15 Places to Find Free Legal Advice for Your Small Business

Are you looking for free legal advice for your small business? If so, there are many resources available online. You just have to know where to look.

Five reasons to seek legal advice for your small business:

1. The structure of your business will impact your tax obligations, your liability and your operational costs.

2. The legal obligations and risks that are associated with running a business are very important to understand.

3. If you want to avoid costly disputes with your employees, customers, or suppliers, you need to keep the lines of communication open. Legal aid (here is an example) can help you resolve disputes without them turning into expensive legal battles.

4. If you want to avoid costly mistakes, it is wise to seek legal advice

5. If you do not understand the law, you may find yourself violating it. Legal counsel will help you avoid getting into legal issues such as fines, penalties or even litigation.

15 places to find free legal advice for your small business:

1. Ask your local Bar Association.  The local bar association can be a great place to start. Many of them offer free consultations and seminars. They also offer free legal advice.

2. Google. There are many law firms that have websites. Many of these firms offer free advice. You just have to do some research.

3. Your Local Chamber of Commerce. If you are a small business owner and looking for legal advice, contact your local chamber of commerce. They often have members who can offer you advice on specific legal issues and give you other benefits.  Joining the Chamber of Commerce will provide you access to many services like this. These services are free of charge and you may find they have a range of other useful services.

4. Small Business Associations. Many small businesses in a city can benefit from local small business associations. They can provide legal advice on specific legal issues. Many associations provide more than just free advertising.  They offer other benefits, such as discounts on business products and services, training opportunities for employees, mentorship programs for entrepreneurs and workshops designed specifically to help small businesses succeed.

5. The library. Most libraries offer legal information. They may even have a small law library. You can also check out books from the library. Many libraries also offer free legal advice. You can call the library and ask if they have any free legal advice.

6. Online Directories. There are many directories available. One of the best ways to find free legal advice is to look up the number of a good lawyer in your area. You should be able to get a phone number and address for a lawyer in your area. You can then call the number and see if they offer free legal advice.

7.  Pro Bono Clinics: Pro Bono lawyers are students who are affiliated with a legal aid organization. They are part of internship programs that help law students gain professional ethics and gain a deep understanding of their responsibility to their community.

8. The Internet. There are many websites that offer free legal advice. Just type in the words “free legal advice” into the search engine.

9. Ask a lawyer. You can call an attorney and ask them if they offer free legal advice.

10. Ask your friends and family. If you have friends or family who are lawyers, ask them if they would be willing to give you a few minutes of their time to answer some questions about business law.

11. Non-Profits, Local Non-profits offer free legal help. Some organizations offer business law clinics, workshops and more. They are a great resource for free legal help. There are various ways to help people with legal problems.  There are legal aid clinics that provide free or reduced cost services. Non-profit organizations give legal help and services free or at reduced costs to specific groups like minorities, the military and veterans and people with disabilities.

U.S.  Government Provided Legal Aid

12. The Secretary Of State. You can get a business license in most areas. Start by checking with your local government to see what the requirements are. It’s a good idea to get your articles of incorporation or LLC formation documents prepared in advance as you can get some help from online legal resources such as templates for articles of incorporation or LLC formation documents.  These templates can be used to get you started. Small businesses should be aware of the laws of their state. You can find this information by contacting your state’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

13. Internal Revenue Service: If you are a small business owner or self-employed, you can use IRS online e-file to make your tax return filing a breeze. You can also use this system to file your business tax return. You will get a confirmation of receipt of the IRS e-file system and you can also access your account anytime you want by logging in to your IRS e-file account.

14. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) offers free legal advice to small businesses through its Small Business Legal Clinic Program, which provides lawyers who specialize in advising small-business owners on a variety of topics, including intellectual property rights and contract law. The program helps small businesses through the initial stages of their legal needs, including preparing contracts, reviewing and negotiating contracts and providing intellectual property advice.

15.  The Federal Trade Commission. The FTC is a federal government agency responsible for the protection of consumers. They have a wealth of information on their website about credit & finance, advertising, trademark, copyright, e-commerce for selected industries and many more.