1. General Partnership: This is the most common type of partnership and is formed by the association of two or more individuals intending to be co-owners of a business for profit. Liability: General partners are individually and jointly responsible for any losses or debts incurred by the general partnership; to third parties in tort ...
In other words, unlike general partners, they are not exposed to unlimited legal liability. 3. Limited Partnership: In a limited partnership, there are general and limited partners. There may be one or more for each type of partner, but there must be at least one partner selected to be a general partner.
A partnership agreement is an agreement between the partners that describes the relationship that each partner has with the business, as well as outlines the rights and obligations that each individual partner has to the partnership. It may also include: 1 The amount or portion of the partnership owned by each partner; 2 Which partners have authority to make business decisions on behalf of the partnership; 3 The method the partners will use to resolve business disputes among the partners; 4 How the partnership can be dissolved or transferred; 5 The process for adding new partners; and 6 Any other policies or procedures that the partners have in place to make major decisions or handle important aspects of the partnership.
Limited Partnership: In a limited partnership, there are general and limited partners. There may be one or more for each type of partner, but there must be at least one partner selected to be a general partner. A general partner makes management decisions, whereas a limited partner does not.
They are formed by the association of two or more people intending to be co-owners for a profit. All of the general partners share in the profits , losses, and liabilities of the limited partnership. The main difference between a general partnership and limited partnership is the fact that all of the partners in a general partnership can be held ...
In a limited partnership, there are two kinds of partners: limited partners and general partners. While there may be one or more of either type of partner, there must be at least one general partner. The general partner is typically responsible for management decisions and day-to-day operations. In contrast, the limited partners are only ...
In general, unless the partnership agreement states otherwise, all partners have equal rights to control a partnership. This means that issues, such as decisions regarding ordinary day-to-day business operations, require a majority vote of the partners. Matters outside the scope of daily business decisions, however, ...
People sometimes wonder what types of lawyers are available to them. Lawyers often specialize in either business law or personal law. For this reason, you should search for lawyers who have business law experience.
1. General Business Lawyer. As the name suggests, a general business lawyer can provide legal advice on a wide range of matters. This type of lawyer has a hand in every legal discipline. If your business doesn’t deal with special circumstances, a general business lawyer may be well suited to your purposes.
However, if your business is subject to a lawsuit, you’ll be relieved that you hired a lawyer. When evaluating lawyers, you should ask a lot ...
It’s well known that hiring a lawyer can be expensive, making it challenging for some small business owners to retain their services. However, if your business is subject to a lawsuit, you’ll be relieved that you hired a lawyer.
In addition, some lawyers are knowledgeable about tax issues, even if they aren’t accountants. They may have handled legal tax matters for other business owners and can make sure you don’t run into the same issues.
Employment and Labor Lawyer. Using an employment and labor lawyer only makes sense when your business has employees. If it does, your business should comply with state and federal laws. An attorney in this area of the law can help you draft employee manuals and ensure safety standards are in place.
When you buy and sell businesses, you’ll negotiate for the property and assets of those businesses. It may not always be clear what you’re entitled to during these negotiations. It pays to have a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyer representing your interests in the transactions.
Business Lawyer (litigation or transactional) Many business owners assume they need a “business lawyer,” whatever the nature of the legal problem they’re experiencing. In fact, “business law” is too broad a category to be meaningful.
Real estate lawyers deal with rights concerning land, water, and structures. Perhaps you need to determine whether a lien has been asserted against your property, or you need to carve out an easement. Maybe you need to divide one lot into two or more lots, or change the zoning classification, or move a boundary line.
Defamation lawyers are a subset of civil litigation lawyers. You want a defamation attorney if you need to take someone to court for defaming your character through libel and/or slander, or if you’ve been accused of causing harm to the reputation of another individual or business by making false and defamatory statements of your own.
Business litigation (often referred to as commercial litigation) is a major subset of civil litigation (see above). Businesses sue each other all the time, for any number of reasons.
The transactional lawyer will incorporate your startup, help secure funding, draft your employment and non-disclosure agreements, issue stock, spin off subsidiaries, and countless other tasks associated with operating your business. Unlike the business litigation attorney, the transactional lawyer does not go to court.
You want a divorce. You want custody of your kids. Your ex-wife wants an increase in her spousal support and you’d rather not give it to her. You’re getting married and you want to ensure you won’t lose half of everything you own if you ever get a divorce. If your legal needs involve family relationships and obligations, you need a family lawyer.
Traffic Lawyer. Traffic lawyers are often considered a type of criminal-defense lawyer, but there’s a big difference between being accused of murder and being accused of running a red light, and different considerations come into play in formulating defense strategy.
If you are running any kind of business, chances are that you will need legal representation at one point in your business’s life. No matter how big or small, legal challenges are likely to come up.
Any time money changes hands in America today, you open yourself up to the possibility of a lawsuit. If you have a brick and mortar store, with an icy sidewalk, you have a potential liability on your hands.
A Duke Law School conference in 2010 found that litigation costs for small businesses cost Americans $115 million in 2008, which was up 73 percent since 2000. Those litigation costs are rising annually and will be even higher for small businesses that don’t have their legal needs managed appropriately.
Also known as corporate lawyers, business lawyers are legal eagles who cover a more full range of expertise in building, managing, maintaining, transferring and dissolving a business. Lawyers in this area of practice deal with the formation of the company, employment contracts, tax compliance, acquisitions, and mergers.
Different types of lawyers specialize in different areas of law. Some lawyers mostly do the work outside of the courtroom, such as drafting contracts and wills, preparing documents to comply with a process, negotiating deals, and advising clients on a legal problem. There are also lawyers who present cases in court or litigations ...
Any original creative, scientific, or technical invention which may benefit the public has to be protected from copycats and duplicates. If you've created an art design, a unique product, a novel, a song or a computer program, you can consult with an intellectual property lawyer for securing copyright, patents, trademarks, and licensing agreements.
Family Lawyers. These are lawyers who handle all kinds of domestic cases, such as divorce, legal separation, child custody, adoption, paternity, alimony, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, and emancipation. But family attorneys may also handle reproductive rights cases, and their work may intersect with other areas of the law.
This lawyer is an expert in tort law, which deals with civil legal liabilities and damages.
Real estate lawyers provide legal guidance for individuals or companies seeking to buy or sell a property. They work with their clients and the real estate agents to draft documents and ensure that the paperwork is legally binding. They may also negotiate for the buyer or seller, or represent a property owner during a foreclosure dispute.
Technically, all areas of law already mentioned on this list may also be considered civil litigation cases. This is why a civil litigation lawyer is regarded as a general lawyer. However, their primary work comprises handling cases involving a breach of contract. While this may seem simple compared to other areas of law, contract disputes can be a tedious process. So, it will pay to hire an excellent civil litigation attorney who can easily spot the finer details of the case.
There are certain matters that are fairly straightforward and/or not unduly difficult to learn and therefore do not require the services of an attorney who charges at least $200 per hour. There are enough expenses associated with running a business, why not save yourself a load of money and do it yourself if you can?
Most of the issues outlined above can be handled by any intelligent business owner (if you can run a business, you can certainly fill out IRS forms or fill in boilerplate business forms). There are times, however, when a business faces issues that are too complex, too time consuming, or fraught with liability issues.
While you certainly need to retain an attorney for the serious issues above, your emphasis should be placed on preventing such occurrences in the first place. Prevention does not necessarily involve hiring an attorney, though consulting with one wouldn't hurt.
You won't need a lawyer for each and every legal issue that comes up in your business. But when you do, it's good to know where to find the right one. And -- more to the point -- you may not know you need legal help until it's too late, as attorneys can help you stay in compliance with the law and spot developing legal issues early.
Some people assume that, because small claims court doesn’t allow clients to be represented by an attorney, they don’t need an attorney at all. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The most important first step you can take in any contract law claim is to consult with a lawyer. The best way to find the right type of lawyer, regardless of the exact facts associated with your case, is to contact a legal referral service.
Fraud is far more common in contract law than you might think. Contractors don’t have to engage in outright scams or con artist tricks to be accused. In fact, the exact definition of contract fraud is surprisingly broad, and might include: 1 False claims, such as when a contractor lies about their skill level, experience, or ability to complete a job. This is especially applicable if the results delivered do not meet reasonable expectations. 2 Fraudulent bill padding, such as when a contractor agrees to complete a job for one amount, yet starts tacking on dubious fees. While contracts can and often do change, any suspicious additions should be scrutinized closely. 3 False promises, such as promising to complete a job with an expensive material, yet sneakily using a cheaper product. For example, a contractor may promise to install an expensive Egyptian wool carpet, yet install a cheaper counterfeit version without the homeowner’s permission.
This is because most contractual law involves the same assumed rights and responsibilities. The most common scenarios involve a contractor who: Fails to complete a job at all. Fails to complete a job by a deadline.
A breach of contract occurs when the contractor fails to hold up their end of the bargain. For example, a home reno contractor might miss a deadline, fail to deliver a completed product, or even display incompetence in providing a service.
Fundamental Breach – The same as a material breach, but generally includes much more serious fallout. For example, a contractor who works on a roof incompetently might leave it in disrepair, resulting in leaks and thousands of dollars worth of water damage.
Anticipatory Breach – The contractor lets the client know they cannot fulfill the contract in advance.
Some of the most common reasons a person seeks out a bankruptcy lawyer are for medical debt, mortgage foreclosure, and credit card debt. No matter what kind of legal issue you’re facing, there are lawyers who can handle your case, and finding the right one is essential to your peace of mind.
Intellectual property attorneys (“IP attorneys”) help companies, artists, and inventors with legal issues concerning copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and the like. IP attorneys spend a lot of time working with clients to help them avoid infringing upon the rights of others and making sure that their intellectual property is properly protected under the law.
The general term “civil litigator” refers to an attorney who represents clients in civil (not criminal) court, either as plaintiff or defendant. The most common kinds of civil litigation involve contract ...
Real estate attorneys handle purchase agreements, mortgages, title documents, and transfer documents. They represent individual buyers and sellers, developers, landlords, and tenants. Simply put, the most common scenario to use a real estate attorney is when you buy or sell real estate. Cloud-based real estate law software assists attorneys by facilitating collaborative document management and project tracking in a seamless and secure environment.
Criminal lawyers are attorneys who defend individuals and organizations against government charges in federal and state courts. Criminal lawyers understand the rules around arrest, arraignment, bail, pleas, proof, and related issues. Some of the most common crimes requiring criminal lawyers include homicide, sexual battery and assault.
If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of another person or company, you will want to engage a personal injury lawyer. Even though personal injury attorneys usually work on a contingent fee basis (i.e., no monthly bills to prepare and send), you will find that many are using personal injury case management software to help them better manage their cases, control costs, and increase overall returns. The most common personal injury claims are from car accidents and slip and fall accidents.
Some of the most common types of cases handled by employment lawyers are contracts, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, retaliation, and workplace discrimination.