Small Business Consulting
We take great pleasure in working with both individuals considering pursuing their dream – starting their very own business, as well as young businesses facing challenges on the road to growth, stability and profitability.
Start Ups
A first issue for all individuals starting a new business is choice of entity – the opportunity to consider governance issues and preferences, sources of financing and investors, management and tax matters. Considering these issues in a thoughtful, deliberate fashion can help to maximize your objectives while minimizing taxes and unnecessary costs at both the entity level and for the owners personally. While we use paralegals to assist us, we believe the initial meeting to discuss your objectives and review your options cannot be delegated; you will always meet with an experienced business attorney to discuss, review and plan for establishing your business entity. Anything short of good planning could jeopardize your business objectives.
Beyond Choice of Entity
Choice of entity is only the starting point for your new business. There may be leases to negotiate, both for premises and equipment, bank or other financing matters to resolve, a franchise agreement to pore through and dissect, employment and confidentiality agreements to consider, and more. The list of the myriad of issues which a new or existing business may, and likely will face, is long and varied. We bring a wide variety of background to counseling small business clients, allowing us to guide you through the maze of laws, regulations and issues in an economical manner. Our goals have never been, and will never be, a “one shot” representation. Our goal is to represent our business clients for the long term.
Established Companies
Once a new business is established, we continue to provide ongoing advice for the wide variety of legal issues which may be confronted by a growing business. Employment contracts and restrictive covenants, financing, corporate governance and shareholder agreements, including Buy-Sell Agreements which allow a company to remain “close” while providing liquidity to the owners, general contracts, acquisitions, mergers and divestitures, are just some of the issues a small business may need to address. Read more about our business services under Corporate Law.
This is a sampling of the small business law services provided to small- and medium-sized businesses:
- Asset Purchase Agreements
- Buy-Sell Agreements
- Capitalization Options
- “Choice of Entity” Considerations
- Contracts
- Covenants Not-to-Compete (Non-Competition Agreements)
- Employment Agreements
- Financing Options
- Initial Organizational Issues
- Leases
- Registered Agent Services
- Member/Shareholder Agreements
- Shareholder Disputes
- Tax Issues
Small Business Consulting Articles
Safeguarding a Business’ Intellectual Property: Patents and Trade Secrets for Small Businesses
The small business owner may have intellectual property that is vital to the success of the enterprise. This introductory note explains two methods by which an entrepreneurial business can take steps to protect itself against the loss of assets of great importance to...
Reasonable and Necessary Compensation: Undocumented Work Disqualifies Benefit Reimbursements
Compensation paid by a business, whether a corporation, limited liability or sole proprietorship must be “ordinary and necessary” to be deductible for corporate income tax purposes. If such compensation does not meet the “ordinary and necessary” standard, or if the...
Taxes Beyond Choice of Entity; Minimizing Employment Taxes
When forming a new company, you have a choice of business entities. For most small business owners, electing to be taxed under the Internal Revenue Code as a Subchapter "S" corporation or forming a limited liability company are the obvious choices for the reason that...
Meeting Minutes and Written Consents: Sound Reasons for Complying With a Simple, Yet Necessary, Task
Individuals form corporations and limited liability companies (“LLCs”) in order to have the benefit of limited liability. Of course, filing the necessary Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State is a necessary prerequisite to...