Guide to Finding New Jersey Business Lawyer

Business is about more than just selling products and services or streamlining production—at every step there are also important contracts and agreements that need to be made, with property owners, with suppliers, with employees, with the government. If done incorrectly, employers can end-up in litigation for years, dealing with civil suits and paying hefty, possibly crippling fines. In order to make sure that procedures are done correctly, employers should turn to New Jersey business lawyers to assist them with their affairs.

Types of New Jersey Business Lawyers

Modern American business affairs are more complex than they’ve ever been before, so it makes sense that New Jersey business lawyers have responded to the intricacies of the contemporary environment by specializing in unique and important areas of business law. Here are just some of the types of New Jersey business lawyers that you might meet.

• Trademark lawyers: A company’s reputation lies in the strength of its name and the names of its products. When those names are stolen, it is a theft as severe as any other. New Jersey business lawyers recognize this and are invaluable resources in cases of name and logo disputes, counterfeiting, and recognition of trade dress.

• Patent lawyers: Technology is changing daily, and in order to hold one’s own in a competitive marketplace, penetrating insight into patent law is necessary. Patent lawyers don’t just help firms get their products patented, they keep them abreast of pre-existing patents to make sure that proper clearance is gotten so that businesses stays on the right side of patent law.

• Unfair competition lawyers: Certain standards of business practice go beyond the ethical into the legal, and if your company is suffering from unfair competition from another business, legal action can be taken to help. Examples of unfair competition include collusion and monopolistic practices, interference with the contracts of a competitor, raiding a competitor’s important employees, product disparagement, and employees starting a competing business.

• Taxation lawyers: Tax laws are incredibly complex, especially for successful businesses. New Jersey business lawyers specializing in taxation are absolutely necessary if the IRS or another regulatory body begins an investigation into taxes, but they are useful much earlier when taxes are first filed since they can help even the smallest businesses save thousands.

• Worker’s compensation lawyers: Just because a former employee has lodged a complaint against your business doesn’t mean your operations are at all unlawful. Business disputes with employees over pay and benefits are normal, and it is the job of a worker’s compensation lawyer to help your business achieve a resolution quickly with as little disruption as possible to your firm.

Finding a NJ Business Lawyer

The most difficult part of finding a New Jersey business lawyer is simply getting started. Knowing where to look can be nearly impossible if you aren’t familiar with the traditional procedures, but even then a little research will go a long way.

It is likely that either you or one of your business associates has dealt with a good New Jersey business lawyer in the past. Contact that lawyer and make an appointment for a consultation. Even if they are too busy to take on your business’s needs or their area of law is not entirely applicable, they probably know of another trustworthy New Jersey business lawyer to refer you to.

Another good resource may be the legal referral services provided by New Jersey County bars. Just call one of their numbers and you’ll be interviewed about what you want in your New Jersey business lawyer. Candidates who don’t fit those requirements will be excluded, and you’ll get a consultation with the lawyer that the referral service most recommends for your needs. The best part is that all the recommended New Jersey business lawyers are pre-screened, so there is little to worry about there. Go to this page to see a list of New Jersey referral services:http://www.njsba.com/for-the-public/lawyer-referral-service.html.

If you must search using the Yellow Pages or an online directory, please couple it with intense research into a the New Jersey business lawyer’s background. Have they been successful with cases similar to your businesses legal needs? Have they been in any newspapers for their legal efforts? Search the Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey to see if any complaints have been filed against them.

NJ Business Lawyer Fees

Large businesses usually employ several NJ business lawyers to help them with their myriad legal needs, and though this is an intelligent impulse, it’s simply impossible for most small or medium-sized companies. They instead will likely keep a single NJ business lawyer on retainer who they will contact for specific needs such as looking over a real estate contract or drafting a patent form.

For tasks such as drafting a document, a flat fee will likely be charged by the NJ business lawyer. However, more complex services, such as the services provided by NJ business lawyers specializing in trademark law or unfair competition, may require greater fees depending on how much effort the time-variable task requires. For that, hourly fees are more common. Other lawyer costs, such as paralegal fees or referral fees, may be par-for-the-course with your NJ business lawyer, but they should be discussed before your business is charged for them.

Remember that by exposing your business and its practices to an outsider, you are making company finances potentially vulnerable. If you believe that your NJ business lawyer has acted unethically in his dealings with you or stollen from you, then you should contact the Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Questions for Your New Jersey Business Lawyer

• What type of business law do you practice?

• What kind of experience do you have in those cases?

• Has any disciplinary action ever been taken against you?

• What types of fees do you charge?

• Can I hold you on retainer for my business?

• If you cannot help me, do you know the names of other New Jersey business lawyers who can?