Lawyer consultants provide legal advice to businesses on everything from contracts to employment issues to dealing with overseas governments, companies and clients. Some law consultants provide general law advice related to day-to-day operations, while others are legal specialists dealing in a very specific area of law, such as international law. In addition, some work primarily for one company, providing advice on a wide variety of issues, while others aid several clients on a short-term basis.

An independent legal consultant must have expertise not only in law, but also the demands of being a self-employed professional. Legal consultants education and training options include:

1. Earning a law degree
2. Receiving additional training in consulting
3. Earning credentials in a specialized and high-demand area, by becoming a foreign legal consultant
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Prepare for your legal consultancy by getting a law degree

At minimum, you'll need a Juris Doctorate to serve as a foundation for any specialized training in consulting or in any specific areas you'd like to practice in. Most four-year universities have a law school, some offering not only a general law degree, but degrees with a special focus or dual degrees combining law and government, for example.

I recommend: A law degree from an Ivy League university is often the most sought-after, but other schools have programs that are equally respected. The law schools at New York University and UC Berkeley, for example, are ranked in the top 10.

Get trained as a legal advice consultant

In addition to understanding the law, you need to understand the many facets of being an independent professional. Receiving consultant training can help you manage both aspects.

I recommend: The International Guild of Professional Consultants and Coaches offers seminars and certification courses for consultants. Fieldstone Alliance trains consultants who hope to work with nonprofits--something many legal consultants devote much of their time to, often as volunteers.

Train to be an international legal consultant

With more companies, even smaller ones, doing business abroad, the demand for international legal consulting is growing. Investing in specialized training in international law could boost your income and your client list.

I recommend: Many law schools, such as the Columbia Law School, offer degrees in international law. The International Legal Institute holds seminars in Washington, D.C. and will customize programs for governments, funding agencies and other organizations in Washington and abroad. Topics in the ILI's Annual Core Training Program include arbitration/mediation, international debt and borrowing, government anti-corruption methods, and contract administration, among several other subjects.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Join professional associations related to both law and consulting. They can offer professional advice and training opportunities, and perhaps pair you with a mentor for one-on-one guidance. Because legal consulting is so multi-faceted, it's important to network with people experienced in the profession's many aspects.

Law consultants are invaluable when your business needs strategic legal advice and consulting services. With their vast resources, lawyer consultants offer experience, knowledge and skills to provide successful law solutions for your business.

Legal consultants provide important law advice for businesses embarking upon important negotiations, providing expert testimony or facing financial and legal issues. During day to day operations and pivotal business events, a legal advice consultant identifies essential issues, recognizes potential legal conflicts and provides specialized legal counsel to benefit your business.

Before beginning your search for an independent legal consultant, it is important to define your consulting needs. Clearly identify the goal of your legal consultancy, including services needed, time frame and budget. This information will help you select the best legal expert to meet your specific needs.

When selecting legal specialists for your organization, research each legal consultancy firm and evaluate the following:

1. What kind of experience do the legal consultants offer to improve and protect your business?

2. What services does each business legal consultant provide to benefit your business?

3. How much should my business invest in legal advice services?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire legal consultants with extensive experience in your industry

Select legal consulting firms with seasoned professionals who specialize in your business or industry. Ask to see a list of past and present clients, and request references.

I recommend: FDAImports.com specializes in FDA compliance and enforcement, customs matters involving FDA products and import/export regulations. LECG, LLC has expertise in energy, entertainment, media, sports, environmental, insurance, healthcare, life sciences, telecommunications and transportation industries. Dominic P. Lascara, PLC has extensive experience in residential and commercial real estate legal consulting.

Choose law consultants with proven skills

Review the services provided by each legal advice consultant. Evaluate the legal consultancy firm's experience, qualifications and certifications, and request examples of the specific skill sets you need.

I recommend: R&D Strategic Solutions is a litigation consulting firm that specializes in trial services and medical malpractice lawsuits. Whay Law offers business, employment, government contracts, intellectual property, small business and import/export legal services. Cooch and Lapham, PLLC offers a comprehensive menu of business law services.

Select legal specialists that meet your budget

Many legal consultant firms operate on a retainer with a minimum time commitment. Several utilize an hourly fee structure for short-term projects. Your law advice cost will depend upon the scope of your services.

I recommend: Request a free legal consultation and case evaluation at Valad and Vecchione, PLLC. Bruce Leonard Beal offers legal services on fixed fee, hourly fee, specific matter retainer or corporate counsel retainer billing options.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that it is written into your contract that the lawyer consultants will not provide services to any competing business during the course of your business relationship. Protect your business confidentiality in a written contract.

A legal consultant is someone who assists your business by providing advice for a given situation. It may be someone associated with a law firm that provides legal guidance or an on-site legal consultant as an employee of your business. Additionally, a legal consultant may be an expert in a specific field that analyzes data for court proceedings.

It's important to understand the key terms associated with the help a legal consultant provides. Additionally, if you have interest in becoming a legal consultant, you might need to understand the terms associated with obtaining certification.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Litigation

Litigation is another name for a lawsuit or other court proceeding in process. Usually, litigation entails the filing of a petition by one of the involved parties, detailing the dispute in writing. You may need a legal consultant to explain your rights and advise you on how to proceed.

I recommend: Visit Free Advice for more information on litigation.

Expert

When it comes to legal matters, an expert must have more than just experience in a field. If you intend to consult an expert for a legal matter and wish to use his or her analysis as testimony in the case, then that expert must meet certain requirements. He or she may need to have certification within a specific industry (such as a doctor having certification specializing in emergency room care) or maintain certification as a consultant.

I recommend: The American Academy of Pediatrics clarifies how an expert witness differs from a witness of fact in medical malpractice cases.

Discovery

Discovery is a main part of the litigation process. Usually discovery includes interrogatories (written questions that one party sends to the other), depositions (videotaped or transcribed interviews with either party or witnesses), or requests for the provision of documents associated with the case. It is the legal right of each party to ask for these things and a legal consultant will help to guide you in these requests.

I recommend: Find more examples of legal discovery through Nolo.

Retainer

If you consult with an attorney and decide to hire him or her to represent you, then he or she may ask for a retainer, depending on the specifics of your case. A retainer is a fixed amount of money that you pay the attorney to ensure representation. Attorneys typically bill against the retainer at an hourly rate and start sending you a bill once the retainer funds run out.

I recommend: The Lawyer Retainer Fees website explains this concept in much more detail.

Voir dire

Some legal consultants may assist you with certain aspects of the trial for your case, including voir dire. Voir dire, used in jury trials, is the selection of jurors by asking a series of questions of the individuals called in for jury duty. Both parties ask questions and the goal is to select individuals that give the impression they would side with you in trial. Consultants will help you to ask the right questions in order to make these determinations.

I recommend: The American Jury website, createded by the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, provides a run-through of the voir dire process.

CPC designation

CPC stands for certified professional consultant. Obtaining a CPC is an essential element of choosing consultation as a career path. You can specialize in any field, but businesses and individuals may be more likely to use your services if they know you have the proper training.

I recommend: Find out more about what obtaining a CPC entails from the International Guild of Professional Consultants and Coaches.