Anyone who has ever been involved in business has had to—at one point or another—consider the legal aspect of business. Laws affect everyone from self-employed contractors to the biggest corporate giants. It’s good to know how a professional can help you do business without getting yourself into legal trouble. Both current and prospective businesspeople should understand the importance of a business lawyer for dealing with litigation, contracts, disputes and other challenges.

Lawsuit-related calls are unfortunately the first call many businesses make to a lawyer. You should start building a relationship with a lawyer from the minute you decide to seriously start doing business. An experienced business lawyer will help you assess potential risks and give recommendations on how to best avoid those risks. This may include developing specialized contracts that lower your liability or re-evaluating the way your business collects receivables.

Speaking of contracts, you need a professional to develop anything that your company signs or asks others to sign. If you’re a commercial real estate company, look for a lawyer with experience in that area as to end up with contracts that are best suited to the needs of your company and industry. If you don’t understand the wording—even the most minor detail—you need to ask. Your lawyer can explain what it means and why they chose that. You don’t have to leave everything in their hands; be an active part of the contract development process.

When dealing with others, proceed with caution. Both internally and externally, things must be done “by the book.” As mentioned earlier, building a relationship and meeting regularly with your lawyer will help him or her to guide you in best business practices. For example, if you employ a significant number of foreign individuals, you may need advice in handling work visas properly. A second area of concern is dealing with external concerns; this includes zoning compliance, real estate disputes or even customer complaints. Attorneys can help you address these concerns in a way that keeps your business safe while not sacrificing the integrity of your business.

On the unfortunate side of things, when one or more business partners decide to dissolve a business, it’s not as simple as just closing the doors and selling inventory. The vast variety of reasons for dissolution lead to a vast variety of needs for a lawyer. An experienced attorney can help business owners or partners decide the best course of action for a fair and legal procedure; this often involves negotiating among partners, investors and other stakeholders.

Again, the importance of an attorney cannot be stressed enough. Many great ideas and concepts don’t find success due to the lack of proper human resources procedures or a poorly written contract. Look for a business lawyer who has a track record of excellence in your industry. While they understand your industry, they still need to know about you and your business. Each situation is different, and needs to be treated with great legal care.