In large businesses, the general counsel (the company’s attorney) is part of the executive team. They are involved in the day to day operations and have a deep understanding of the business. 

When you use a small business attorney on a subscription basis, they become your outside general counsel. 

They understand your industry, who your competitors are, what your competitive position is in the market, and what key factors make money. 

And that makes them far more valuable.  

A long term relationship with your attorney allows them to provide tailored advice that fits the specific needs of your business, such as:

  • Identify key issues in contract negotiations that are most important to your business at its current lifecycle. 
  • Learn your sales process and help your sales team close more deals.
  • Craft employment policies that are legally compliant and aligned with your company’s culture. 
  • Identify areas of unforeseen risk resulting from day to day operations. 
  • And as those things change over time, they can stay ahead of the new challenges your business will face as it grows. 

An outside general counsel is a trusted advisor that is always one step ahead, ready to help you make smart legal and business decisions that align with your goals.

4. Small Business Lawyers Help You Grow

Lawyers are just a cost center, right?

Wrong. 

An effective small business lawyer makes you money. When you use them on a subscription basis, they facilitate growth. 

Here are a few ways:

  • Close More Deals: An attorney can identify areas of give and take in negotiations and get deals done.   
  • Favorable Vendor Terms: Just like on the sales side, your lawyer can help secure favorable terms in key areas from your vendors. 
  • No More DIY: What is your time worth? Definitely more than your monthly subscription.

5. Flexibility to Adapt as Your Needs Change

A subscription legal service offers flexibility, but maintains price certainty. 

You get increased legal support as your business grows, and you will know exactly how much it costs beforehand.  

Hourly billing is flexible too. Can you send the lawyer more work as your business grows? Sure. 

Any idea what it will cost? Nope. 

The cost of hiring most small business lawyers will become less predictable as your business grows and needs more support. 

With a subscription, you know exactly what you're paying each month. 

And because you are using the attorney as outside general counsel, they will be able to see changes in your business early on and let you know if you need to adjust your plan. 

With a subscription based small business lawyer you have the right legal support without unexpected costs. You can grow your business with confidence, knowing your legal costs won't suddenly skyrocket.

6. Simple and Easy Legal Management

Handling your own legal issues is time-consuming and stressful. 

Asking Google what the law is, hoping to stay compliant. Reading contracts, trying to understand them, and hoping you aren’t missing something important. Thinking to yourself, I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me later. 

And you get to have all that fun-while also running your business. 

Plus, you’re left guessing which issues are serious enough to bring to a lawyer, often delaying important decisions to avoid high fees. 

With a subscription legal service, you can completely offload that burden. 

You no longer have to worry about DIYing a legal solution and praying that it will work out. You no longer need to decide which problems are worth the cost of a lawyer's time. 

The decision is already made. Send it to your lawyer.  

It is so much easier than doing it yourself. 

7. No Surprise Bills – Ever

Your business is growing. You’re expanding into new territories. You’re expanding your product offering. Your traditional business attorney has been helping you out quite a bit. 

The bill arrives. 

You almost pass out. 

You didn’t know you used the attorney THAT MUCH!

One of the most stressful parts of hiring a lawyer is getting hit with a big bill when you least expect it. Subscription legal services eliminate surprise costs by offering complete transparency in pricing.

With a subscription legal plan you know exactly what you are going to pay each month. 

You never have to worry about surprise costs. 

And with that type of peace of mind, you will seek out legal support early and often. If you do that, chances are you can avoid some costly mistakes. 

Why Are Subscription Legal Services the Best Option For Small Businesses?

Your time is valuable. And you don’t have an unlimited supply of money. 

A subscription legal service gives you access to the legal help you need without the uncertainty of traditional legal bills.

It’s affordable, simple, and designed to grow with your business.

When you subscribe to a legal service you can prevent issues, budget with confidence, and ensure your business has the support it needs to thrive. 

So if you're looking for a small business lawyer, consider a subscription service-it's a smart investment that will protect and support your business for the long haul.

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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article has been prepared by Small Business Legal Solutions LLC for general informational purposes only. Nothing in this article is intended to constitute legal advice on any subject matter. The materials in this article are not intended to and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not act or refrain to act based on any information contained in this article  without first personally consulting with an attorney. Every circumstance is different and must be judged on its own merits.