Hiring employees is a key step for a growing business, but it can be a complicated and time-consuming process. Hiring also requires internal decisions on how to fit new employees into your company’s structure and raises questions about how to protect intellectual property.

Nearly every aspect of your venture’s operations, from the developer who creates your website to the office space you rent, will be governed by a contract. We’ve outlined below how legal counsel can help develop effective contracts.

Contract negotiations can be stressful, but remember, your client wants to work with you and negotiation is just part of the process. Here are some thoughts on the how to best serve both your business and your client.

Securing funding for your business can provide the boost you need to achieve your goals and set you on the path to growth. If executed poorly, however, business financing can become a major burden with serious regulatory and personal liability implications.

From choosing the right form of incorporation to drafting critical documents like bylaws and operating agreements, getting the basics right the first time will put you on the path toward growth.

Your ideas, and the way you build and iterate on them, are what set you apart from other companies. For that reason, it’s essential that you own those ideas and be prepared to defend them against infringing use.

Your brand is your image, your social presence, your partners, your projects. But it is also something else less obvious, your contract is your brand.

The day-to-day demands of running a business take up most of your time and attention, leaving room for little else. But the reality is that every business needs the assistance of legal counsel at some point. Often, that time arrives sooner than you expect, or realize.