Small company, big law firm.

As smaller companies grow, their legal needs change along with their managerial needs. How can growing companies adjust to the constant changes? By selecting a large law firm early on, argues the author. Large law firms impart prestige and a sense of authority that smaller firms are unable to match. Besides, a large firm, in its efforts to broaden its client base for the future, will often make its services available to a young company at a reduced rate. Once a growing company chooses a law firm, moreover, it must use the counsel prudently. The author cautions entrepreneurs against seeking out the youngest firm members just because they are least expensive. Experienced attorneys, he argues, often work faster, so in the end their bill may be less. He advises small-company lawsuit defendants against the inclination to settle out of court. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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