Page 9 - LRCC November 2025 FOCUS

Ask the Expert Series

When to Call Your Lawyer:

Building Preventative Legal Habits

for Michigan Businesses

By: Hannah Morgan Smith, Associate Attorney with Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC

For many small and mid-sized businesses, the first call And while AI tools can be a helpful starting point, they
to a lawyer comes in the middle of a crisis, such as a cannot replace professional judgment. AI-generated
contract dispute, employee issue, or lease problem. By agreements may omit essential terms or contain
then, options are limited, and costs unenforceable provisions.
Value-driven plans. Innovative solutions. are rising. Building preventative EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND COMPLIANCE
legal habits allows leaders to
Better business benefits. Ready to help. spend less time reacting and more Employment issues are a common source of exposure
time making informed decisions
that drive sustainable growth. for businesses of any size. Misclassification of workers,
inconsistent discipline, and outdated policies can
START AT THE FOUNDATION: lead to costly penalties. Regular review of handbooks,
STRUCTURE AND offer letters and employment agreements, and payroll
GOVERNANCE practices ensures compliance with state and federal
Morgan Smith laws and helps to prevent future disputes.
One of the most important times
to call your lawyer is at the beginning, when choosing IP AND BRAND PROTECTION
and formalizing your business structure. The decision
between forming an LLC, S corporation, or partnership Protecting your brand should begin the moment
determines who makes decisions, how liability is your business does. Early trademark registration
allocated, and how ownership interests can be and confidentiality agreements protect a company’s
transferred. Disagreements or life changes can occur, brand, proprietary data, and customer relationships.
At Blue Cross, we know you want the best for your employees. That’s why so clear buy-sell provisions, valuation methods, and Addressing these issues proactively safeguards
we’re ready to help with plans designed to fit any budget, and innovative dispute procedures in an operating agreement can business value and prevents future conflicts.
prevent costly litigation. Even established companies
solutions that improve care for your employees. From diabetes and benefit from reviewing governance documents A PREVENTATIVE MINDSET

hypertension to maternity and menopause, we offer whole health coverage periodically to ensure they reflect current operations. Successful business owners view their lawyer as part
A short review today can save substantial time and
and solutions that you and your team can trust. resources in the future. of routine decision-making. Brief calls before signing
agreements, hiring, or restructuring can reduce
CONTRACTS AS RISK MANAGEMENT TOOLS misunderstandings and prevent future litigation.
Attracting better talent starts with having better benefits, Preventative legal habits build stability, compliance,
and we’re ready to help. Contracts underpin nearly every business relationship, and predictability, allowing businesses to focus on the
from customer and supplier agreements to leases
work that drives their success. u
and employment documents. Outdated forms or
agreements drafted by the other side can shift undue
bcbsm.com/employers/improved-care risk. Legal review ensures agreements are clear, fair,
and aligned with business operations.

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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