Do you know what a legal advisor is? We analyze the functions and requirements necessary to exercise this profession.
After studying law, the most common thing to do is to become a lawyer or to prepare for a competitive examination to become a judge or a notary, for example. However, Law is a career that offers more employment options: one of them is that of a legal advisor. Do you know what this figure is?
What is a legal advisor?
A legal advisor is a jurist, an expert professional whose main function is to guarantee the correct and adequate application of the current regulations in each of the actions carried out by the company.
Having a good legal advisor in the company will guarantee a legally sound approach to the company’s business plans, the relations between the company and its employees, as well as the synergies and collaborations with other companies.
Whether it is focused on the legal defense of the company – assuming the legal direction of legal proceedings -, or in the commercial field – directing negotiation and contracting processes with other companies or individuals or in the Human Resources field – advising and directing the many labor conflicts that may arise, as in financial and tax matters.
Evaluating the possibilities and risks of the legal business on which a company’s business scope is focused and directing it in the fulfillment of its tax obligations from the expert’s perspective-, the figure of the legal advisor is essential in order to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the negotiation and contracting in the company’s scope.
Also in the public sector, since the figure of the legal advisor is fundamental in order to accompany and guarantee the correct formalization of the contracts that the different Administrations, Organisms and Public Entities sign daily with other Administrations and with individuals.
The legal advisor can also focus on the expert advice of the self-employed or individuals, who need to be able to rely on a legal expert in the civil, criminal, labor and tax fields in order to obtain from him his advice or guidelines in order to deal with the undertaking or the correct completion of their taxes, to give a simple example.
The mission of the legal advisor is, therefore, to provide information and advice in those conflicts or situations related to the application of the set of rules that govern a matter or activity, within any branch of law.
Functions of a legal advisor
The functions of a legal advisor depend on the professional field in which he or she works. For example, in the case of a private individual, the legal advisor will resolve the doubts that his client may have in relation to issues that may range from the management of his assets (property, investments, inheritance, etc.), to doubts about his professional activity, either because he is a small businessman or an employee. In many cases, the role of legal advisor is assumed by a private individual’s own lawyers.
The figure of the legal advisor is very common in the private sector, both in large and in medium and small companies. Their functions, as we have seen, are very broad and include all those that require legal analysis and interpretation, so that the agency acts and interacts with third parties in accordance with the law.
In general, the legal advisor will intervene to:
Guarantee the correct constitution of any type of company or legal structure and the drafting of documents of any nature required for this purpose.
Negotiate and prepare all types of commercial, civil and labor contracts (sales, loans, policies, etc.)
Drawing up the company’s legal defence strategy in the face of potential legal infringements by the employer or the company.
Control and solve situations of asset imbalance.
Carry out procedures and formalities before public bodies, registries, notaries, etc.
Advise on the application of regulations of any kind.
Any other legal service that the company or the businessman may need.
What to study to become a legal advisor
The first step to become a legal advisor is to study the Law Degree. Throughout the four courses that make up this degree, the student achieves a deep knowledge of the legal system and the principles, areas and rules that shape it, with an interdisciplinary training in areas such as economics and business that will allow you to analyze each situation and propose solutions adapted to the situation.
Upon completion of the Degree in Law, the professional will be prepared to enter the world of work as a legal advisor in the legal teams of companies or consulting firms, although experts recommend specializing in some legal branch such as labor, commercial or tax law, among others, to offer a differentiated service and excellence.
It is not possible to ignore the necessary advice that, every day more, individuals demand in the different areas of their lives. To achieve this, complementary training plays a fundamental role.
Thus, a postgraduate degree such as a Master’s Degree in Legal Advice will be the ideal way for those professionals interested in developing their career along this path. A concrete option is to train in Legal Consultancy for Companies, which will allow the graduate in Law to continue studying in depth the commercial, civil, fiscal and criminal regulations applicable to companies and to become a legal expert in the business field.
