Why Dedicated Legal Counsel is Good Business for Small Firms

By Joann Brown Williams | Published on December 28, 2011 | 0 Comments

“You can’t always get what you want” is a pretty good guiding principle for most people. But things sometimes seem a bit different for corporations – who, in spite of the famous song and difficulties of modern living – often get exactly what they want. They throw their weight around with impunity, quash rivals, grown without bounds. While the business of America might indeed be business, it’s no mystery why large corporations are so often able to wield such great power: lawyers.

Large corporations have an ace up their French-cuffed sleeve. Or a series of aces. They usually boast well-staffed and well-groomed legal departments – large battalions of Ivy League legal grads ever at-the-ready to litigate and defend the corporate will.

Of course this type of legal muscle does not come cheap, and major American companies spend millions of dollars per year to retain in-house legal counsel – salaried lawyers who work exclusively for a company. Though expensive, this form of organization actually represents cost-savings for corporations since they don’t have to worry about paying high hourly-rates for legal representation, explains Joann Brown Williams, a Calhoun, GA civil attorney. It’s also convenient, says Brown Williams, who owns the firm Brown Williams, LLC. Dedicated lawyers learn about one company, master its goals, and can even help devise strategy and refine corporate vision for the long run.

But hiring in-house counsel would seem like a luxury that’s beyond the reach of an average small- or medium-sized company. The good news is that it’s not. According to the Calhoun, GA civil attorney, some attorneys, including Brown Williams, offer in-house-style contracting services to smaller companies, signing on for a reasonable flat rate for several months or years and providing dedicated legal counsel.

There are numerous benefits to this style of business, says the civil attorney Brown Williams from Calhoun, GA. By hiring an attorney on a contract basis – rather than just as-needed for court cases or other legal emergencies – a small- or medium-sized company can preempt problems and save money over the short- and long-haul. Brown Williams offers several stories of her “working [herself] out of a job”  – by eliminating waste and legal exposure and eliminating her employer’s need for legal staff. Brown Williams is not discouraged by this – she takes it as a sign of a job well done.

If you’re interested in hiring an in-house counsel, the Calhoun, GA civil attorney recommends speaking to an attorney who offers these services. Though it requires an initial financial commitment, it can really pay off in growth and profit.

*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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