How much does it cost to hire a Georgia business lawyer? Before hiring an attorney to assist with business issues, many Georgia business owners want to know how much legal services will cost. Let’s explore this question and go over some information about business lawyers and what they do.
Based on ContractsCounsel's marketplace data, the average cost of a Georgia business lawyer is $120.00 - $400.00 per hour.
How Much Does a Georgia as Business Lawyer Cost?
A business lawyer, often called a corporate lawyer or a commercial lawyer, is a lawyer that assists business owners with legal issues that come up during the course of the day-to-day operations of running a business. Business lawyers are often experienced in various areas of law that pertain to business like contract law, intellectual property law, and employment law.
Before hiring a lawyer to represent you and your company, it is important to find out how much legal services will cost and how the lawyer charges their clients. In Georgia, the cost of hiring a business lawyer varies based on the legal services provided, the lawyer’s experience, and whether the lawyer specializes in a certain area of business law.
What Legal Services do Georgia Business Lawyers Provide?
A business lawyer in Georgia can offer clients assistance in various areas of business law including business formation, contracts, and keeping up to date on new business regulations.
Some common services that a business lawyer provides include:
- Business formation. In Georgia, to establish a new business, the business owner must first determine what type of entity they want to form, then they must file the appropriate formation documents with the Secretary of State. Formation documents can include Articles of Incorporation, an operation agreement, or corporate bylaws. A lawyer can assist a business owner in choosing the right entity, then drafting and filing all appropriate documents.
- Contracts and agreements. Almost every business relies on well drafted contracts to run successfully. A business lawyer will have experience drafting and reviewing a wide variety of business contracts from employment agreements to service contracts. A lawyer can ensure that the contract includes all necessary terms, is legally binding, and protects the interests of the business.
- Legal compliance. Business laws and regulations are constantly changed and updated. A business lawyer will help their clients stay up to date on these changes and ensure that their client is operating legally.
- Intellectual property. Most businesses have trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets that need to be registered and protected. Most business lawyers, especially those that specialize in intellectual property, can help clients register their trademarks or copyrights to protect the business’s interests and avoid any infringement issues.
- Dispute resolution. If a business dispute arises, a business owner will want an experienced business lawyer to advocate for their interests. A lawyer can represent the business in lawsuits, negotiations, or arbitration.
- Legal advice and guidance. Running a business is not an easy job and decisions that business owners must make can often have legal repercussions. To avoid any legal issues or lawsuits, a business owner can hire an attorney as a trusted advisor to ensure that all actions taken by the business are legal.
Does a Georgia Business Lawyer Go to Court?
Yes. Depending on the specific circumstances of a case, a Georgia business lawyer can represent clients in court. While most business law is transactional in nature, business lawyers can appear in court for contract disputes, employment issues, appeals, or corporate litigation.
A business lawyer can file lawsuits on behalf of their client or represent the client if a lawsuit is filed against the business. Business lawyers are well trained in drafting and filing pleadings, interviewing witnesses, conducting discovery, and presenting arguments in court.
While a business lawyer can go to court, most attorneys and clients try to avoid court by resolving disputes through negotiation or arbitration. Lawsuits in court can be costly, time consuming, and public, which can negatively impact a business.
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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer in Georgia?
Lawyer fees in Georgia will vary depending on the practice area and geographical area. More specialized lawyers like civil litigation attorneys or intellectual property lawyers will charge more than a family law or bankruptcy attorney.
On average, the hourly rate for lawyers in Georgia ranges from $120 an hour and $400 an hour.
Some factors used by lawyers to determine a fair rate is the location of the law firm, the attorney’s experience, and the rates of similar lawyers in the area.
How Do Georgia Business Lawyers Charge for Legal Services?
Hourly Rates for Georgia Business Lawyers
Most lawyers in all legal fields charge clients using an hourly rate fee structure. Under this fee arrangement, the lawyer will keep track of the number of hours spent on a client’s case or project. Then, the lawyer will bill the client for the hours worked at a previously agreed upon hourly rate.
This fee arrangement is popular with lawyers because it ensures that they are compensated for all work completed. Lawyers can charge hourly for travel time, court appearances, answering emails, and even for the hours their staff have spent working for the client.
ContractsCounsel's marketplace data shows the average hourly rate for a Georgia business lawyer is $120 - $400 per hour.
Flat Fee Rates for Georgia Business Lawyers
A flat fee rate is a pre-arranged total fee for legal services. Under this fee agreement, instead of keeping track of hours and billing a client in increments, the lawyer provides the client with a flat rate for representation. This fee arrangement is most commonly used by lawyers who are hired to perform a specific short-term task like drafting or reviewing a contract.
Most lawyers require flat fee rates to be paid upfront before work begins. While most flat fee rates cover the entire cost of legal services, a client should always make sure they understand what services are included in the rate. Uncovered additional legal services could result in more legal fees.
Georgia Business Lawyer Retainer Agreements
A retainer agreement fee structure is essentially a combination of the flat fee rate and the hourly rate fee structures. Under a retainer agreement, the lawyer requires the client to pay a lump sum retainer fee to begin working on a case. The retainer is deposited into a trust account from which the lawyer will draw their hourly rate as work is completed. If the balance of the account runs low before the job is completed, the client will be required to make an additional deposit.
This type of fee arrangement is common for lawyers involved with business owners who need ongoing legal services. Even though lawyers are not billing the client monthly, they should still provide monthly statements that show what work was completed, how much was withdrawn from the deposit, and the current deposit balance.
Get Help with Hiring an Attorney
Do you need help with hiring a business attorney for a project? If so, post a project in ContractsCounsel’s marketplace to receive bids from business lawyers who are licensed to practice law in Georgia and can handle your project. All lawyers on the ContractsCounsel's platform are vetted by our team to make sure you are provided with top-tier service.
