Company lawyer: how to use one

Using a company lawyer can be invaluable if you have any special requirements with your company formation. Forming a new company can be fast and straightforward as there are many company formation services that you can access on the internet. A company lawyer will be familiar with the company formation process, and also with the documentation you need to complete for your business registration.

If you want to start a new business, or are currently a sole trader, you can create a new company. A company is a legally recognised entity that is different to sole trader status in that the company must be registered with Companies House. This process is called incorporation. Company status can be advantageous for tax and debt liability reasons.

A company lawyer can also be useful if you need other forms of legal advice about your business. They will tend to specialise in one area of business law. Good examples include intellectual property or tax law. As such, you should try and match your needs to a specialised company law solicitor if you can. They will usually have much more detailed knowledge of the law in the area you are interested in than a general business law lawyer.

You should also note that in this context ‘lawyer’ does not have any legal standing. Anyone can set themselves up in business and call themselves a lawyer, as there are no legal obligations. Importantly, if anyone calls themselves a ‘solicitor’, this is a legally protected term and can only be used by people that are accredited by the Law Society and have a current practising certificate. Always check the credentials of any company lawyer before you engage their services.

If you would like to obtain legal advice about company law, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local specialist business law solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local business law solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.