Online Legal Guidance for Civil Litigation

A Small Business Plan from LegalShield gives you all the legal support you need at a price any company can afford.

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How a small business lawyer can help you

At some point, any business owner is likely to have civil litigation legal questions. If you join LegalShield, you’ll be able to consult with a lawyer for an unlimited amount of minutes on an unlimited number of business legal matters, particularly around civil litigation. Don’t stress about litigation—call your provider lawyer.

Making the decision to go to court

Whether you’re a plaintiff or defendant, the decision to file a case or defend yourself at trial, instead of settling, will have a major impact on your business. Speaking with a lawyer to discuss the facts of your situation and make an informed decision is an important step.

  • What is my likelihood of success at trial?
  • Will the costs of going to trial outweigh the potential benefits?
  • How long will it take to go to trial vs. settling now?
  • How much time will this take away from me running my business?
  • How much stress will each option cause?

A Small Business Plan from LegalShield includes an unlimited number of calls with your lawyer to discuss civil litigation. Should you decide to settle your case, your lawyer can make phone calls and write letters on your behalf to protect your business and get a good deal.

Filing a lawsuit on behalf of your business

If you’re business has been wronged by a customer, employee or other party and you are planning to file a lawsuit, the basic steps include the following.

  • Do everything you are required to do before suing (e.g., like sending a demand letter first)
  • Make sure the statute of limitations has not passed and you can still sue
    Identify the legal names of the parties you want to sue and where they are located
  • Determine the appropriate court in which to file your lawsuit (i.e., proper jurisdiction)
  • Create a complaint that meets all legal requirements and file it with the court

The good news is that by joining LegalShield you can work with an experienced lawyer to make sure everything is done correctly and your business has the best chance of winning, without paying exorbitant hourly legal fees.

View plans and pricing

Defending your business at trial

If you have been sued, you’ll almost certainly want to work with an experienced litigator to protect your business interests.

LegalShield’s Small Business Legal Plus and Small Business Legal Pro Plans have an optional Trial Defense for Business Supplement for only $14.95/month if your business is a named defendant in a covered civil lawsuit. Before you start gearing up for a fight, it’s best to speak with a lawsuit defense lawyer to have them review your case and determine the best strategy to minimize damages and your stress.

Having your lawyer review documents that may be part of the case is included. Also, your lawyer can make phone calls and write letters to make one last attempt at settling your case, at no additional cost.

With LegalShield, your small business gets the power of legal representation for a fee you can afford.

Common types of small business lawsuits

The average legal fees for small business litigation are between $3,000-$150,000. Businesses involved in a civil lawsuit may incur additional costs due to lost revenue and the emotional impact on owners and employees. As such, it’s critical to have an experienced lawyer on your team to try to settle disputes before trial and to maximize your chances of a successful outcome should you be forced to go to court. Small business lawsuits occur most commonly in the following areas.

Settle

Settling disputes before going to trial is typically far less expensive and always less stressful. Here are the main benefits of settling before trial.

  • You’ll have certainty about the financial outcome as the parties, rather than a jury, are in control.
  • Your dispute will be over much sooner than if you go through an entire trial.
  • If you’re owed money, you’ll get it much faster.
  • Your lawyer fees will be significantly lower.
  • Settlements can be kept private while details about trials are made part of the public record.

Determining whether to settle or go to trial is not a decision that should not be taken lightly and not without the advice of competent legal counsel. If you join LegalShield today, you can be on the phone with a small business litigator and start to develop the right strategy for your specific situation.

Sue

While settling is often preferable, sometimes suing the other party is the only way to get what you deserve. If you’re considering filing a lawsuit, ponder these points.

  • Jury’s tend to award larger damages than you might get in a settlement negotiation.
  • You’ll have your day in court and, if you win, trials are public record and the defendant will be held accountable.
  • Winning a trial may provide more meaningful closure for you.
  • Despite the potential benefits, you risk losing your case and getting nothing.
  • Also, trials are stressful, can take a long time and cost a pretty penny that may outweigh the potential benefits.

Let’s face it, filing a lawsuit is not fun. Before you make a decision one way or the other, you owe it to yourself and your business to at least speak with an experienced lawyer.

Join LegalShield today and you can get legal advice about your case and the pros and cons of taking it to trial.

Defend

If your business is sued by an employee, customer or any other party, you need to defend yourself. When deciding on a defense strategy, you’ll want to discuss the following items with a lawyer familiar with the area of law your case deals with.

  • What are the facts?
  • Should we try to settle or is defending our business at trial the best way to go?
  • Besides, the odds of winning or losing at trial, what other factors should we use to make strategic decisions?
  • Even if I have a good chance of winning, would it be better for my business and my stress to settle and move on?
  • What documents or other evidence do I need to gather for a successful defense?
  • How much will defending my business at trial cost and how long would the trial take to come to a final resolution?
  • What are the worst-case scenarios if I lose?

Don’t stress and guess. Contact a lawyer as soon as possible and, at the very least, they can help you understand your options and start taking action to put this problem in your past as soon as possible.

Several of our Small Business Legal Plans include an optional Trial Defense time supplement for only $14.95/month.

View all plan options and pricing here

Learn about other business litigation topics

Select a topic to learn more:

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Breach of contract

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Labor lawsuit

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Intellectual property

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Bankruptcy

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Employment litigation

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Get help with civil lawsuits

Small Business Plans start at only $49/month

Small Business Legal Essentials

$49/mo.

  

Small Business Legal Plus

$99/mo.

  

Small Business Legal Pro

$169/mo.

  

How Legalshield works

LegalShield puts the power of legal representation within reach of any individual, family or business. We work hard to make it easy, simple and affordable to get the legal help you need, when you need it.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a pre-paid legal plan and how does it work?

Instead of paying a lawyer by the hour, you pay a small fee (starting at $24.95/month for personal and $49/month for small business) and have access to an independent lawyer that will provide a huge variety of legal services without a huge legal bill. Services like consultation with a lawyer, document review, drafting of debt collection letters and defense at civil trials are included as standard benefits. Using the plan just once can save you literally thousands of dollars.

Using the plan is as simple as signing up and contacting our team. Once you’re a member, customer support will connect you with an independent lawyer in your area who specializes in the specific legal issue with which you need help. Also, you can download our super-simple app to quickly access your legal benefits and member perks anytime.

How long after I join can I use the plan?

You can use your plan as soon as your membership application is reviewed and your account is set up. The review process takes 12-24 hours (or less) from the moment you purchase your plan (on regular business days). Once accepted, you can be in contact with a lawyer and begin to use the plan benefits and member perks outlined in the membership agreement right away.

How much can I save with a membership?

The average attorney in the U.S. charges between $150-$400 per hour. If you use your membership for even just a few hours a year you could easily save over $1,000. If you have a bunch of small legal issues or one rather complicated issue, you can easily save multiple thousands of dollars over hiring a lawyer directly. Not to mention the stress you’ll save by having a lawyer on call instead of trying to handle legal issues yourself. Also, the lawyers in our network often help our members recover thousands of dollars of damages or avoid thousands of dollars in fees over what they would have experienced had they tried to resolve the legal issue themselves. Obviously every member and usage situation is different, but when used correctly, your membership can easily save significant amounts of money. Not to mention savings from our member perks.