Your company needs the right attorneys you want to ensure that all your projects go well, that you can find reliable subcontractors, that you’re protected as you sign contracts, and that you have advice for every legal issue that can arise. How do you choose the best construction attorney? Construction laws complicated and not every construction law firm is equally competent. Here are three things you need to look for as you consider attorneys for your business:
Look For the Go-Getters
You don’t want attorneys who are simply reacting to problems. You want a lawyer who can identify a potential problem well in advance and help you sidestep it. You want attorneys who anticipate issues and are willing to review even what seem like boilerplate contracts in order to make sure that you are safe in your company is ready to move. Proactive lawyers for construction companies aren’t too hard to find, but you do need to do your due diligence to make sure that’s what you’re getting.
Look For Those Who Love To Solve a Problem
Of course, everyone works in order to make money, support their families, and get ahead in life. But that doesn’t mean this is the only reason everyone works. You want to look for attorneys who love their job and who particularly love the part of their job where they get to problem solve. These are the attorneys that will listen to you when you feel like you’ve reached the end of your rope and will have a useful solution to fix the problem.
Look for Construction Experience
Construction law is complex and can be quite different in many ways from other aspects of law. It is very important that you seek out those with the education, knowledge, and experience particular to your field. Look for attorneys with a good reputation and a track record of success in the industry. Construction law is so complex, in fact, that even someone who has been in the industry for a few years can regularly run across new issues each time they take up a case.
Consider Your Return on Investment
the better an attorney is at their job and the more experience they have, the more they are going to cost. But choosing the least expensive option could be a false economy. It’s important to consider the reputation and track record of an attorney and leverage that with the size and complexity of your project. If you have a large and complex project, paying for a more experienced and skilled attorney is going to prove a better return on investment than trying to do things on the cheap.
Demand Good Communication and Accessibility
Any good attorney is going to be pretty busy. In fact, if the attorney is you are considering are not busy this is probably a warning sign that they’re not very good. Yet you need to have access to your lawyers when you need it, and a good construction lawyer will be proactive about telling you communication options and what kind of accessibility you should expect. Find out in advance whether you’ll be able to call whenever you want, or whether it will be best to start out with an email. Will you have to set an appointment in order to speak to them in person? The answers to these questions may vary, but the important thing is that it’s easy to get the answers and you feel comfortable talking with your attorney.
Attorneys In Good Standing
The last thing you want to look for is attorneys who are recommended by the State Bar and any professional organizations in your area. Some attorneys can continue to do business even while under disciplinary action. Others may have returned to practice with a history of ethics violations. It never hurts to check up before you make the final decision. That way you can avoid unintended issues down the line.
Construction law is detailed and difficult to navigate. The sooner you get an attorney in on your project, the more likely it is that everything will go smoothly and successfully. Look for problem solvers with a good reputation and you’ll be well on your way.
