When you are a consultant, in most cases you are doing all the work on your own. You are not employed by anyone and have to deal with all contractual techniques that abide by the law. It’s therefore crucial to seek legal advice on the contracts you sign or draft.

To begin with, it’s important to find an advocate with expertise in contract law. You can even ask other consultants in your industry whom they would recommend. Be sure to ask them the following questions to find out if they match well with you; How much expertise do they have in contract law? Are they conversant with your industry? Are they available and what is their turnaround time? Can they balance the letter of the law and mitigate risks? Do they understand your business goals and expediency? What is their cost?

Once you get an advocate who meets your needs, build a long-term client relationship with them. They will come in handy when you need to;

Draft clauses

Remember that time we did a job without a contract? We mentioned the importance of always having a contract that will keep you safe from any anomalies that occur within the time frame including how and when you get paid. An advocate can help you draft clauses that protect your business whether financially or even through the skills and expertise you provide.

Identify risks in your contracts

Have you ever heard of someone who didn’t get the good end of the deal only because they didn’t notice one major risk in their contract? You don’t want it to happen to you. If you have been there before you don’t want it to happen again. Through legal advice, you don't have to spend so much time reading long contracts when someone who is an expert at it can do it for you and identify the risks. They can also help you in creating a fair remedy in the case of a breach of contract.

Get advice on negotiating techniques

You’ve applied for a certain job and eventually get it. Sometimes you need to know whether you are receiving a great deal and if you can go higher. Whether it’s negotiating the amount, time or even what else you are going to provide. Negotiating is a tactful skill that requires one to be well-versed in ensuring both you and the client wins.

Apply for consultancy opportunities

A good contractual advocate can help you apply for certain consultancy opportunities, especially when you get one who understands your industry. This can save you a lot of time with international or well-known clients.

Understand the applicable laws and regulations

There are numerous laws and regulations that you may not know or understand. In today’s world, you can easily be put out of business, declared bankrupt or arrested for breaking the law or not following certain procedures. Getting legal advice will allow you to feel comfortable and you don’t have to be worried about any legal issues.

*The views (and legal interpretations) presented in this blog post do not necessarily represent the views of The Consultant.