Questions to Ask a Business Lawyer (Free PDF)

This page walks through the same topics covered in the free PDF so you can use it right away. The checklist is meant to help US business owners, including first-time founders and non-native English speakers, prepare for a consultation with a licensed business-law attorney.

It focuses on clear, useful questions such as:
- What exact task will the lawyer handle
- What is included and not included in the work
- Whether the lawyer offers a flat fee, hourly billing, or both
- How long the work may take and what could slow it down
- What experience the lawyer has with businesses like yours
- What documents or filings may be involved
- How communication, drafts, and revisions will work

This is general educational information only, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you want help finding a lawyer, you can get matched for free or learn more about our services.

A good first step is to define the scope of the project. Scope means the exact work the attorney is agreeing to do. If you are forming a company, reviewing a lease, or drafting a contract, ask what specific deliverables you will receive.

Useful questions include:
- What problem are you helping me solve
- What is included in this engagement
- What is not included
- Will you draft documents, review documents, negotiate, file forms, or all of the above
- Who will actually do the work on my matter
- Will I work with you directly or with other lawyers or staff
- What is the estimated timeline
- What common issues can delay the work

If your matter involves forming a business, ask what filings and internal documents may be needed. For example, an LLC is a limited liability company, a business structure that can separate the owner's personal assets from business debts in many situations. An operating agreement is the internal document that explains how an LLC will be owned and managed. Articles of organization are the formation papers usually filed with a state to create an LLC.

If your matter involves a corporation, ask whether a corporation may fit better than an LLC and why. An S-corp is a tax election that can let some eligible businesses be taxed under special IRS rules. A C-corp is a corporation taxed separately from its owners under the default federal corporate tax rules. For more background, see How to Form an LLC in the US and LLC vs Corporation: Which Is Right.

Do not leave a consultation without understanding how billing works. Some business lawyers charge a flat fee for a defined project. Others bill by the hour. Some use a mix, where part of the work is covered by a flat fee and extra work is hourly.

Ask:
- Do you charge a flat fee, hourly rate, or both
- If it is a flat fee, what tasks are covered
- If something changes, what work would cost extra
- Are revisions included, and if so, how many rounds
- Are filing fees, government fees, rush fees, or translation costs included
- When is payment due

Costs vary by state and by the complexity of the matter. Flat-fee ranges are not quotes. If you are comparing lawyers, ask each one to explain the assumptions behind the price so you are comparing similar work.

If your project includes tax or registration steps, ask which government fees are separate. For example, an EIN is an Employer Identification Number, the federal business tax ID issued by the IRS. You can learn more at What Is an EIN and How to Get One and compare common pricing approaches in How Much Does a Business Lawyer Cost.

For government filing questions, confirm details with the relevant official source, such as the Secretary of State for entity filings and IRS.gov for federal tax registrations.

Experience matters, but ask about the right kind of experience. A lawyer who regularly handles restaurant leases may not be the best fit for software licensing, and a lawyer who forms single-owner LLCs every day may not often draft multi-founder agreements.

Smart questions include:
- Have you handled matters like mine before
- Do you often work with businesses in my industry or at my stage
- What risks or common mistakes do you usually see in this type of project
- What documents do you expect I may need now and later
- Are there state or local licenses or compliance steps I should look into

Common business-law documents often come up during these conversations. An NDA is a non-disclosure agreement, a contract meant to limit how shared confidential information can be used or disclosed. An MSA is a master services agreement, a contract that sets the main legal terms for ongoing work between a business and a client or vendor. A DBA is "doing business as," a trade name a business uses that is different from its legal name.

You may also hear terms tied to compliance and filings. A registered agent is the person or company authorized to receive official legal and state notices for a business. A BOI report is a beneficial ownership information report, a federal report some businesses may need to file to identify the people who own or control the company, depending on current rules. Because filing rules can change, verify current requirements with official sources and a licensed attorney.

If you need help with formation, contracts, founders, leases, or compliance, these pages may help:
- Business Entity Formation
- Contracts and Agreements
- Partnership and Founder Agreements
- Commercial Leases and Real Estate
- Business Compliance and Licensing

The PDF is designed to be printed or saved on your phone so you can take notes during calls. Pick the questions that fit your situation. You do not need to ask every question on every matter.

A simple way to use it:
1. Write down your business goal in one sentence.
2. List the documents, deadlines, or state filings you already know about.
3. Mark the checklist items that matter most to your budget, timeline, and risk.
4. During each consultation, write down what is included, what is extra, and when follow-up is expected.
5. Compare answers after the calls, not during them.

For privacy, do not send sensitive personal or business information through a web form. Share only your contact details and a short description of the legal issue when asking to be matched. Then discuss documents directly with the attorney.

You can download the free PDF checklist for reference and, if you want help finding a lawyer, get matched for free. If you are new to the process, see How It Works, browse more guides, or visit Help.