Each week will cover a new aspect of starting and running a business including business plans, marketing and legal assistance. The resources that will be listed and discussed here are aimed at helping businesses from all industries. However, if you still need more precise information make sure to explore our industry specific Accelerator Guides to find a fit for your small business ideas!
Tools & Resources for Legal Assistance 
Legal help can be very expensive and daunting for someone who has never needed it before. Government regulations regarding businesses can be tied up in red tape and very confusing for both newcomers and experienced business owners alike. The tools and resources listed on the Key Resources: Legal Assistance page can help you get started with your own legal research and get a handle on some of resources available to you before you need to go to the pros!
- BizPaL - This is the one-stop website to assist Canadian businesses that are just starting up, or expanding into new areas. BizPaL asks you a short series of questions about the nature and scope of your current or proposed business. Based on your answers, BizPaL provides you with a customized list of government permits and licences that you may require to operate your business. All of the information that you provide is kept anonymous, and you may save or print your results for future reference.
- Starting a Small Business (Canadian Bar Association BC Branch) - This is a very brief overview of the different ways to start a small business, what you need to do, and where to find information. Also, see their factsheets on Forming a Private Company and Forming a Partnership.
- Society Guide for British Columbia - From the Community Legal Assistance Society website, this publication explains the process of registering a non-profit society in BC, as well as how to keep non-profit societies in good standing once they are registered.
- A Guide to a Successful Interview With a Lawyer - From the Community Legal Assistance Society website. Many people can only afford a brief meeting with a lawyer. This publication will help you organize and prepare for your interview with a lawyer so that you can use the time more effectively.
- University of Victoria (UVic) Business Law Clinic - The Business Law Clinic (BLC) at the University of Victoria provides legal information on matters that include things like Incorporation, Financing, Charitable Registration, Intellectual Property Protection, Shareholder Agreements, Franchise Agreements, Partnership Agreements, Contracts, Business Liability, Employment Law, Government Regulation, Taxation and other topics.
Did you face any challenges while using legal assistance? What tools or resources did you use to get legal assistance? Have any of our legal assistance resources been useful to you or do you have new ones to suggest?
PHOTO CREDIT: Law books in compact, created by seychelles88 on March 8, 2009. Image made available under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic. Last viewed on December 2, 2013.