Your Lawyer: An Owner's Manual A Business Owner's Guide to Managing Your Lawyer

by Krasnow, Henry C.

• ISBN13: 9781932841121
• ISBN10: 1932841121
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-27
• Publisher: Agate B2

Summary

Your Lawyer: An Owner's Manual is a brass-tacks insider's guide to finding, managing, and motivating attorneys. Effective legal service is essential to running a business, and business owners will get higher-quality legal service if they become smarter consumers.

Table of Contents

Part I: Dealing With Lawyers
What Is This Book About?	3	(5)
Some of My Best Friends Are . . .	6	(1)
We Are Highly Trained Professionals, or, Don't Try This at Home	6	(2)
Why Hire a Lawyer?	8	(18)
The Canoe at the Waterfall	9	(2)
What Do Lawyers Do?	11	(15)
The Discovery, Care, and Feeding of a Good Lawyer	26	(32)
The Two Kinds of Clients	27	(5)
The Three Kinds of Lawyers	32	(2)
What Are Lawyers' Motivations?	34	(1)
Pick the Right Qualities	35	(8)
If You Are Not Part of the Solution, You Will Be Part of the Problem	43	(4)
How to Spot Undesirable Legal Advice	47	(4)
How to Deal with a Problem Lawyer	51	(1)
A Few Words on Paying Legal Fees	52	(1)
The Myth of Lower Hourly Fees	53	(1)
How Much Should You Pay Your Lawyer?	54	(4)
Litigation and Compromise--It's Not About Justice, It's About Dollars	58	(22)
Readjust Your Concept	58	(3)
Don't Let a Lawsuit Turn Your World Upside Down	61	(1)
Risk---The Ever-Changing Calculation	62	(1)
Don't Create Meaningless Metaphors	63	(1)
Don't Kill the Messenger	64	(1)
Trials---Hardly an Exact Science	65	(2)
Settlements Are Not Losses	67	(1)
A Simple Guide to Successful Settlements	68	(10)
When to Settle?	78	(2)
Managing Lawyers During Contract Negotiations	80	(19)
Some Do's of Negotiations	83	(2)
Some Don't's of Negotiations	85	(4)
Good Lawyers Can Help	89	(2)
You Need to Be a Good Manager	91	(2)
Words Can Hurt	93	(2)
Negotiations Are Educational	95	(2)
Act Like the Boss	97	(2)
Ten Great Ways to Get More from Your Lawyer for Less: A Review	99	(8)
Part II: Family Business Issues
The Family Business	107	(16)
The Value of Business Advisers	107	(2)
Problems With a Family Member Owner/Employee	109	(2)
Why Buy Out a Shareholder with No Right to Be Bought Out?	111	(2)
Dealing with Unhappy Shareholders---The Virtues of Liquidity Agreements	113	(2)
Prenuptial Agreements---Shortcomings and Alternatives	115	(5)
Twelve Great Reasons to Have an Advisory Board	120	(1)
Six Types of Board Members to Avoid	121	(2)
Minority Shareholders' Rights	123	(20)
The Myths	124	(5)
The Best Solution---Talk Out the Problem and Resolve It Fairly	129	(1)
When Talking Fails	130	(9)
Can These Situations Be Avoided?	139	(4)
Estate Planning---Some Forgotten Goals	143	(18)
First, Do No Harm	145	(4)
The Basics	149	(3)
The Language	152	(2)
Trusts	154	(3)
The Sophisticated Course	157	(4)
Appendix The Lawyer's Language: A Common English Guide to Basic Legal Terms and Concepts	161	(1)
Ownership and Governance Terms	161	(3)
Finance Terms	164	(2)
Lending Terms	166	(1)
Family Business Contract Terms	167	(2)
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Terms	169	(16)
Enforcement of a Judgment or Other Court Order	185