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Business owners have busy lives. They work hard to make their companies successful, but they also must shoulder the stress of turning profits, keeping their team productive, and minimizing risks. From small businesses to large, multinational corporations, owners in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and surrounding areas need a trusted ally who can handle the inevitable legal challenges that they will encounter.
That’s where AttorneyX comes in. Our firm is here to deliver exceptional service that can best position your business for long-term financial success and minimize your legal exposure while protecting your personal and business assets.
How Our Experienced Corporate Attorneys Help Business Owners
Every business owner in Pennsylvania is concerned with the legal facets of starting and operating their own companies. Through every life stage of their business, they need competent counsel who can protect their bottom line, avoid liability, and resolve business disputes that arise both inside and outside their companies. These are just some of the ways our law firm supports businesses, whether you are a small business owner or are looking to invest in something larger.
Assisting with Business Formations
If you are working to launch a new business entity, one of the first decisions you will have to make is how it will be organized. A Philadelphia lawyer for small business owners can help you compare and contrast various options, such as a corporation, a sole proprietorship, or a limited liability company (LLC). Each of these varies in terms of governing bodies, taxes, and personal liability, among other factors that can lead to legal issues if you’re not prepared.
Executing Corporate Governance Documents
These documents may include articles of incorporation, bylaws, operating agreements, partnership agreements, and shareholders’ agreements. We help business entities select and draft the documents they need, and then get to work managing their corporate governance. By doing so, you can enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your most important relationships have been formalized and that your business law needs are properly handled.
Drafting Contracts and Service Agreements
Every business owner needs contracts that are drafted with their most important interests in mind. These include agreements that will govern the professional relationships you have with various parties, such as vendors, customers, investors, and partners. A properly drafted contract or service agreement clarifies the parties’ respective obligations and rights while minimizing ambiguities.
Other contracts you may need, depending on your selected industry and size, may include lease agreements, employment contracts, and purchasing agreements. Our business lawyers take the time necessary to draft and execute enforceable contracts that are tailored to the exact needs of entrepreneurs.
Adopting Effective Risk Management Procedures
Any business owner in Pennsylvania can tell you that running a business comes with risks. But you have the option to minimize these threats to your business by engaging an attorney who is familiar with risk management. One common strategy is to adopt policies and procedures that can reduce the chances of unwanted litigation (for instance, a well-defined partnership agreement or a compliant service contract).
Ensuring Regulatory Compliance
There are numerous laws and rules with which your business must comply. These differ from one industry to another, with companies in areas like healthcare and finance being heavily regulated. Regardless of the type and size of the business, we help business owners meet the requirements of all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
Facilitating Your Financing Needs
One of the realities that you may face is the need to raise capital. Financing needs abound for every business, whether it’s a start-up or a larger company that is growing. We understand the importance of gaining the trust of investors and lenders. To that end, we help owners identify fundraising opportunities and execute the contracts they need to effectuate them.
Selecting Dispute Resolution Methods
The last thing your business needs is a dispute arising from one of the other owners, from an employee, or from another party to a contract. Business disputes cost money, sour company morale, and distract owners from doing their work. Although disagreements and conflicts are virtually unavoidable, they don’t have to land your business in expensive litigation.
Two of the most popular forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) are mediation and arbitration. We can include dispute resolution methods in your various contracts and agreements, and we can represent you during ADR proceedings. The goal is to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution to the problem that saves time and money while preserving valuable business relationships.
Protecting and Managing Intellectual Property Rights
Not every business owner believes that their company should explicitly claim intellectual property rights. Trademarks and copyrights, for instance, may be central to your business’s unique identity. However, without rigorous protections in place, another business or individual could claim your most important intellectual assets and thereby jeopardize your company’s reputation. In our experience, this is an often-overlooked component of small business growth.
Our firm helps owners identify, develop, safeguard, and manage their intellectual property. We can also help you explore licensing agreements and other arrangements that can let you further profit from your intellectual assets. Finally, we can answer common questions and concerns that business owners have about branding and rebranding strategies.
Negotiating Business Transactions
As a business owner, you know a good opportunity when you see it. But it takes time and patience to negotiate an agreement that will allow you to reap the maximum benefits. Our business law team is adept at negotiating sales, mergers, and acquisitions, and other deals that keep companies successful and growing. Then we get to work with due diligence, contract drafting, and other important matters.
Litigate on Behalf of Your Business
Although every business owner would rather forego litigation, in some cases it is unavoidable. You may be named in a lawsuit or have to initiate legal action to protect yourself and your business. Either way, AttorneyX is there to advocate for you. We can also explore ways to potentially end litigation early, through mediation and negotiations among the parties.
Exploring Other Business Law Services
The above list is only a small sample of the various ways that AttorneyX works with startups in Pennsylvania. We are also experienced in the following matters:
- Helping owners determine which type of insurance their business may need
- Successfully resolving tax issues with the IRS and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
- Writing independent contractor agreements and explaining when they can be used
- Drafting non-compete, non-disclosure, and confidentiality agreements
- Developing employee equity incentive plans and helping manage employee benefits
- Facilitating employee termination with an eye towards mitigating liability risk
- Helping your business acquire and maintain necessary licenses and certifications
- Drafting franchise agreements and operating manuals
- Assisting your business with dissolution, wind-down, and liquidation procedure
Partnering with AttorneyX Gives You the Best Possible Chance at a Successful Outcome
When it comes to business law, experience is only the beginning of what an owner needs. Exceptional legal service comes in the form of strong relationships in the business and legal communities of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. It also means knowing the real issues that owners face and the practical solutions that move them forward. We’re proud to say that we bring all of this and more to the table.
When you hire us to represent you and your business, we get to work by:
- Identifying the legal needs that your company has, based on its size, industry, and other critical factors
- Reviewing existing contracts, agreements, policies, procedures, risk management strategies, and compliance protocols to determine if there are any vulnerabilities
- Establishing the contracts, policies, procedures, and compliance measures that you will need
- Handling negotiations and communications with key stakeholders, including investors and regulators
- Focusing on cost-effective ways to reduce risk and resolve disputes
- Avoiding costly and unnecessary tax, liability, and other mistakes
- Helping prevent lawsuits that can alienate your stakeholders and destroy valuable business relationships
- Providing ongoing legal support, guidance, and representation moving forward
- Developing a personalized legal strategy that meets the unique needs and interests of your organization
Not just any attorney is suited for this job. You specifically need a lawyer who works for business owners and can understand how to achieve their objectives while limiting their exposure to risk. That’s where AttorneyX is ready to step up and serve you.
Ready to Get Started? Connect with an Experienced Lawyer for Business Owners
Regardless of where you are in the life of your business, it’s smart to hire an experienced attorney to help you with your legal matters. We’re ready to partner with you to meet the challenges you face now and the ones that await you in the future. You can give us a call or complete our contact form to schedule your free consultation with our office today.
