Protecting your business from legal issues should be a top priority if you're a business owner. Small businesses can face a number of legal disputes that can significantly impact them. According to Rocket Lawyer, contract disputes make up 60% of the 20 million civil cases filed each year. If you want to protect your business, here are four signs you need a small business lawyer.

1. Contracts

When you own a business, there are a lot of contracts you have to sign. Hiring a business lawyer to look over your contracts before you sign them is a good way to protect yourself from contract disputes. They can also assist you with drafting contracts, so be sure to hire a lawyer with this kind of experience in order to properly protect your small business.

2. Business Planning

Creating a business plan is an essential part of growing your business and succeeding in the long term, and a lawyer can help you with all your business planning needs. Additionally, they can assist businesses with succession planning, so there is a clear path for leadership after you're no longer with the organization. If you're having trouble creating a clear business plan, consider hiring a lawyer to help you out.

3. Employee Policies

Working with a business lawyer to create employee standards and policies can help you avoid any issues as a business owner. These will help to ensure there is a clear understanding between the values of your small business and the requirements for the employees you hire. You have no legal defense if your employee standards and policies go against employment laws, so it's smart to work with a lawyer to create those standards and policies.

4. Protecting Intellectual Property

If you have intellectual property that's crucial to your business, a lawyer can help you take the proper steps to protect your IP. Whether you're an inventor who wants to protect an invention or a restaurant owner protecting proprietary processes and recipes, you can get the help you need from a good lawyer. It's vital that you reach out to a lawyer sooner rather than later to guarantee you're able to properly protect your intellectual property, so be sure to make the call today.

Running a business is a lot of work, but you don't have to do all that work alone. Working with qualified lawyers and other experts can help you take the stress out of being a business owner. If you need a small business lawyer to help you protect your business, call Peacock Keller, LLP today.