How curious is your lawyer?
How much time do they spend getting to know you and asking the deep questions?
When you are embarking on something new in connection with your business it can be quite a challenge to work out what it is that you want your lawyer to do.
Particularly if you are setting up a new enterprise, restructuring your existing business or branching off into a new field.
With so many possibilities and potential implications, it may well be the case that what you think your need doesn’t translate well into a legal framework – that’s where the additional information that a curious lawyer will extract can really make a difference.
Getting to know you and your business
At Bayberry & Weir, a client centred approach is at the core of everything we do. We are genuinely interested in finding out more about how your business works, what motivations inform your decision making, and what your long-term goals are for your company.
Spending time getting to know our clients – not just because we believe it’s essential to know the person behind the case, but because understanding all of the details in the first instance always results in a deeper understanding – is critical for better legal outcomes.
The first option may not always be the best.
A typical example of this relates to clients who come to us requesting a partnership agreement. Perhaps they are eager to form a trust or company with friends or family and want some sort of formal agreement in place to legitimise the undertaking.
When we meet with clients in these circumstances, we are always inquisitive as to how they want the day-to-day running of the enterprise to operate; what type of involvement each party will have; and why they feel a partnership agreement would be the most appropriate vehicle to achieve their aims.
Focusing on meeting client needs.
Often, what transpires is that clients would probably be best served by a shareholder agreement or, (in the case of a trust), a unit holder and share holder agreement. These types of legally binding agreements can provide the clarity and protection which is needed, as well as as ensuring every party involved is clear on who does what.
Once in place, business operators are free to devote time and energy to growing their enterprise, without worrying about roles and responsibilities. It is by being curious and giving clients the extra time they need to chat that we are able to pick up vital clues regarding their requirements, which might otherwise be missed.
Bayberry & Weir is a legal firm that’s committed to providing clients with a warm, personalised service, that aims to give them customised solutions that are right for what they want to do.
We value the opportunity to get to know our clients, using the knowledge we have of them and their business, to suggest a tailored legal solution that’s best suited to their unique situation.