East Bay Business Contract Lawyer
Do you Really Need a Business Contracts Lawyer?
Is using an Business Contracts Lawyer for a routine Business Contract something that has become obsolete with the birth of LegalZoom and other DIY sites? Chances are, you’ve already endured the bragging of co-workers and family members who’ve used these D.I.Y. services and are now crowing about all the money they saved NOT consulting a Lawyer. Do they have a point?
I hate to offer a legal answer that is more typical to a politician’s favorite response, but: It Depends… – It depends on what your end goal is. If your goal is to find the cheapest path to Purchase or Sell a Business, create an Estate Plan, create a Buy-Sell Agreement, Set-up a Corporation, Set-up an S-Corporation, Set-up a Limited Liability Company, Develop an Employee Contract, Develop a Construction Contract, or Set-up a Business Partnership Agreement then LegalZoom, or some other DIY site, is –admittedly, by far the least expensive choice.
However, if your objective is to develop an effective Business Contract that encompasses a thorough knowledge of the law and how to best use this law, attaining the services of a Business Contract Lawyer is the next logical step. An informed Business Contract Lawyer will develop and tweak existing legal frameworks or create a new Business Contract to keep your Business in line with the governing rules and legislative standards applicable to your business and with your specific and unique Business in mind.
Online reviews of LegalZoom and other D.I.Y. sites seem to echo this sentiment. In fairness, there are plenty of people satisfied and pleased with the services they received. However, the unhappy entries posted seem to support the above cautions. The recurring negative sentiments seem to boil down to the fact that the Business Contracts developed by LegalZoom and other D.I.Y. sites fail to fulfill their contractual purpose. Such words used to describe these boiler-plate Business Contracts include words like worthless, ambiguous, not specific enough, didn’t address my personal situation, and in the end the person paid so much more, in court costs and redrafting of the Business Contract by a Lawyer etc., than had this person gone to a a Business Contract Lawyer to start with.
Business Contracts: What Are You Paying For?
So, what is the main difference between getting a boilerplate Business Contract from LegalZoom or a custom-drafted Business Contract from a Business Contract Lawyer? The pivotal contrast lies in the answer to a simple question: “What are you really paying for?” If you say the cheapest Business Contract available, you’re missing the intrinsic value of an informed and thoughtful Lawyer. Cast in this light, the least expensive fill-in-the-blank ambiguous Contract doesn’t come close to encompassing your Business’ needs. Nor does it address specifically and thoroughly the legal risk and exposure your unique Business is facing now and in the future. On closer inspection, this boilerplate Business Contract does little more than broadly protect your Business interests and largely shield your Business from risk.
The True Cost of a Boiler-Plate Business Contract
The cheaper price tag that you pay to a D.I.Y. service such as LegalZoom begins to balloon when you tack on the excessive legal exposure and unnecessary risk you’re exposing you and your Business to. Couple this vulnerability with the short and long-term consequences to you and your Business that an ill-fitting, one-size-fits-all type of Contract exposes you to and you now have a net legal cost and exposure equation that is alarmingly high.
Good Business Contracts address Specific Details and Objectives
A well-structured and readable contract sets out clearly what the differing parties’ intentions are as well as the legal mechanics necessary to reach the parties’ objectives and to answer regulatory and legislative standards. It will include specific details and objectives, as well as the ramifications for not honoring the Business Contract. Very importantly, it closes off a myriad of possible areas of dispute by leaving as little as possible to chance, the parties reduce the risk of litigation.
Specifically-Drafted Contracts Fit You & Your Business
The Business Contract is one small part of the picture. A much bigger piece is having the knowledge and expertise as to which document should be used and which customizations should be incorporated into the document. This is where Business Contracts Lawyer Jonathan C. Watts comes in. When conducting your Business affairs it is critical to have the sage and experienced advice of a solid Business Contract Lawyer.
What Jonathan can help you with is individualizing the standard Business Contract to specifically fit you and your Business. Your Business is unique and specialized and the Business Contracts drafted to protect your Business should do just that, protect. These documents need to be clear, specific, thorough, and tailored to protect you and your Business where you are most vulnerable. Jonathan has a unique ability at quickly assessing you and your Business’ needs and then translate this knowledge into an effective, enforceable and concise Business Contract.
This is just a basic overview and is not legal advice specific to your situation. If you would like to speak with Jonathan about your situation, please email him at jcw@eastbaybusinesslawyer.com or call him at 925-327-1019.
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Business Lawyer Jonathan C. Watts understands that investing some time in getting your contracts in order, handling common legal transactions, or negotiating a lease should be cost-effective. And for those facing a current legal crisis, Jonathan C. Watts understands that “winning at all costs” can be an empty victory for a small business attentive to the bottom-line.
Jonathan C. Watts is also a Tax Attorney and is able to advise you and guide you to wise choices at the same time he is reviewing or drafting your mission-critical daily documents. Moreover, with virtually every business having a web presence these days, Jonathan’s Internet Law Expertise will help you protect yourself in your Internet Business activities. Jonathan’s clients get maximum value for every penny spent, without padded hours for unnecessary “additional services.”
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Call my office to talk to me personally or to schedule an appointment. My offices are open 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and I make every effort to take your phone calls personally.
Call Jonathan: (925) 217-3255 |
| e-Mail Jonathan C. Watts |
|
Map to Office |
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Call my office to talk to me personally or to schedule an appointment. My offices are open 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and I make every effort to take your phone calls personally. Call Jonathan: (925) 217-3255 |
