Even the smallest organizations can benefit from legal advice via a trusted advisor invested in the business.

From personnel policies to intellectual property, general counsel who understands the organization can provide invaluable advice on a variety of items. Here are a few reasons to consider adding an attorney to your team.

Managing costs

For most organizations, the biggest fear associated with legal services is the cost. As such, most leaders assume that hiring a lawyer means the company will spend more on legal.

A quick comparison of the company’s budget for legal services and the average hourly rate of attorneys in the area can help set a baseline for comparison.

With that information, consider the benefit of having an attorney on the team that knows the business and thus has no learning curve, and compare that to the costs of getting an unfamiliar attorney up to speed with the organization’s culture, the leadership’s temperament and the specifics of the assignment.

Another way to consider whether it is a cost-benefit to hire general counsel is to consider any specialty requirements associated with the organization or the industry.

Any organizations that deal frequently with contracts, regulatory agencies, or intellectual property will likely benefit from having an attorney on staff. The attorney can provide watchdog services by managing the outside firms doing the work or he could offset the cost of outsourcing everything if he has additional, specialized experience.

Confidant

Another fantastic benefit of having an attorney as part of the team is that general counsel can be a great confidant for executives.

From bouncing ideas to openly discussing ethical challenges, sensitive issues, or operational risks, it is great to have someone that knows the leaders, the team and the business. General counsel can provide a confidential sounding board that is grounded in the law.

Size doesn’t matter

Whether the attorney is retained or on staff, small organizations and startups are more legal intense than we often acknowledge. Having a general counsel on retainer provides several benefits. First, the retainer makes it easier to manage costs to a budget which can be extremely helpful for new organizations.

Second, the comfort level of working with someone from the beginning that knows the organization increases as the relationship continues and the company grows. Finally, I have noticed with my clients that those with a familiar partner working with a manageable budget, tend to use their attorneys more proactively.

This front-loading of legal work, e.g. creating offer letter templates, handbooks, contracts, etc., saves a lot of time and money compared to those addressing these needs retroactively or in a rush.

The bottom line is, suspend suspicions and consider adding an attorney to the team. It could save the organization saves time, money and headaches.

To find someone who compliments the culture and intellectual tendencies of the leadership and learn more about how to hire general counsel, check out this article.