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Newwave Law

Mary Hodges, Partner

NewWave Law works exclusively with women-owned startup companies and women-owned online businesses. Since opening her firm over six years ago, Mary has counseled clients through the peaks and valleys of entrepreneurship. Mary’s practice has an emphasis on providing general corporate counsel for her clients, including entity formations, managing equity incentive plans and company capitalization tables, website and app terms of use and privacy policies, and preparing solid plain-English legal agreements. As a business owner, Mary knows, first hand, the common struggles, and issues her clients face. She works closely with clients to create forward-thinking and innovative solutions for their legal needs.

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Contact

mary@newwave.law

newwave.law

Mary is offering Fidelity Private Shares clients a special discount.

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Mary on Modern Lawyering

A modern lawyer creates innovative and forward-thinking legal solutions for their clients, embraces technology in their practice, and welcomes change. Our advice to business clients should address the changing needs of society and position our clients to be leaders in their industries. Technology allows modern lawyers to make their practice efficient and more cost effective for clients while providing a great client experience. This means exploring automation tools, practice management software, flexible billing options, and new-age communication. And, a modern lawyer understands how technology and change impacts their clients.

A modern lawyer leverages technology such as secure cloud-based platforms, practice management software, electronic signature services, video conferencing, collaboration tools, and automation. Fidelity Private Shares is a great example of this and one of my favorite technologies I use with clients. When technology drives efficiency, costs are reduced, and the lawyer can focus on providing key legal advice and strategies.

The most important questions to ask a potential lawyer are:

What is the cost? (hour rates, flat fees etc). Every business needs to budget responsibly. Are there ways to reduce the cost of your services?

How many clients have you represented, or what experience or knowledge do you have, involving a business like mine?

How do you typically communicate with your clients?

Will there be other attorneys working with our business?

Are you a “full service” law firm? (i.e. What type of services can your firm help our business with)?

When you are in idea phase of your business, I recommend (at the very least) having a consultation with a lawyer right away. There are critical issues that every business owner should be thinking about from the start – especially if you’re a technology startup. An initial consultation could help you understand those issues and prepare for them. I always recommend having a lawyer assist you with your incorporation. Too often, clients attempt to do this themselves but miss key steps. The clean up usually costs more than hiring the right help from the outset. The great thing is that Shoobx has substantially streamlined this process so you can set up your company for a fraction of the cost. I have enjoyed using this as a service for my clients so they can be confident they get started the right way, without having to break the bank.
 

Your lawyer should give you a peace of mind. Your lawyer should communicate effectively, be there to answer your questions, and help you prepare for and understand what's on the horizon for your business. Your lawyer should also be transparent about their fees so you can properly budget for their services. Your lawyer is a key strategic advisor for your business.

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