Business legal services in Virginia

There are two types of legal issues that new businesses must address: the obvious ones and the hidden ones.

An example of an obvious issue is when a business contracts with a vendor.  The business owner calls a lawyer who either drafts a contract or reviews a contract to make sure the business owner is not missing anything. The second legal issue is more complicated because the business owner does not see the issue coming.  An example is when the business owner interviews a potential employee and hires him or her. But because the business owner inadvertently said something during the interview, the business owner may be precluded from firing that employee without cause. A lawyer can alert you hidden legal potholes and keep you out of trouble.

These are the legal services I offer.  Click on the links to be taken to that section:

• Business Formation: Advise on the types of business entities (partnership, LLC, corporation, etc.).  File articles of incorporation and other required documents.  

• Nonstock (nonprofit) Organizations:

• Operating and Partnership Agreements and Bylaws: Prepare some of the most important internal documents a company can have.

• Attend Board Meetings: Make sure that your initial required and optional meetings go smoothly and that all formalities are followed.

• Employees and Independent Contractors: Ensure that job advertisements, applications, and interview questions comply with federal and Virginia law.  Draft offer letters as well as employment, non-compete, non-disclosure (confidentiality), work-product, and nonuse-of-proprietary-information agreements and contracts.  Assist with employee classification, discipline, firing, and theft. Assist in analyzing and responding to claims of employment discrimination, wrongful termination.  Help create employee manuals and develop employee policies.  

• Intellectual Property: Register trademarks, service marks, and copyrights.  Advise on patents.  Help protect intellectual property and avoid infringing upon the intellectual property of others.  

• Business Licenses: Identify and apply for various licenses.  Advocate on your behalf before agencies and other organizations (zoning boards, neighborhood organizations, etc.).

• Compliance: Assist with industry, federal, and state compliance laws, rules, and regulations.  Ensure compliance with corporate and LLC formalities, loans, and other contracts.  Design and train employees on various compliance issues.  

• Corporate Governance: Ensure that the business adheres to the system or rules, practices, and processes required to balance the interests of its stakeholders.

• Contracts: Review, prepare, or advise on all types of contracts such as building and office leases, motor vehicle leases, vendor agreements, service contracts, employee contracts, and loans. Negotiate on your behalf.  

• Debt Collection: Preparing and sending demand (collection) letters.  Advising on strategy.

• Lawsuit Prevention and Risk Management: Advise on employee negligence, product liability, and overall strategies.

• Insurance: Identify needs and gaps in coverage, and review policies.

• General Disputes: Advocate, negotiate, and speak for the business with other businesses, consumer groups, media, neighborhood organizations. Advise you during mediation and arbitration proceedings.

• Selling/Buying a Company:

• General Counsel: Serve as an outsourced general counsel by providing guidance on all legal matters that may arise.  Assist in finding specialized attorneys in the areas of mergers and acquisition, initial public offerings, patent registration, corporate taxation, litigation, and other fields.

• Criminal & Traffic Defense: Where appropriate, represent employees in charges that might keep them from the workplace or have their license suspended.  

• Criminal Victim Advocacy:  Advocate on behalf of the business in the event it is a victim of embezzlement or other property crime.