Most people only seek legal advice for problems when they arise – when going through a divorce or after an accident for example. But what if your lawyer is like a best friend you didn’t know you needed?
If you consult a lawyer BEFORE a legal issue arises, they can help you anticipate and prevent serious legal problems, saving you a lot of money and heartache in the long run.
If you’ve never worked with a lawyer before, some common situations where getting legal advice from a lawyer may be necessary include:
• The sale or purchase of a house, property or business
• An accident involving personal injury or property damage
• A family problem such as divorce or a child custody dispute
• Workplace disputes including discrimination or harassment on the job
• When you are starting a business
• The drafting of a will, trust, or estate plan
So when should you talk to your solicitor? It is best to communicate with your conveyancer/solicitor as soon as you have decided to embark on a new venture.
For example if you plan to purchase a property – you should get your solicitor to review the contract before you sign it. Otherwise you may encounter problems of not completing the contract on time, or there may be disputes over inclusions which were not itemized on the contract prior to exchange. These and many other problems can be avoided if the purchaser consults with their conveyancer/solicitor from the very beginning.
Another example is when you are selling a property. By law you must have a contract of sale drafted BEFORE you market a property. A marketing contract is provided to your real estate agent for the purposes of advertising your property. However, if your property has been on the market for a long time or you choose to put the property up for auction. Before doing so, your marketing contract should be reviewed as there could have been legislation changes that affect the marketing contract. If the agent uses the outdated marketing contract as the auction contract and proceeds to auction. This can cause issues for the vendor allowing a purchaser to withdraw from the contract up to the time of settlement. This can have devastating consequences and costs for the vendor.
Another time that is especially critical to see your solicitor first is when purchasing a business. Once committed, it is very difficult or costly to change business entities if you have not selected the most tax-advantageous business structure. Related issues such as the transfer of employee entitlements again can be very costly if not adequately covered in the initial negotiations.
At Everingham Solomons, we have the expertise in Property Law, Business Law, Family Law, Wills and Estates to help you make the right decisions. The sooner you speak to us, the more we can help because Helping You is Our Business.
Click here for more information on Suzanne Hindmarsh.