Find a Lawyer · Startup & Contracts
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Startup, Company And Contracts Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer for your startup or company is a decision you make once and live with for a long time. The right questions in the first call tell you quickly whether this advocate has handled matters like yours, what it will cost, and how they will keep you informed. This guide gives you the exact questions to ask before you hire, so you can compare advocates fairly and choose with confidence.
- Experience: have you handled matters like mine (founders agreement, shareholders agreement, NDA, MSA) recently, and who will do the work?
- Scope: what exactly is included for this fee, and what counts as extra?
- Fees: fixed or hourly, likely total range, and are statutory or court fees separate?
- Timeline: how long, and how and how often will you update me?
- Verify: enrolment number and State Bar Council; listed is not the same as entitled to practise.
- Not legal advice: this guide helps you choose; the advice itself comes from the advocate you engage.
01Why the first call matters
Most people hire the first lawyer they speak to. That is a mistake when the matter is a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, or a contract review that will shape your company for years. A short, focused first conversation lets you judge three things: does this advocate actually handle work like yours, are they clear about cost, and will they be easy to reach when you need them.
Ask the same questions to two or three advocates and compare the answers. You are not looking for the cheapest quote. You are looking for the right fit for your matter, whether that is a company incorporation, a term sheet, drafting an NDA, or reviewing an MSA.
Keep it short and specific
Describe your matter in two lines before you ask anything. For example: "We are two founders incorporating a private limited company and need a founders agreement and an NDA for a vendor." A clear brief gets you a clear answer on fit and fees.
02Questions about experience and fit
You want an advocate who has done your kind of work recently, not someone learning on your matter.
- Have you handled matters like mine before? For a shareholders agreement or a founders agreement, ask how many they have drafted and for what kind of companies.
- How recent was the last one? Company law and contract practice change. Recent work matters.
- Do you focus on corporate and contracts work, or is it one of many areas? A generalist can help with simple contract review; a complex term sheet or investor agreement is better with someone who does it often.
- Will you personally handle it, or a junior? This is fine either way, but you should know who does the drafting and who you will talk to.
03Questions about scope and strategy
Get the scope in writing. Many disputes between clients and lawyers are really about what was included.
- What exactly will you do for this fee? For a company incorporation, does it include the name approval, the MOA and AOA, and the filings, or only the drafting?
- What is in scope and what is extra? If you ask for an NDA and later need an MSA, is that a separate engagement?
- What are the main risks you see in my matter? A good advocate will flag issues in your draft founders agreement or term sheet early.
- What do you need from me, and by when? This tells you how organised the engagement will be.
For a checklist of what to bring so the first meeting is productive, see documents you need before meeting a startup and contracts lawyer.
04Questions about fees and billing
There is no single government-fixed fee for an advocate in India. Fees vary by city, the advocate's seniority, and how complex the matter is. Ask plainly:
- Is this a fixed fee or hourly? Drafting an NDA or a standard contract review is often a fixed fee. A negotiated shareholders agreement may be hourly.
- What is the total likely to be? Ask for a realistic range and what could push it higher.
- Are government and filing fees included? For a company incorporation, statutory fees and stamp duty are separate from the advocate's professional fee. Court fees, where relevant, are always separate.
- When do I pay, and how? Advance, milestones, or on completion.
Never accept "we will see later" on fees. Ask for a written estimate with a range, and confirm what is included before any work starts.
As a rough guide only, a simple NDA or contract review is often a few thousand rupees, while a full founders agreement with a shareholders agreement and a term sheet can run higher. Treat every figure as a typical range that varies by city, seniority and complexity, and confirm with the lawyer. For more detail see startup and contracts lawyer fees in India.
05Questions about timelines and communication
You will work with this person for weeks or months. How they communicate matters as much as what they know.
- How long will this take? A standard NDA or a contract review can be quick. A company incorporation depends on approvals. A negotiated agreement depends on the other side.
- How will you update me? Email, calls, a shared folder? How often?
- Who do I contact if something is urgent?
- Can we do this online? Advice, drafting and review on an NDA, MSA or term sheet are usually fine over a video consultation. Some filings and signatures may need physical steps.
06How to verify the advocate
Being listed on a website, being verified by a platform, and being legally entitled to practise are three different things. Only an advocate enrolled with a State Bar Council under the Advocates Act, 1961 (Section 22) can practise law in India.
- Ask for the advocate's enrolment number and the State Bar Council they are enrolled with.
- A polished profile is not proof. Confirm enrolment before you share confidential documents or pay anything.
- Ask whether they carry a conflict of interest with the other party in your contract review or agreement.
07How Claw helps you find the right lawyer
If you would rather be matched to the right advocate than cold-call several, Claw Find a Lawyer does that for you. You describe your matter in a short guided chat, say a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, a company incorporation, a contract review, a term sheet, an NDA or an MSA, and Claw connects you with a verified, independent advocate who handles that area, in your state or city where possible, for an online or in-person consultation.
There are two ways in: a free basic request, or a Rs 99 priority request for faster, prioritised matching. The advocate's professional fee for your matter is paid directly to the advocate. Claw is a technology platform that helps you find and reach the right lawyer; Claw is not your advocate and does not give legal advice, and (per Bar Council of India Rule 36) does not share the advocate's fee. The advocate stays fully independent.
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Start at Claw Find a Lawyer, describe your matter, and you will be matched with a verified advocate who can take your questions from the first call.
08Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important question to ask before hiring a lawyer?
Ask whether they have handled your kind of matter recently, for example a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, a company incorporation or a contract review, and who will personally do the work. Fit for your matter matters more than a low quote.
Should I ask more than one lawyer before hiring?
Yes. Ask the same questions to two or three advocates and compare their answers on experience, scope, fees and communication. It takes little time and tells you a lot about fit.
How do I ask about fees without sounding difficult?
Lawyers expect it. Ask plainly whether the fee is fixed or hourly, what the total is likely to be, and whether government, filing or court fees are separate. Ask for a written estimate with a range before work starts.
Can the first consultation be online?
Usually yes. For an NDA, MSA, term sheet, contract review or a company incorporation, advice and drafting are generally fine over a video consultation. Some filings and signatures may still need physical steps, so ask.
How do I confirm a lawyer is genuine?
Ask for the enrolment number and the State Bar Council they are enrolled with. Only an advocate enrolled under the Advocates Act, 1961 can practise. A listing on a website is not proof of enrolment, so confirm before sharing documents or paying.
Does Claw charge me to be matched with a lawyer?
Claw offers a free basic request and a Rs 99 priority request for faster matching. The advocate's professional fee for your matter is paid to the advocate directly, and per Bar Council of India Rule 36 Claw does not share that fee.