1. What Should a Small Business Lawyer Handle?
Start with the work you need done. A contract review can end with written comments or continue through negotiations. A dispute may call for an initial review of the records before you decide whether to send a demand or pursue a claim.
Review a Contract before You Sign
For a supplier agreement, check whether the supplier can raise prices while your business remains bound to a minimum purchase. An attorney can review how those clauses work together and propose changes to the price notice, purchase commitment, or termination rights. If you want the attorney to negotiate directly with the supplier, include that work in the proposed engagement.
Assess a Dispute or Set Up Ongoing Support
For an unpaid invoice, gather the signed agreement, invoices, delivery records, and any emails disputing the work. The agreement may specify how to give notice or where to bring a claim. For recurring questions, define which routine work belongs in the ongoing engagement and when a dispute or transaction requires a separate assignment. SJKP’s small business legal services in California also cover operational issues such as signing authority and worker classification.
2. How Much Does a Small Business Lawyer Cost?
The cost depends on the work you authorize and how the attorney bills for it. To compare quotes, ask both firms to price the same assignment and identify which expenses or extra steps could change the total.
Compare Hourly, Flat, and Recurring Fees
Use the fee proposal to see where the work ends and when additional charges begin.
| Fee Structure | When It May Fit | What to Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | A negotiation or dispute with an uncertain workload | Who bills, at what rate, and when the estimate will be updated |
| Flat fee | A defined project, such as reviewing one agreement | Whether the price includes revisions, a follow-up call, or negotiations |
| Recurring fee | Regular contract or operational questions | What the monthly fee covers and how the firm bills for work outside that scope |
Hourly
- When It May FitA negotiation or dispute with an uncertain workload
- What to ConfirmWho bills, at what rate, and when the estimate will be updated
Flat fee
- When It May FitA defined project, such as reviewing one agreement
- What to ConfirmWhether the price includes revisions, a follow-up call, or negotiations
Recurring fee
- When It May FitRegular contract or operational questions
- What to ConfirmWhat the monthly fee covers and how the firm bills for work outside that scope
Check When California Requires a Written Fee Agreement
For matters outside the contingency-fee rules of Business and Professions Code § 6147, § 6148 generally requires a written agreement when the client’s total expense, including attorney fees, can reasonably be expected to exceed $1,000. The statute provides exceptions, including when the client is a corporation. When § 6148 applies, the agreement must describe the general nature of the services, the basis for fees and charges, and the respective responsibilities of the attorney and client. California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5 separately prohibits illegal or unconscionable fees.
3. Which Approvals Does Your Business Location Require?
Check the street address and proposed activity before signing a lease or setting an opening date. The address determines which local agency to contact, and the activity determines which approvals to check.
Check City Tax Registration and Operating Permits
San Diego Municipal Code § 31.0121 requires businesses subject to the city’s business tax provisions to obtain a Business Tax Certificate before operating. Zoning approval, a building permit for proposed work, or a health permit may apply separately. If your opening depends on approval, ask whether the lease gives you enough time to secure it and what happens if the agency denies it.
Check County Filing When You Use a Trade Name
If you regularly conduct business for profit under a qualifying fictitious business name and your principal place of business is in San Diego County, you generally must file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the County Clerk within 40 days of first doing business under that name. For a first filing, publication generally must begin within 45 days after filing. If you are buying an existing business, also check whether the seller’s lease requires consent to an assignment and whether the relevant agencies require new permits.
4. What Should You Confirm before Hiring an Attorney?
Confirm who will do the work, who the client will be, and how you will approve additional services. You can check an attorney’s license status and public disciplinary record through the State Bar of California’s attorney search.
Identify the Client and Any Personal Exposure
Under California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.13, a lawyer retained to represent an organization represents the organization. If a proposed lease names you as a personal guarantor, tell the attorney before the engagement begins. Ask whether the firm can advise you individually or whether you should seek separate advice.
5. Discuss Your Proposed Engagement with SJKP
Contact SJKP to discuss a contract, an operating approval, or a dispute affecting your small business. Bring the relevant agreement or agency notice and flag any signing, response, or opening deadline. That gives the firm a starting point for discussing the first task, the documents it needs, and how it would charge for the proposed work.
06 Nov, 2026
