When should a startup hire a lawyer during the formation process?

A startup should consider hiring a lawyer before or during formation, especially if there are multiple founders, investors, intellectual property, employees, or significant contracts involved. An attorney can help with choosing the appropriate business structure, preparing formation and governance documents, defining ownership and founder rights, protecting intellectual property, reviewing contracts, and identifying potential legal or regulatory issues early. For a simple single owner business, legal assistance may not always be necessary at the very beginning, but obtaining advice early can help avoid costly problems as the business grows.