Opening a legal services business can be very rewarding while providing a more efficient and cost-cutting legal option for the entire local community. Legal services businesses can incorporate many facets of legal issues, including help with drafting wills and contracts, as well as provide legal research information and notary availability. Opening a legal services office requires a reasonable amount of legal knowledge and professional techniques.

Things You Will Need

  • Business plan

  • Business license

  • Business office equipment and supplies

  • Office personnel

Start by drafting a professional-quality business plan outlining your legal services business. A quality business plan will outline your perspective and goals for the business over the next two to five years. Explain what your legal services business will offer in services, how the business will be financed, how it differs from the competition and who will staff the legal services, including any professional personnel. Make sure you explain in your business plan your business start-up costs and overhead along with projected expenses and profits.

Apply for any business loans or other financing options you may have, including applying for any small business grants you may hope to receive.

Apply for a business license at your city clerk’s office, and file any required state forms needed to open your business. Make sure you meet all the necessary business requirements for your area, including applying for business insurance. Talk to the Department of Labor about any business requirements they may have, including any fees you have to pay.

Locate a place that your business can occupy, and make sure the location is centrally located in an area that is easily accessible for customers. Location of a business is a key point in having a profitable business since people need to be able to find your business in order to use it.

Get all the necessary equipment and office supplies needed for your business, including desks, printers computers. Make sure to adequately equip your office and provide all utilities necessary to open the business as scheduled.

Develop a marketing plan for your legal services business. Look for low-cost and efficient ways of marketing your business in the community and the surrounding area. Make sure you highlight the business' strengths including the low-cost legal help with contracts and other legal documents. Visit local area business and introduce your business. Leave business advertisements, flyers and business cards in public places to promote your legal service.

Hire competent legal staff for your legal services business. The staff should include people with a background in legal services, including paralegals, legal secretaries, certified public accountants and lawyers. Other personnel options can include current legal students.

Tip

Maintain an outline for the opening of your business and try to stay on target; this will be good practice for meeting deadlines once your business is open for the services you will provide.

Warning

Maintain good-quality services for any client, because one bad business experience for a client can reflect poorly on your business.