Whether you’re starting a new business in San Antonio or already have a well-established business, hiring a trustworthy attorney for legal representation is crucial to your success. Not only will an attorney help protect your business by making sure you’re complying with laws and regulations, but they also help you navigate debts, contracts, intellectual property and taxes.
However, with so many different attorneys in the legal marketplace, it can be difficult figuring out which one is best to hire. There are many terms thrown around, such as “business attorney” and “corporate attorney” – but what’s the difference? Below, Dan Burke Law highlights the main roles of these two types of attorneys along with what sets them apart to best benefit your business attorney needs.
Business Attorney? Corporate Attorney? What’s the Difference?
While the terms “business” and “corporate” might seem interchangeable, they don’t share the exact same meaning. “Business attorneys” and “corporate attorneys” offer different skill-sets and experience for your San Antonio business. Let’s start by defining each one:
What is a Business Attorney?
While there are attorneys that focus their work on specific areas of business, “business attorneys” are generalists. This means they have broad-based experience over several practice areas. Similar to a general practitioner in the medical field, a business attorney’s legal advice takes a more holistic approach rather than a specialized one.
Although business attorneys offer knowledge and experience on all aspects of business, they more commonly work with small to medium sized businesses. Dan Burke Law, for example, has been largely sought out by small businesses.
While most business attorneys take the more generalist approach, sometimes, they emphasize expertise in certain sub-categories. Here are the two many types:
Transactional law: Responsible for everyday issues related to a business such as contracts, negotiations with investors and disclosure agreements.
Litigation law: Responsible for representing a client’s business interests in court.
What is a Corporate Attorney?
A corporate attorney is a business attorney that deals with legal issues specifically within a corporate setting. This means that the businesses they represent are almost always large businesses. A corporate attorney can typically perform the same services as a transactional attorney or litigation attorney, but they do so on a bigger scale.
One of the specialties of a corporate attorney includes incorporation. This is the legal process used to form a corporate entity or company. A corporate attorney would assist shareholders with this process, which will eventually legally declare a corporate entity as separate from its owners. Once a business becomes a corporation, a corporate lawyer can represent the corporation as its own entity in court.
A few other matters corporate attorneys deal with include international trade, investor rights and making sure a corporation complies with complex state and federal taxes.
Contact Dan Burke Law!
As you can see, both business attorneys and corporate attorneys assist with legal issues within a business. The main difference between the two is that corporate attorneys focus on larger businesses and the specific set of interests and challenges that come with them.
If you’re still not sure which attorney is best for your San Antonio business, Dan Burke Law is ready to help! With more than 19 years experience as a small business attorney, Dan Burke has the knowledge and expertise to meet your business law needs. Contact us for a free consultation today!
