lawyer up

verb3

1. •
   (US, informal) To exercise one's right to legal representation; to engage the services of a lawyer.

   • You'd better lawyer up!
2. •
   (US, informal) To conduct matters in accord with legal formalities or so as to avoid legal risk.

   • Whenever we do business with those guys, we lawyer up to protect ourselves.
3. •
   (informal) To arrange in a way reflecting legal advice.

   • By the time we finished lawyering up the agreement, we didn't want to sign it.