Just about every companies can benefit from having a staff attorney, but most of them can’t really afford the expense of paying the salary. When this is the case, securing general counsel is the next best option. A general counsel is an attorney who is not an employee, but who is familiar with the company and used for most (or even all) of their legal needs. This can be done on retainer, or just on an as-needed basis. While most companies can benefit from a general counsel, construction companies enjoy some very important benefits that owners need to be aware of.
Negotiating & Reviewing Contracts
Construction companies need to negotiate and sign more contracts than just about any other industry. Every job that is accepted should have at least a simple contract that lists details about the job being performed, the payment arrangements, the timeline, and more. Having an attorney write up and/or review each contract before the work begins can help ensure everything is in order, which can help to prevent legal issues down the road.
Quickly & Affordably Manage Lawsuits
Construction companies often need to file lawsuits against customers, or defend themselves against these types of lawsuits. Having a new attorney trying to get up to speed with every case is going to cause delays and be quite costly. A general counsel will be familiar with your company, which can help streamline the entire process.
Provide Legal Advice to Owners & Management
The owners and management of construction companies may have legal questions related to jobs, employees, contracts, and more. Without general counsel, the company will either have to rely on generic information from the Internet or pay a new attorney to start from scratch to provide an answer. Since the general counsel will be working closely with the leadership team, they will be able to give advice that is tailored to the company.
Handling Labor Disputes
Construction companies often have a number of different types of employees, including full time employees, exempt employees, contractors, and more. While most employees work well without any disputes, it is inevitable that there will be conflict at some point. A general counsel can review the claims of the employee and work to either settle them or fight them in court. A general counsel can do most of the work without requiring the owners or managers to spend a lot of time on this type of dispute.
Planning for the Future
As a construction company grows and expands, they will need to seek legal advice to ensure they remain in compliance with area regulations, employment law, environmental issues, and more. Having general counsel advising the owners or management team throughout the life of the company can help to avoid problems, and streamline processes so decisions can be made quickly and easily.
Seeking General Counsel
If your construction company is seeking general counsel, please contact The Law Office of Ray Garcia, P.A. to schedule a consultation and see if Ray is a good fit for your company.
Law Office of Ray Garcia, P.A.
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