In the startup and investment fund environment, choosing a lawyer is not just another formality: it is a strategic decision.
Just as you wouldn’t choose just any technical or commercial partner, your legal advisor must be someone capable of understanding not only the law but also your business model, your timing, and your ambition.
Often, companies make the mistake of looking for a legal advisor based on ties of friendship or family. For such a critical role, trust is essential, but it is not enough when what you need is a fellow traveler who has traveled the path hundreds of times and doesn’t have to improvise on the fly.
Here we explain the key points to make the right choice.
1. Specialization is non-negotiable
Law is a vast field. An excellent lawyer in family litigation or criminal law does not necessarily understand the particulars of a funding round, a shareholders’ agreement or stock option taxation.
The same applies to firms, because professional services depend on people.
For a tech company or a startup, it is vital to have specialists in commercial and corporate law, intellectual property, data protection, taxation, international law… Look for someone who speaks your language: if you have to explain what a cliff is or a drag-along, they are probably not the lawyer you need.
2. Business vision vs. purely legal vision
The best lawyer isn’t the one who always says “no” out of fear of risk, but the one who explains the risks and helps you find “how to make it happen”.
Look for a profile capable of:
- Providing creative solutions.
- Understanding that speed is often as important as legal certainty.
- Prioritizing what really matters at each stage of the company.
A lawyer in this industry must be able to understand the scenario you present well enough to offer you different alternatives and convey a quantification of the risks associated with each of them, because you are the one making the decisions in your business.
3. Transparency
One of the biggest fears when hiring legal services is the “open bill”. The best lawyer for your project must be transparent from day one.
Run away from opaque quotes. It is best to work with firms that present closed budgets.
When you receive a proposal, you need to know exactly who is going to work on the project, how much you are going to pay for the services, when the result will be delivered, and how you are going to control potential deviations, if any.
At this stage of the 21st century, billable hours can no longer be an excuse for lawyers to buy a better car. Demand clarity and concreteness.
4. Responsiveness and agility
In the business world, opportunities don’t wait.
If a lawyer takes two weeks to review a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) or a service contract, they become a bottleneck for your growth.
Agility is directly connected to experience: if your lawyer knows what they are doing, they will be very efficient in resolving your queries and will even be able to anticipate your needs. That is why, once again, it is so important to have specialists.
Ask about their working methods: do they use digital tools? Do they have the option to cover different areas? Agility is, nowadays, a competitive advantage.
5. Network and reputation
A good law firm is also a gateway to the ecosystem. A well-positioned lawyer can introduce you to investors, other entrepreneurs, or strategic partners.
They will also guide you on how to approach a new market or the challenges other clients have encountered when facing similar situations.
Their reputation before third parties (such as venture capital funds) can greatly facilitate negotiations: if the other party knows that the lawyer is serious and professional, trust is built much faster.
In summary: What should you ask before hiring?
Before deciding, we recommend asking these key questions:
- How many projects similar to mine have you closed in the last year?
- What international experience and network do you have to accompany me in the next steps of my business?
- How do you structure your fees so that they are predictable?
- Who will be my direct contact on a day-to-day basis?
- What is your business experience and technological background, which you will need to thoroughly understand my company’s challenges?
At Metricson, we have spent more than fifteen years advising innovative companies, startups, investors, institutions, and governments, helping them grow with legal security but without slowing down their pace.
If you are looking for a team that understands your business and helps you scale, we will be happy to talk to you.
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About Metricson
With offices in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia, and a significant international presence, Metricson is a pioneer firm in legal services for innovative and tech companies and expert in advising startups in investment rounds. Since its inception in 2009, it has advised more than 1,400 clients from 15 different countries, including startups, investors, large corporations, universities, institutions, and governments.
If you want to contact us, do not hesitate to write to us at contacto@metricson.com. We are looking forward to talking to you!