Lawyers are expensive (I know, I used to be one). But that doesn’t mean you should just ignore the “legal stuff” relating to your business and hope it goes away.
Try some of these low to no-cost legal tools for your basic legal needs.
Legal Zoom is a company that specializes in quick, affordable preparation of legal documents. Whether you’re looking to incorporate your business, register a trademark, apply for a patent, or document a joint venture agreement, Legal Zoom will help you do it. It’s not free, but the “per project” (rather than “per hour”) pricing makes it a good value. I actually became a Legal Zoom affiliate because I think it’s such a good option for small businesses that are just getting started.
All Business has a “Forms & Agreements” section where you can download all kinds of customizable forms, usually for around $25. There are non-disclosure agreements, employment agreements, incorporation forms, and hundreds of others. But be careful – some of the forms they sell are available for FREE from the government. Before purchasing one of the forms, do an internet search to see if you can find it for free. The “Federal S Corporation Election Form, Form 2553″, for example, is sold on All Business for $5 – but you can find it for free at the IRS website (www.irs.gov ).
In fact, the government offers a lot of free resources, tools, and forms for small business owners.
Check out the following websites, which are surprisingly helpful:
This website is chock full of useful information and resources. There’s a cool “Permit Me ” tool where you answer a few questions about your business, and it tells you what permits, licenses, and registrations you’ll need. There’s also a directory ofEssential Government Forms, categorized by what you’re trying to accomplish (starting a business, operating a business, etc.). You’ll want to spend some time exploring the rest of this website as well, since it has so much free information to offer.
To find out more about tools and resources offered by Business.Gov, visit Sparkplugging’s Government Resources Blog!
The DOL’s FirstStep Employment Law Advisor
This is a tool offered by the Department of Labor. You answer a series of questions about your business, and it tells you which laws administered by the DOL apply to you. If you have or will have employees, it’s a worthwhile exercise.
When it comes to federal tax law, this website should be your first stop. I particularly recommend that you visit the Online Learning and Educational Products section, filled with audio and video presentations, a tax calendar for small businesses, and links to other helpful resources.
Traci Feit Love is a freelance writer, small business consultant, and entrepreneur. A Harvard Law School graduate and former trial attorney, Traci left the practice of law so she could work from home and spend more time with her family. She writes about her experiences at The Breadwinner Mom.
Follow Traci on Twitter: @TraciLove
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Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow). 
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Thanks for sharing some legal resources with us Traci
I especially appreciate learning about the Department of Labor site.
Pardon me, this is some of the most simplistic and general advice I’ve seen in a while. Consdiering the fact that the 50 states all have different laws and requirements to business regulation, it is avalue to employ on a defined, strategic basis, an attorney with expertise and up-to date knowledge. Your post was nothing more than self-promotion to a site… you need to do better.
Very interesting, is good to be informed on legal rights. I also believe a lawyer is a need if you have a large business even if it can be expensive .
@Peter – I agree with you that the law is complex, and that business owners who can afford an attorney should absolutely hire one. Unfortunately, lawyers are expensive and the cost is prohibitive for many small business owners. For that reason, I wanted to remind people in this post that even when you can’t afford an attorney, the law still applies – and I wanted to provide some resources for people who have no choice but to try to understand and comply with the law without the help of an attorney.
My overall point that if you have a choice between hiring an attorney and doing it yourself, you should hire an attorney. Attorneys, as you say, have expertise and up-to-date knowledge that is invaluable and that will probably save business owners money in the long run. But in the short run, if you simply don’t have the cash to pay a lawyer, then I hope this post provides some resources that help small business owners make sense of and comply with the law.
@Gorj Design – Absolutely – once you get past the start-up phase of your business, you really need to find and retain a lawyer with expertise in small business law. There are too many potential pitfalls and hiring a lawyer is likely to save your business money in the long run.
I don’t think for a second that Traci was implying that you can go it alone without a lawyer long term – but articles of incorporation and other simple forms are things that you can scrape by on without a lawyer. They’re good starting points. Resources – it just depends on how you use them.
cory huffs last blog post..Hi, and I’m a PC
Thanks Traci, this is a great list. I would also suggest your state’s own website. Here in Michigan it’s possible to do many new biz related tasks, such as name searches and applying for an LLC. They also have information on necessary licenses and permits. I agree it’s no substitute for an attorney, but it is a good starting point.