You will need a lawyer who can understand your business quickly; prepare the standard form contracts you will need with customers, clients and suppliers; and help you respond to contracts that other people will want you to sign. He will try to advise you on what risks you are taking by signing the contracts and will, hopefully, advise you on when you are vulnerable and how to escape from the contract unscathed if things don’t work out.

Like doctors, lawyers are becoming increasingly specialized. Someone who does mostly wills, house closings and other “nonbusiness” matters is probably not a good fit for your business. At the very least, you will need the following sets of skills. The more skills reside in the same human being, the better! Minimum skills any business needs are: Contracts, Business Organizations, Real Estate, Taxes and licenses, Intellectual property and litigation.

I tell every business person I meet that every business needs two professionals: an accountant and a lawyer. The reasons for hiring an accountant are pretty obvious–you need someone to help you set up your “chart of accounts,” review your numbers periodically, and prepare all of your necessary federal, state and local tax returns. The reason for hiring a business attorney are not always obvious. But a good business attorney will provide vital assistance in almost every aspect of your business, from basic zoning compliance and copyright and trademark advice to formal business incorporation, employee relations, lawsuits and liability.