Business & Corporate Law
The business client is the core of our practice. From choosing and forming an entity to attracting and retaining talented employees, from mergers and acquisitions through developing and implementing an exit strategy for the company’s founders, our attorneys help clients realize their business’ greatest potential, and protect them from pitfalls along the way.
We serve as General Counsel to a multitude of businesses across industries, from one of the world’s largest fiber network and cloud services information technology companies, to privately-owned medical practices and franchised assisted living facilities. From equipment wholesalers and large industrial manufacturers, to commercial and residential real estate developers and local retailers and service professionals.
Every Client & Business is Unique
Every client and every business is unique. Fortunately, our business and corporate law practice group is able to draw upon extensive and varied industry experience and knowledge to recommend and implement successful strategies that promote long-term business growth and viability for our clients. By taking time to learn about the specific demands of each client’s business and the norms of each client’s industry, we can provide custom solutions to any issues your business may face.
When representing a business client, we strive to think like business owners. This philosophy permeates our recommendations. We recognize that immediacy and cost are central factors in deciding how to proceed. We practice “preventive lawyering” by urging clients to meet with us before making key business decisions such as creating a standard form contracts, entering into a lease, or hiring a key employee. By highlighting ambiguous language, identifying possible future areas of disagreement, and assisting the business client in thinking through the consequences of a decision, litigation may be avoided altogether.
Not Every Problem Calls for a Protracted Legal Solution
Of course, not every problem calls for a protracted legal solution – sometimes our very best advice is simple, pragmatic, and delivered in a single courtesy call with the client. But when we need to scale up to tackle more sophisticated and complex problems, the necessary expertise is there. The point is, no business issue is too big or small for us to analyze and evaluate different solutions with our clients from a variety of angles. We discuss not only the risks and rewards of each course of action, but also the respective legal fees, administrative costs, and possible impacts on long- and short-term business and personal relationships.
And when practical, reasonable solutions aren’t enough, our Litigation Department stands ready to vigorously advocate your rights. Business litigation encompasses any dispute that a business owner may face, including enforcing and terminating contracts, employee termination and discrimination matters, leasing issues, defending property interests, and enforcing the rights of owners against other owners in directing the course of a business or terminating a business. Our business litigation clients are particularly well served by the interaction of our litigators with our business planning attorneys. By leveraging the talents of our attorneys in both departments, we develop a thorough understanding of the underlying substantive issues in dispute. We couple this understanding with our years of experience to develop winning strategies for our clients.
We are proud to be able to offer valuable assistance to our business clients at every stage of the business, from formation to the exit of the original owners – it’s all part of helping our clients make all the right moves to achieve their business and personal goals.
Some of Our Practice Areas
Below are just a few of the wide-ranging business issues we regularly handle for our clients:
- Business Disputes
- Business Formation, Organization & Restructuring
- Corporate Governance & Filings
- Customer and Vendor Agreements
- Employee Benefits Advice
- Employment and Severance Agreement
- Member, Partnership & Shareholder Agreements
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Redemptions and Buyouts
- Registered Agent Services
- Succession Planning
If you have any questions or require assistance with any kind of business or corporate law matter, please contact James E. Shepard or Alan S. Golub, who head up our business law practice.