Cleaning professionals starting a new business without consulting an attorney can be making a big mistake, according to Michael Schaffer, a senior executive with Tacony’s Commercial Floor Care division and president of Tornado Industries, manufacturers of professional cleaning equipment.
 
“There are all kinds of issues, including tax consequences, that are best addressed before a business gets off the ground,” says Schaffer. “A qualified attorney can be a key resource both when starting and after the business gets going.”
 
However, many entrepreneurs in the professional cleaning industry are not sure how to select a qualified attorney. To help with this, this month’s Tornado’s Business of the Business offers some suggestions on how to find the right attorney for a new enterprise:
 
• Ask other business owners which attorneys they work with and if they recommend them.
•  Contact your local bar association for a list of attorneys that specialize in business organization.
• Make sure the attorney has expertise in business organization — for example, setting up a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.
• Ask the attorney if business organization is their specialty. Most attorneys specialize in different legal arenas; an attorney that specializes in wills and probates would likely not be a good attorney to ask for help starting a new business.
• Consider any special needs you may have; for instance, if English is your second language, it might be best to work with an attorney that speaks your primary language.
• Make sure the attorney is licensed to practice law in your state; different states may have different rules affecting businesses operating within their borders.
• Once an attorney is selected, ask how much he or she will charge you to legally organize your business and for further consultation.

“The [legal] costs to set up a new business typically are relatively small,” adds Schaffer. “But legal fees can vary. You want to make sure you understand exactly what the costs will be before retaining the attorney.”