For SMEs, it is more important than ever to manage your business efficiently. Many companies are paying too much for inadequate or insufficient legal advice and we know there is a better way.
We understand how a good, commercial in-house lawyer can benefit a business, contributing to every aspect of its operations. So, we are going to show you why you need to scrap the silos in favour of comprehensive, integrated legal support.
One point of contact
Having one person to deal with all your legal work is not only far more convenient, but it also means your business is getting consistent advice, based on your goals, strategy and appetite for risk.
Traditionally, each part of a business that requires legal support will approach a law firm separately, explaining their specific needs and speaking with a different lawyer each time. It is unlikely, therefore, that a unified approach will, or even can be adopted across the business.
In-house lawyers are generalists and can turn their hand to almost anything, from acquisitions and commercial contracts to employment law and GDPR and everything in between. Our lawyers pride themselves on being able to do 99% of all a business’s legal work. They have an overview of the business operations that a private practice lawyer, with notional responsibility for between 250-300 clients, cannot possibly have.
Experienced not junior resource
Your contact within a law firm is typically not the person who will be doing your legal work. This is given to the lowest cost resource in the firm. We operate a different model. All our team members are senior lawyers who have a minimum of 10 years’ experience working in-house– most of them have significantly more.
This means that they have already dealt with most eventualities that your business will face. They know what can go wrong, how to get the best terms in contracts, how to look after your employees and how to protect your business most effectively.
Commercial not legal
And most importantly, these senior lawyers know business. The perfect legal option rarely survives practical application. Our lawyers give commercial not legal advice and strive to implement solutions which are aligned with the business’s goals. This requires flexibility and pragmatism and working with everyone throughout the organisation – senior leadership, sales teams and HR.
Solutions driven approach
From conducting our own client listening, we have repeatedly heard that lawyers are considered adversarial and have a reputation for blocking initiatives that the business wants to launch.
We view ourselves as a business partner and work hard building relationships and turning perceptions around. We do this by being consistent and having integrity. We also do it by being positive and adopting a solutions-driven approach. Our director Kirstie Penk received a valuable piece of advice from her mum, which encapsulates our philosophy: “Say yes when you can but say no and mean it.” Have a look at our case studies to see how we help our clients.
Easier to manage your budget
The traditional law firm model makes it difficult to manage your legal spend. The bills you receive are unpredictable and you can be charged for picking up the phone to ask a question. When each interaction with a lawyer eats into your legal budget, it does not encourage you to seek legal advice. A lawyer is brought in when necessary, but not on all the occasions when a legal perspective would be desirable.
When you engage a General Counsel, you know what you are spending every month and you can get the most out of that resource during that time. At TLD, we supply lawyers on a retainer basis for a set number of days per month. Our clients have consistency of service, can use that time how they want and know exactly what they will be paying. There are no hidden costs.
No fence sitting
When asked for advice, a lawyer in private practice will supply a list of possible options. You, as the client, will have to decode the legal speak, digest these options and make the decision for yourself. This is time consuming and unhelpful when the reason for engaging an expert is to be guided and steered in the right direction.
An in-house lawyer knows your business, knows what you have agreed to before and will recommend a solution based on this information. As part of your team, an in-house lawyer lives with the consequences of the advice they give. It is as important for them to get it right as it is for you.
Think you don’t have the work for an in-house lawyer?
We provide lawyers on a part time and flexible basis so you can get support tailored to your exact needs. This support can be flexed up or down depending on your circumstances. We are also SRA regulated which means our clients are properly covered for the advice they receive.
If you’re interested in finding a better, more comprehensive and cost-effective way to manage your legal affairs, do please contact us on 020 3056 8538 or info@thelegaldirector.co.uk.
