how a lawyer can help you start a new business

by Deangelo Fritsch Sr. 4 min read

A business lawyer can help in your new businesses formative years by setting up your company’s legal structure, bringing you through the legal start-up process, and drafting contracts for new employees. Here are other ways a lawyer can help prevent litigation before the conflict arises. 1. Business Formation

Ensure compliance: A lawyer can help make sure that your business opens and operates by federal, state and local laws. Reduce risk: Doing business exposes you to risk, but a business attorney can help you establish a set of procedures that will limit your risk.Apr 4, 2019

Full Answer

Do you need a lawyer to start a business?

Feb 20, 2019 · A lawyer can help you balance the two scenarios so that you have the opportunity to make the most out of your business. The last thing you want is to accidentally put too much on the line because you didn’t see the legal implications of your decisions. Talk with Epstein Law today! Our experienced legal team is ready to help you make the right decisions so your new …

How can a corporate lawyer help your small business?

They Can Help You To Understand Environmental Laws. There are lots of environmental laws that govern the emissions that your business can make. This is especially important if you are opening a factory. The lawyer will make sure that you are aware of the limit on emissions that can be made. Choosing The Right Lawyer To Help You. The lawyer has a large amount of experience …

How can an attorney help me form a new business entity?

His advice to me when starting up was to align people incentives in a way that protects the company and aligns everyone to build for the long term. Hire a lawyer to help draft an incentive plan with a vesting schedule that fits your business. Investing in a lawyer early will save you a lot down the road. 3.

Why is it important to hire the right lawyers?

May 14, 2020 · Within the company, lawyers can help build a strong team. Before business is truly on its way, a group of founders must establish each member’s role, salaries, levels of control or ownership, personal liability, and capital contributions. A lawyer’s oversight of these conversations can protect each member and the entity as a whole, ensuring that contracts are …

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1. Choosing a Business Model

One of the most important things a business lawyer can help you decide is the type of business model to file. Some options available are: sole proprietorship and partnership.

2. Protecting Intellectual Property

Businesses and individuals often use copyrights and trademarks to protect intellectual property. Business, name, logo, slogans, and packaging can all be used to distinguish a business from competition. If you have inventions, you will need to apply for a patent to protect your business interests.

3. Choosing the Right Name

When choosing a business name, there are various legal guidelines you need to follow. You cannot, for instance, in most cases, use a name that a business is already using.

4. Providing the Operating Guidelines

Businesses have to operate according to the guidelines laid down by corporate bylaws and LLC operating agreements. These bylaws cover important topics such as nature of shareholders meet, issuing shares, and the key business decisions taken.

5. Minimizing Risks

As a business owner, you must ensure that your business complies with various employment laws, anti-discrimination laws, and safety regulations. Any failure to do so can result in fines, penalties, and litigations.

Wrap Up

If you go through the annals of business law, you will find many cases, wherein a business was shut down due to a legal issue even before operations commenced. Hiring a business lawyer can help you avoid such a scenario. If you are in Texas and need a consultation to set up a business, the Lawyer Referral Service of Texas can help.

Lawyers simplify and organize a complicated paperwork process

First things first, you’ll probably need to register your LLC, corporation, partnership, or nonprofit with your state (and any other states in which you plan to operate ). Every business is required to attend to federal, state, and local paperwork, as well as third parties and the public.

They can protect your brand from infringement and claims

Failure to protect a trademark or copyright can leave a business vulnerable to unnecessary troubles on the path to an otherwise successful start-up.

Within the company, lawyers can help build a strong team

Before business is truly on its way, a group of founders must establish each member’s role, salaries, levels of control or ownership, personal liability, and capital contributions. A lawyer’s oversight of these conversations can protect each member and the entity as a whole, ensuring that contracts are valid and legally binding.

Lawyers can protect your customers or patients

One of the first steps in launching a business is creating a web presence. At least sixteen states require website privacy policies as a means to protect private information from customers or patients.

Lawyers can simplify the customer and supplier interactions

Negotiations with suppliers and partners require proactiveness and strong terms between your business and others—even website or software providers—ensures mutual success. With a lawyer’s help, you can ensure that each contract or buy-sell agreement is comprehensive and binding.

From Making to Manufacturing

Should consumer product startups manufacture in-house or partner with a copacker?

Why do people choose not to establish a business as a partnership?

However, because partners can be held liable for their actions as well as the actions of their partners, many people choose not to establish their business as a partnership.

Why is it important for a business owner to have a plan for the future?

Every business owner should have a plan for the future of his or her business. In order for a business to survive on a long-term basis , it is important for the owner to have a plan for what will happen to the business if they die unexpectedly.

What is the advantage of a corporation?

Corporations are businesses in which a group of people can act as a single entity. The advantage of a corporation is that its shareholders cannot be held personally liable for actions of the company. However, the ongoing business costs associated with corporations, such as filing fees and taxes, often prove to be a disadvantage.

What are the advantages of LLC?

LLCs allow for more flexibility among its members and require less paperwork than corporations. Additionally , its members enjoy protection from personal liability for the actions of the LLC.

What is joint venture?

A joint venture is a way to combine the resources and knowledge of two separate companies into one entity. While this technique has obvious advantages, if the companies are not in agreement on the issues they want to face and how to run the joint venture, the joint venture can fail.

What happens if you sign a contract with Alperin Law?

If the contract is not in your best interest, we can negotiate with the other party to the contract until a satisfactory contract is finalized and signed.

Do I need a contract to start a new job?

Any time you join a new company or start a new job, you will need to sign a contract agreeing to the terms of your employment. Whether you have been given a contract to sign or you need to create one for a prospective employee to sign, a good business attorney can help you draft a contract that is in your company’s best interests.

Starting a Business

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for assistance to get your company off the ground, some of the tasks a lawyer can help with include:

Taking Your Company to the Next Level

If your company has already been in business for many years, your legal needs will be different than a business that’s just getting started. You may need an experienced Virginia business law attorney to:

Going to Court

Generally, most business lawyers handle issues that are negotiated between parties without the need for court intervention. However, if you are unable or unwilling to come to an agreement, your attorney can represent you in court.

Leaving Your Business

Although most of the issues a business lawyer handles have to do with the day-to-day operations of the company, it’s also smart to contact a business lawyer if you’re thinking of selling your business to pursue a new venture or need to create a succession plan for your upcoming retirement.

Do You Have Questions About the Future of Your Business?

If you have questions about the legal issues associated with running a successful business, our experienced business law attorney can help. Please contact us online, or call our Virginia Beach office. We have offices throughout Virginia, including Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, and Suffolk.

What is the most important thing to consider when starting a new business?

The only thing more crucial to a new business is liability . 1. Liability. Different business forms provide different protections and risks to the business owner/investor. Personal liability means that your business puts everything you own at risk. An attorney can help you avoid this situation or minimize your risk.

What are the most important things to do in business?

10. Contracts. Most businesses execute contracts for space, services, and supplies. Businesses often have agreements between partners, investors, and employees. It is important to get it right so you don't end up in court. 9. Registering, Licensing, and Permits.

What is the choice of business form?

The choice of business form (i.e. sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation) often dictates the legal responsibilities and potential liability of those involved in leading the business, as well as the manner in which it may operate.

Can I do business in another state?

The preconditions to forming and conducting a business entity in one state may not be accepted in another state. If you are not careful, the protections you have in your home state of operations may be lost if you do business in another state. See the State Business Laws section for more details. 6. Strict Conformity.

Do I need a lawyer for my startup?

In most cases, you're going to need the services of a lawyer for your startup, perhaps for tax services or employment law compliance. Whatever the reason, make sure you contact the right attorney for your needs.

Can I start a business by myself?

Some people opt to start the business by themselves or with family members, while others have partners or other investors who will not be involved with the day-to-day affairs of the business. The laws that apply to start-up businesses differ based on the specifics of the situation, and even business people who decide to go it alone have options ...

Is Incorporation Right for You?

It’s the dream of most entrepreneurs to grow their small businesses into multi-billion corporations.

Develop Sound Business Governance Policies

Poor corporate governance is one of the main reasons new business fail before they even celebrate their fifth birthday.

Protect Intellectual Property

To build a successful business in a fiercely competitive marketplace, you need to offer a unique product or service.

How to Find the Right Corporate Lawyers for Your Small Business

There is no doubt corporate lawyers are crucial to the success of a small business.

Conclusion

Running a small business can be an easy or difficult task. It all depends on the people you bring on board to help you out.

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Business Formation

  • Before your business begins operating, it has to be set up in accordance with the law, especially when it comes to the legal requirements to start a business. A lawyer’s job will be to set up your business so that it can have a strong legal footing right from the get-go. A good attorney can ad…
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Protecting Intellectual Property

  • Businesses have various assets they want to protect, which is also where a lawyer comes in. For intellectual property protection, a good lawyer can draft applications to your local government or the concerned institutions for the copyright of your business’s logo and brand name in order to protect it against copycats in the market. Intangible assets like blueprints, creative arts, and soft…
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Drafting Privacy Policies

  • When starting a business that involves customer information, the lawyer will be able to draft policies that will ensure that customer, user, or client information is protected under the law. He/she will be able to identify which of the customer information needs protection in your business.
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Creating Employment Agreements

  • A good business lawyer will also help in drafting employment agreements that comply with the law while ensuring they are in the best benefit of the business. These may include non-disclosure agreements, employment contracts, and non-compete agreements.
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Protection from Defamation

  • Starting a business can have many challenges, one of which is defamation cases that are rampant in very competitive fields of the market. To protect your business from such cases, a lawyer will be able to draft policies that protect the business from defamation. They can also apply for a cease and desist order, which seeks to deter culprits from continuing with the defam…
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Exit Strategies

  • No one starts a business with failure in mind. However, by having a lawyer around, your business will be able to adopt sound exit strategies that will help the business limit its losses. For instance, they could help with filing for bankruptcy, which protects the business owners from further liabilities during its dissolution. As the above reasons show you, having a lawyer is an immense …
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