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Questions to ask a lawyer before launching a business

Dealing with launching a business? Describe it in your own words, and Tellbrief turns your answers into a short brief with the questions worth asking and the records to have ready, so your first call with a lawyer starts further ahead.

For example: Not formed yet, using a brand name, and collecting customer details. A brief for this founder suggests the lists below.

Questions worth asking

  1. Given how we plan to raise money and exit, what kind of company should we be, and when?Qualified small business stock can shield $15 million or more of a founder’s gain from federal tax. Only C corporations can issue it, and for an LLC the 3–5 year holding period starts only when it converts.1,2
  2. What should move from a founder’s name into the company’s name, and how?
  3. Is our name clear to use and register where we sell?
  4. What personal information do we collect, and does our privacy notice match it?About 1,822 data-privacy class actions were filed in 2025, up from 1,488 in 2024.3

Records to have ready

  • Trademark searches, filings or registrationsYour brand name is part of this.
  • Records of who owns your domain and key accountsSome accounts or assets may not be in the company’s name.
  • Your privacy policy and a list of services that handle customer dataYou collect personal information.

Your brief builds its own lists from your answers.

Build your own brief

About 30 questions, most of them one tap. No account and no card during early access. Tellbrief isn’t a law firm and doesn’t give legal advice.

Start your brief

Questions founders ask

What questions should I ask a lawyer about launching a business?

For the founder in this example, the brief suggests: Given how we plan to raise money and exit, what kind of company should we be, and when? What should move from a founder’s name into the company’s name, and how? Is our name clear to use and register where we sell? What personal information do we collect, and does our privacy notice match it? Your own brief builds its list from your answers.

What should I have ready before the first call?

For this example: Trademark searches, filings or registrations; Records of who owns your domain and key accounts; Your privacy policy and a list of services that handle customer data. Your own brief lists what fits your answers.

Is this legal advice?

No. Tellbrief organizes your information so the first conversation with your lawyer starts further ahead. It isn’t a law firm, and using it doesn’t make anyone your lawyer. Legal advice comes from a licensed lawyer, once they agree to take on your matter.

What does it cost?

Your brief is free during early access, with no card and no account. If you’d like Jordan to take on the work, he reads your answers first, then talks through the scope and his fee with you before any work starts. Tellbrief takes no share of it.

How long does it take?

About 30 questions once the names are cleared, and most take one tap. Plan on 10 to 15 minutes.

Other situations

  1. Orrick, starting as an LLC and QSBS (January 2026) (opens in a new tab).
  2. 26 U.S.C. § 1202 (opens in a new tab).
  3. Duane Morris Class Action Review, data privacy filings (January 2026) (opens in a new tab).