SMALL BUSINESS
Comprehensive Representation
We provide timely and knowledgeable representation, addressing the full range of legal needs of our small business clients.
Firsthand Knowledge
We are a successful small business ourselves. We understand the opportunities and challenges confronting small businesses daily.
Long-term Relationships
We have forged long-standing relationships with many of our small business clients. We’ve been there for them through start-up and succession planning, growth and retraction, acquisitions and sales.
Asking, Thinking, Acting (In That Order)
Before we begin a new project, we make sure we understand the big picture. For example:
- What are the client’s short-term and long-term goals in entering into a business relationship with another company, and can they best be achieved by a merger, an acquisition, a strategic partnership, a license or a preliminary “test the waters” arrangement?
- What ownership and control arrangements among the owners will be in their respective best interests and in the interests of the company?
- What representations and indemnifications are appropriate under the circumstances in an asset sale?
Teamwork
Although we are small and agile, we are a general practice rather than a “boutique”. Our small business clients have ready access to attorneys with expertise in such areas as real estate, finance, employment law and litigation.
Cost Control
As a small business ourselves, we seek out vendors who provide goods or services that are worth the price. As consumers of legal services, our small business clients are no different. Our clients stay with us because we deliver value.
Representative transactions:
- Sale of assets of closely-held retail chain to publicly traded company.
- Multi-state asset purchase.
- Drafting operating agreements to ensure “balance of power” of different factions of a family-owned business.
- Assisting a family-owned camp in connection with liability issues, decision-making among owners and restructuring.
- Representing individual seller of business in negotiation of stockholders’ agreement, employment agreement and non-competition agreement with acquiring company.
- Drafting stockholders’ agreement for corporation with 19 stockholders in multiple states.
- Representing corporation in contracts with key consultant a portion of whose compensation was stock options.
- Purchase and Sale of a number of local restaurants, including associated alcoholic beverages licensing by an attorney at the Firm.
- Sale of franchised printing company (certified women business enterprise) via stock sale by an attorney at the Firm.
- Merger of sales agencies to effect change of state of incorporation by an attorney at the Firm.