The short answer to the headline question is yes. Unless you are immersed in the innermost workings of your company and have an abiding interest in the law, you probably could only come up with half a dozen use cases. In reality there are probably a dozen or more instances where some legal expertise can not only save you time in document production, but also avoid lengthy negotiations down the road.

Before jumping into use cases, just like other professionals, the legal landscape has dozens of specialists. As a practical matter, you will want to match your needs to the specialized legal practitioner that best fits the job.

Contracts: Probably the most common type of legal document that one thinks of, contracts are usually a means to formalize the obligations between two parties for a single or multiple recurring transaction. These can be anything from a Purchase Order, to an employment contract or even a commercial lease. Examples of contract – generating software can be found on line at Rocket Lawyer, and LawDepot.

Employment contracts can have special provisions. Aside from non-compete and NDA provisions, some employees are incentivized through earned bonuses, equity or warrants, or have special working hours (four-day workweek for example) that may require specialize contracts and/or knowledge of state employment law. Contract software may not have all the answers, but can help save costs by knowing the right questions to ask.

eSign and Filing

Development contracts, advisory contracts, or access to special information for a limited time would likely require special authorization. Special software like Docusign or HelloSign can facilitate the signing and storing of these types of special access to information. Automating these tasks can save considerable time especially if it can a replace a “wet” signature. Not only is it more convenient and quicker it is also more secure than either email, postal mail or fax. It also gives all designated parties a copy and a time stamp which helps with recordkeeping.

Intellectual Property

Most small companies don’t require a full-time IP lawyer, but if you have trademarks, inventions, or a unique way of describing what you do, such as a slogan or catchphrase, you would likely want to protect those items. So it’s important that both your creative and engineering teams understand the rules of intellectual property documentation and protection. Some of the best resources are the Patent and Trademark Office itself (uspto.gov). There you can look up patents and trademarks along with who owns them. This information is particularly helpful in determining if your idea is patentable. Utility patents (what most people think of when they think of patents) must meet three criteria: they must be useful, they must truly be novel – not previously disclosed to the public, and they must be non-obvious to someone skilled in the technology. Some software packages can help you manage several pieces of intellectual property at a time. Web sites like LegalZoom.com and LegalClarity.org can provide some guidance for preserving and building a portfolio.

Other

Some of the other specialty legal advisors that you may find you might need as a small business, include setting up and structuring your business: specific legal issues around whistleblowers; or accommodations for those with disabilities. Don’t forget the role of AI in doing primary research on legal issues. Don’t try to become an expert. The goal in using AI is to do basic research on your legal issues so you can ask intelligent questions. Well-run and self-researched legal issues will ultimately allow your business to handle more legal work in-house, faster and smarter. So you only pay for the legal advice that you truly need.

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