Michigan Business Lawyer Blog

One thing I've learned from representing small businesses is that smart business owners and managers reduce costs and avoid legal problems with preventive law practices. With the help of their lawyers, businesses can avoid disputes, injuries, and damage claims and can help strengthen their defenses when lawsuits are unavoidable.

Legal checkups, or legal audits, are something like an accountant's financial audit or medical examinations given by a physician.

During a legal checkup, your lawyer examines business records and practices and recommends steps that you can take to protect the legal health of your business. In a typical legal checkup, your lawyer will review documents such as your corporate charter, corporate minute book, purchase order forms, sales contracts, employment agreements, and loan agreements. Afterward you may get a written report summarizing findings and recommendations. An audit may uncover legal problems that should be corrected. For example, it may reveal that the company should revise sales contracts to limit warranties and liabilities or revise its employment applications to preserve the right to fire unsatisfactory employees.

Besides a written report, your lawyer can meet with you to explain the audit findings and recommendations and tell you how to avoid potential legal problems. At the meeting you can also learn which problems need immediate attention and which ones are less serious.

Many people only seek a lawyer's help once they are already in trouble. Amazingly, this is also true of otherwise savvy business owners. Don't wait until you have a serious problem before you seek an attorney's assistance. Just like your healthcare, a good lawyer acting proactively, can help your company avoid a myriad of expensive and inconvenient legal problems.

If you would like more information on how I can help your business avoid legal problems, feel free to call me (248-952-0400) or visit my website -- http://www.hamblinlaw.com-- for more information.