Sometimes running a business feels like walking a tightrope in a thunderstorm: one mistake and you’re trying to recover balance. Financial ups and downs merely show high; they do not issue invitations. ABS Market Research become the anchors companies need when disaster strikes, filling in just when hope seems remote.

Let’s not pretend, now, that company meltdowns are unusual. Experienced owners are aware that issues can develop on a sunny day. Debt might spiral; suppliers can become aggressive; and those pleasant bankers start to show poker faces. This is where smart lawyers shine. They serve purposes beyond mere paper shuffling. Working to turn momentum back in your favor, they are strategists.

Confounding contracts and protracted negotiations is nothing like what causes people to spiral. Given most business owners do not use “legalese,” why should they? These attorneys do the difficult work, line-by-line untying twisted contracts. One owner related how their lawyer discovered a single sentence in a loan agreement that would have saved a fortune of money. This eye for detail helps to offset the blow when minutes count.

Have you ever attempted negotiating with a creditor who is quite determined? Imagine moving a boulder uphill; only it speaks back. The attorney suddenly takes a seat at the table, and heretofore unworkable negotiations begin to thaw. They negotiate, come up with original ideas, and handle difficult calls you would rather not answer. This is battle-tested negotiating, not magic.

Compliance slips—or worse—gets overlooked when sales fall and stress skyrockets. Legal defeats or fines are nothing that will stop healing. A company recovery attorney keeps an eye on changing laws and alerts owners about hazards before they blow out.

Either embarrassed or worried? Do not be. In some business circles, nearly a badge of honor is hitting a financial wall. These kind of lawyers behave as private consultants. Just plain conversation and problem-solving; no judgment here.

Not expected, though, are sugar-coated motivational talks. The best among them are not afraid to challenge uncomfortable facts and hazards. One attorney reportedly advised a client, “Hope isn’t a business strategy.” That stings, but wise business owners choose straight shooters before yes-men. Action plans can change on demand, and occasionally what you hear is not what you want—but rather exactly what you need.

Legal professionals focused on healing are not present for display. They change plans and act fast, exactly like a chameleon would change colors, thereby reacting to crisis. The solution may be a rapid turn-around occasionally or endurance and patience other times. You will want someone prepared to dig in throughout everything, not only from the luxury of an office chair—not just conjecture from there.

Are these attorneys then magic workers? Not just exactly. But if fate hands you a difficult hand, having a smart legal ally increases your chances for a return. Usually, a lawyer who quietly moved the pieces, prepared the scene, and ensured the performance could run on behind every great turnabout. Every company should have a backstage hero of such sort on hand.