Contract Attorneys Versus Full-Time Legal StaffContract attorneys work on a contract to contract basis. They are generally only available in large cities, such as New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia. The hiring of contract attorneys is often associated with investigations or subpoenas, but that is not always the case. During investigations, contract attorneys are sometimes hired to sort through and review the legal documents for their client. This can be a very time consuming process and very expensive if you are paying your full-time legal staff to do the work. Law firms also employ contract attorneys on occasion to do legal research or write up drafts for legal briefs. Due to the nature of their work, contract attorneys have a very flexible schedule going from contract to contract. Full-time attorneys sometimes view contract attorneys as inferior due to the nature of their work and schedule. Contract attorneys can sometimes work on projects lasting from a couple of weeks to several months. Contract attorneys can provide companies with a low cost alternative to hiring a full-time legal staff or if the company's legal staff is unavailable for some reason. Contract attorneys can help in many areas ranging from licensing related problems to overseeing financial investments and transactions. Contract attorneys can also be hired to help a company draw up employment contracts, such as a contract of employment or employee termination contract. Contract attorneys are available for as many different legal subjects as are full-time attorneys. Contract attorneys are also only paid for actual time working on a project rather than paid to be on call "just in case" they are needed. An attorney just starting out may find it beneficial to work as a contract attorney while working another job. This will enable them to work in a variety of different settings and situations to see what they feel most comfortable with. Also, contact attorneys can often get permanent positions with companies that use their services frequently. Firms that specialize in providing companies with contract attorneys exist, as well. Contract attorneys are also convenient because they are available on very short notice. Contract attorneys can be hired to appear in court if you or your legal staff is unable to make a personal appearance. If you are in the process of changing your full-time legal staff, a contract attorney can assist you with legal needs that may arise during your transition. In light of the many benefits that come with hiring a contract attorney, you may be wondering why anyone would hire a full-time legal staff for their business. A full-time attorney will have an intimate knowledge of your business needs and your personal preferences in business matters. Having an attorney that Knows what your business needs can save you the time and energy required to go over your company's requirements with every new contract attorney you hire. Each individual business will need to weigh the benefits and downfalls of both contract attorneys and full-time legal staff to determine what will best fit in with the needs of their company and their personal management style. |