Most start-up ventures are strapped for cash – and most start-up ventures typically require at least some, if not a significant amount, of legal work to help them get the business up and running.  One great way for a start-up to save itself some money is to negotiate fixed fees for the transactional legal services it receives.  Billable hours have been a cash cow for big law firms for a long time, but most smaller and solo law practices will be more than willing to provide a fixed fee for certain types of work.  In my business law practice, I provide project based fixed fees for all kinds of projects, including entity formation, contract review, trademark matters, and even some larger business acquisition transactions.  Projects that potentially involve significant negotiations with other parties are very difficult to offer fixed fees – there is just no way of knowing how difficult or lengthy negotiations might be.

Seek out attorneys that are willing to provide fixed fees for your projects – and if you can’t find an attorney that markets him or herself as providing fixed fees – don’t be afraid to ask for fixed fees from an attorney – even if it is an attorney you have used in the past who you have historically paid by the hour.  Fixed fees will help you control your costs, and will help you more accurately budget your tight cash flow since you know EXACTLY how much your legal expenses will be.