Startup questions to use for choosing your lawyer

I just went through the whole incorporation process for the second time. I used the same guys we used before and they gave us a good deal, agreed to defer the fees, etc. The first time around we just asked other startups who they used and what their experience was like. We asked them questions like how much their incorporation docs cost and how fast they responded to emails (lawyers have a bad habit of taking days to respond to emails).

If you're planning to raise money, it's also wise to ask your potential investors if they have any favorite firms that they like to work with. Working with firms they know and trust can speed the fund-raising process up a lot.

I'm pretty sure I've never had a beer with my lawyers. I know I've never asked them for introductions. I've got a lot of other people around me for that. What's important to me is getting good legal advice when I need it and clean legal docs that aren't going to cause problems later on. I'll take intros from guys who aren't billing me $500/hr.

We struggled to find a decent, reasonable value-for-money solicitor in the UK. We used one firm to advise us on a contract, via a recommendation. It was a terrible experience. The partners dealt with our deal (£375 / hour) and they totally failed to answer or address any of our concerns/issues, delivering the weakest advice. A total waste of money.

We have subsequently found another solicitor to advise us on a shareholders agreement. Found them by chance, but they've been fantastic. My advice for a startup in the UK looking for advice would be:

- You don't need a major name or magic circle firm. Our firm was a "top 100" with 3 offices and 75 lawyers in London. - You don't need a partner, a senior associate with relevant experience is fine (in our case IT, shareholders agreements) and the fees are a lot less (we paid £230 / hour) - Independent experienced advice is invaluable. It's absolutely a worthwhile investment. Really helps you know where you stand, what you are justified in pushing back on etc.