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Find small business legal services

Some common things a lawyer can help with include incorporating, contracts, and litigation.

Retaining a lawyer

There are some things you can do on your own, like naming your business and claiming a trademark. Consider retaining a lawyer for services listed below.

See the resources at the bottom of this page for free and reduced cost legal assistance.

Form a corporation

While you can often take care of the formation of a legal business entity such as an LLC or business partnership without legal help, forming a corporation with shareholders and a board is a more complex process. Articles of incorporation can be filed without lawyers, but managing the complex tax and legal requirements often requires a corporate attorney.

File a patent

Patents are expensive and time consuming. It can take years to get one approved. Unless you are in the pharmaceutical or biotech industries, consider whether patenting your product actually gives you a major market advantage. Consult a patent attorney to help you evaluate your product and understand what rights you will achieve.

Litigate

This can include dealing with lawsuits by customers or by current or former employees, discrimination or harassment lawsuits, environmental lawsuits, and government investigations for legal violations.

Buy or sell a business

Lawyers can help with negotiating sales agreements, lease agreements, and more.

Featured resources

Legal Services for Entrepreneurs

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights provides legal services for entrepreneurs to low-income individuals (including women and people of color) who want to start or develop for-profit businesses, and certain for-profit businesses committed to community economic development.

SF Bar Association – Lawyer Referral & Information Service

The Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) a nonprofit public service of the Bar Association of San Francisco offering legal assistance from lawyers who are pre-screened for their experience in over 100 legal areas. Small businesses can gain assistance with a wide variety of matters including: ADA Compliance, Contracts, Intellectual Property Rights, and Labor Relations. LRIS has attorneys specifically trained and qualified to handle ADA lawsuits, compliance and education. Se ayuda en español también.

SF Community Business Law Center

The San Francisco Community Business Law Center (BLC) is an independent all-volunteer pro bono business law program supporting economic justice by providing preventive legal risk management education and self-help for community microbusiness owners who have no access to business lawyers. They have drop-in office hours and trainings.