Legal support for business: a lawyer by the month or for one task
A retained lawyer or a one-off task
This is the first decision, and everything else depends on it. If you only need one supply contract checked, paying per task is enough. If new contracts, HR questions and inspections come up every month, it is usually better to agree a retainer with a set number of hours or documents.
On BlaBlaPrice you describe your business needs once, and lawyers and law firms reply with offers in the chat. It is free for the buyer.
What to put in your request
- What you need — drafting and reviewing contracts, vetting counterparties, labour law, trademarks, licences, preparing for inspections.
- How you want to work — one-off or ongoing, and how many hours or documents a month.
- Type and size of business — sole proprietorship or private limited company, number of employees, any branches.
- Industry — trading, IT, construction, manufacturing, logistics, food.
- Volume — for example, 5–10 contracts a month.
- Language of documents — whether you work with foreign partners and need contracts in English.
- Way of working — remotely or with visits to your office.
- City and timing — where the business is based and the date by which you need the first task done.
- Budget — per month or per task.
Example request
“Vancouver, private limited company, wholesale trading, 25 employees. I need a lawyer on a monthly retainer: 5–10 supply contracts a month, checks on counterparties and advice on employment matters. We work remotely, with one meeting a week at our office. First task by Friday. Budget up to $420 a month.”
How to compare offers
A retainer fee with no description of the scope tells you almost nothing. So ask first:
- what is included in the retainer and what is billed separately, for example court cases;
- how many hours or documents a month, and what happens if you go over the limit;
- how fast the lawyer replies to urgent questions;
- whether they have experience in your industry.
The platform shows the offer with the best overall terms first, and reviews are visible next to each one. Lawyers can see where their offer ranks and can improve their terms to win your request. Contacts are opened only to the one you choose. More on the “How it works” page.
How to avoid mistakes
Before you sign with a lawyer, agree who owns the documents and whether confidentiality has been discussed. Start with a small trial task: it shows the quality of the work before a long engagement. Do not confuse legal support with accounting. They are different services, and it is better to separate them clearly in your agreement.
If the business is just starting, you will first need business and company registration. And when a dispute comes up, look at representation in court. Other areas are in the “Legal help” section.
