Selling to customers from other countries can bring numerous advantages to your retail business, including the opportunity to expand your brand and its reach and to appeal to an entirely new group of customers. In order to help ensure that you continue to succeed and gain profits, however, it is essential that your company be in compliance with a host of local requirements and regulations that are totally new to you. That’s where hiring a local legal expert can be a lifesaver.

What international lawyers do.

Not so long ago, entrepreneurs wishing to sell internationally did not always need representation from a legal professional from the country in which their customers resided. However, the vastly increased complexity of today’s global environment makes it difficult for a layperson to remain apprised of all that governs creating, growing, and administering their business as well as its legal underpinnings.

International lawyers have expertise in negotiating in maintaining compliance with existing contracts. In addition, the attorney can anticipate legal issues and head off conflicts before they balloon into expensive problems, providing you with guidance based on the specialized laws and customs of the country in question.

Innovation and issues stemming from business also can require the knowledge of an international attorney. Without this firm’s expertise, you might not know if another entrepreneur in a different nation was developing a product similar or identical to the one you are creating. Nor would you necessarily be aware of what your next steps should be.

International attorneys and their role in regulatory compliance.

Requirements, international ecommerce regulations, and laws exist in a whole ecosystem that local legal experts are in a unique position to grasp and communicate to you. Specifically, they are fully knowledgeable about the nature of the regulations, the underlying intent that led to them being set in the first place and the methods by which they are enforced. They can even make educated guesses about which rules are most important to the governing body so that you can determine how to prioritize compliance accordingly. You can also use their expertise to learn whether it is better to collaborate with local entities or to complete the compliance requirements on your own.

As your international law firm conducts a risk analysis, they can also let you know about any changes that seem likely to the regulatory environment that look likely to be implemented in the next few years. Armed with this information, you can make more accurate budgeting and staffing decisions to ensure that you are never out of compliance.

Legal support in real time.

If you only work with a centralized legal team located in your headquartering country, you will encounter delays that may last for hours or even an entire day before questions can be answered, guidance given, or problems resolved. By contrast, a legal team located in the country where you do business can handle requests on the ground immediately, sparing your home attorneys from needing to work abnormally long hours. This broadened reach allows you to hand off responsibilities at the end of your workday to skilled professionals who may just be starting theirs.

Broadened scope of communication.

When your legal team is located in the country where you do business, they will already have established collaborative relationships with vendors, partners, customers, authorities, and other legal professionals in that jurisdiction. Their enhanced understanding of local culture, customs, and preferences can provide insights that allow for more creative and balanced solutions that take a variety of diverse perspectives into consideration.

Cost-effective solution.

You will spend more money collaborating with a law firm located in the U.S. or in large international cities. By contrast, you can often receive the same service quality at a much lower price point by hiring in-house professionals in lower-cost locations. This is often more economical than resorting to enlisting the services of an outside legal professional on an as-needed basis.

Companies that elect to keep an in-house legal team on staff also gain an advantage when the time comes to negotiate contracts with local vendors. This firm’s familiarity and expertise with local practices, regulations and customs often enables them to negotiate better terms than a team based at your headquartering city could ever achieve.

Specifically, an international law firm can assist with numerous aspects of a successful international agreement. They can verify that all parties are duly registered and authorized to conduct business in the country as well as its fiscal health, structure, and parent company. The firm can also vet all signees, ensuring that they have power of attorney. By the same token, the documents to be signed need to be in compliance with all tax laws and regulations. Your international law firm is well-equipped to ensure that these requirements are met before entering into any legally binding entanglements.

Improved risk management.

It is virtually impossible for headquarters-based lawyers to gain an accurate snapshot of the risks the business faces in international locations. Outside law firms can combine their legal expertise, knowledge of the company, and insights into the area’s culture and regulatory climate to ensure consistent compliance across the board.

If you accept international payments, your ecommerce business needs to take laws, regulations, and cultural differences into consideration. Enlisting the services of an in-house international law firm often proves vital in providing you with the global reach and ongoing, reliable guidance and support you need in order to successfully navigate this complex landscape.

Whether you have questions about how your payment processing company will interface with your international customers or you want to know the most effective strategies for negotiating cost-effective contracts, you will gain significant benefits by carefully vetting and collaborating with a high-quality legal team based in the country where you do business. In the end, the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are in compliance with the complicated network of obligations and regulations will make investing in this service worthwhile.