4 ms·

Ask HN: Consult a lawyer/accountant?

All along the forums, and here on HN, the terminal advice is always, "consult a lawyer/accountant". This seems to be advice given, but what exactly does that mean? How does one "consult" a lawyer for their project? How does one learn how to contract a lawyer for consultations? Why isn't there a public resource that can put people in the right direction?

briandoll 8y ago
Great lawyers who know this (startups, consultancies, M&A, compensation, etc.) space well are few and far between, especially if you don't want to work with a giant firm. A good specialist will take your call to discuss your situation and present some options for you, though. Call Gabe: https://groundworklegal.com/ https://groundworklegal.com/
dsr_ 8y ago
You can find lawyers in the phone book or with a search engine. They usually take out advertisements indicating their specialty -- business law and/or contracts is generally what you want. Call one up and ask for an appointment. Typically, the initial interview is to find out if you've found an appropriate lawyer and if they have the time to sell to you. If either of these things are misaligned, the lawyer will almost certainly offer you a referral to another lawyer who is more appropriate or available for you. After a successful interview, you generally pay some money as a retainer. It may or may not be applied to your billed hours. A business lawyer's function is to tell you how to accomplish your goals without violating laws, or that your goals are fundamentally illegal, or how to accomplish a goal in a law-abiding fashion that will minimize legal risk. If you are about to enter into a contract, a lawyer will review it for you and point out areas of higher risk, and possibly suggest ways to mitigate those risks. If you have a particular intention for the contract, the lawyer will help your phrase it so that a court of law will understand what you are intending. Almost all of the above is true for accountants, as well, except that instead of advising you on legal matters, they will advise you on accounting matters (which have a strong overlap with legal matters). Accountants figure out which paperwork you need to file, and can complete most of it for you.
rajacombinator 8y ago
You might actually have to pick up a phone and call someone. The horror!
- ryanmccullagh 8y ago
  Hey, even though you might be trolling let me be clear. I’ve called an accountant. But how am I supposed to know if he actually knows what he’s doing?
  - rajacombinator 8y ago
    Call a couple. Ask some questions about their experience working with startups / dealing with your particular situation. Make a judgment call once you’ve talked to a few. Or get a recommendation from someone you trust.
Digory 8y ago
> "contract a lawyer for consultations." This is a strikingly formal mental idea of how professional relationships begin. It's not quite so formal. You can ponder about "contracting a doctor for consultations," but most people just say "go to the doctor." When people say "consult with a lawyer," they typically mean you should ask a lawyer for professional advice about this situation. If you don't have a relationship already, you would typically call their office and set an initial appointment of 30 to 60 minutes. If you know you have a problem, you should expect to receive legal advice during that appointment, and to pay something for it. Yes, some lawyers offer free consultations -- typically lawyers who work on contingent fees. They are paid out of a substantial recovery, and offer to talk to people who are unsure their injury is worth pursuing legal action. If your legal situation doesn't involve a lump sum recovery, you should expect to pay for the time spent by the lawyer unless you have some other agreement (flat fee, etc.) Still, most of the lawyers I know are willing to write off some time so that the potential client can decide whether to engage the lawyer for further advice. It is perfectly acceptable to tell the receptionist or lawyer that you're considering several people, and would like to talk about whether this lawyer or firm has relevant experience. But understand you're unlikely to receive much legal advice during that kind of meeting.

briandoll 8y ago

Great lawyers who know this (startups, consultancies, M&A, compensation, etc.) space well are few and far between, especially if you don't want to work with a giant firm. A good specialist will take your call to discuss your situation and present some options for you, though. Call Gabe: https://groundworklegal.com/ https://groundworklegal.com/

dsr_ 8y ago

You can find lawyers in the phone book or with a search engine. They usually take out advertisements indicating their specialty -- business law and/or contracts is generally what you want. Call one up and ask for an appointment. Typically, the initial interview is to find out if you've found an appropriate lawyer and if they have the time to sell to you. If either of these things are misaligned, the lawyer will almost certainly offer you a referral to another lawyer who is more appropriate or available for you. After a successful interview, you generally pay some money as a retainer. It may or may not be applied to your billed hours. A business lawyer's function is to tell you how to accomplish your goals without violating laws, or that your goals are fundamentally illegal, or how to accomplish a goal in a law-abiding fashion that will minimize legal risk. If you are about to enter into a contract, a lawyer will review it for you and point out areas of higher risk, and possibly suggest ways to mitigate those risks. If you have a particular intention for the contract, the lawyer will help your phrase it so that a court of law will understand what you are intending. Almost all of the above is true for accountants, as well, except that instead of advising you on legal matters, they will advise you on accounting matters (which have a strong overlap with legal matters). Accountants figure out which paperwork you need to file, and can complete most of it for you.

rajacombinator 8y ago

You might actually have to pick up a phone and call someone. The horror!

ryanmccullagh 8y ago
Hey, even though you might be trolling let me be clear. I’ve called an accountant. But how am I supposed to know if he actually knows what he’s doing?
- rajacombinator 8y ago
  Call a couple. Ask some questions about their experience working with startups / dealing with your particular situation. Make a judgment call once you’ve talked to a few. Or get a recommendation from someone you trust.

Digory 8y ago

> "contract a lawyer for consultations." This is a strikingly formal mental idea of how professional relationships begin. It's not quite so formal. You can ponder about "contracting a doctor for consultations," but most people just say "go to the doctor." When people say "consult with a lawyer," they typically mean you should ask a lawyer for professional advice about this situation. If you don't have a relationship already, you would typically call their office and set an initial appointment of 30 to 60 minutes. If you know you have a problem, you should expect to receive legal advice during that appointment, and to pay something for it. Yes, some lawyers offer free consultations -- typically lawyers who work on contingent fees. They are paid out of a substantial recovery, and offer to talk to people who are unsure their injury is worth pursuing legal action. If your legal situation doesn't involve a lump sum recovery, you should expect to pay for the time spent by the lawyer unless you have some other agreement (flat fee, etc.) Still, most of the lawyers I know are willing to write off some time so that the potential client can decide whether to engage the lawyer for further advice. It is perfectly acceptable to tell the receptionist or lawyer that you're considering several people, and would like to talk about whether this lawyer or firm has relevant experience. But understand you're unlikely to receive much legal advice during that kind of meeting.