Find small business legal services

Retaining a lawyer

You can handle some legal issues on your own, like naming your business and claiming a trademark.

For more complicated issues, consider retaining a lawyer for services listed below.

See the resources at the bottom of this page for free and reduced cost legal assistance.

Form a corporation

While you can often take care of the formation of a legal business entity such as an LLC or business partnership without legal help, forming a corporation with shareholders and a board is a more complex process.

Articles of incorporation can be filed without lawyers, but managing the complex tax and legal requirements often requires a corporate attorney.

File a patent

Patents are expensive and time consuming. It can take years to get one approved.

Unless you are in the pharmaceutical or biotech industries, consider whether patenting your product actually gives you a major market advantage.

Consult a patent attorney to help you evaluate your product and understand what rights you will achieve.

Litigate

This can include dealing with lawsuits by customers or by current or former employees, discrimination or harassment lawsuits, environmental lawsuits, and government investigations for legal violations.

Buy or sell a business

Lawyers can help with negotiating sales agreements, lease agreements, and more. Learn more about buying an existing business.

Featured resources

Legal Services for Entrepreneurs

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights provides legal services for entrepreneurs to low-income individuals (including women and people of color) who want to start or develop for-profit businesses, and certain for-profit businesses committed to community economic development.

SF Bar Association – Lawyer Referral & Information Service

Small businesses can get help with a wide variety of matters including: ADA compliance, contracts, intellectual property rights, and labor relations. Se ayuda en español también.

SF Community Business Law Center

The San Francisco Community Business Law Center (BLC) is an independent all-volunteer pro bono business law program. They have drop-in office hours and trainings.

Legal Public Services

The California Bar Association offers advice for finding and hiring the right lawyer.

Nolo

A local publisher that produces do-it-yourself legal books and software that reduce the need for people to hire lawyers for simple legal matters.

Conflict Intervention Service

This is a nonprofit public service of the Bar Association of San Francisco, serving the community since 1872. BASF Mediation Services has mediators who can assist you in over 30 types of law.