Business Law
For many small business owners, especially for new businesses, owners place marketing, sales, employees, and just getting the business started in priority over legal issues. Smart business planning includes preventing problems – making sure your business and all your hard work is protected against potential trouble.
I assist small businesses owners formed as sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLCs, in the following areas:
- Formation - choosing your entity form, and completion of the on-going legal requirements to maintain this form.
- Search of existing state and federal trademarks for protection of your company's name, logo, brand name and goods and services.
- Employee Relations - Provide a written employee handbook, and protect trade secrets through employee confidentiality and non-compete agreements when necessary.
- Creation or review of all contracts and agreements, from building leases to vendor contracts.
- Creation of buy-sell agreements or buy-back agreements to ensure that partners can sell their interest without legal entanglements or placing an undue financial burden on the company.
501(c) Corporations
I also assist, for a low fee, businesses that wish to become a 501(c) tax-exempt (“non-profit”) organization, including:
- Business name research, registration under Oregon law, and obtaining a FEIN.
- Creation of Articles, Bylaws, and Board organization.
- Filing the IRS application for recognition of tax-exempt status.
- Advice and counsel regarding required filings and on-going compliance requirements.
On-Call Legal Support
May small business owners often need to talk to an attorney for an immediate answer – or they need an attorney to review or create a document quickly. Business owners are often too busy to leave their business, or wait three weeks for an appointment with an attorney, to have their legal needs addressed. When kept on a small retainer I provide to business owners:
- Legal information, advice, and counsel on all issues that arise in the course of conducting a business.
- Same-day answers to questions by telephone, or if I cannot immediately assist or need to research an issue, an answer within 48 hours.
- Document review with a 2-day turnaround.
- Document creation in a 3-day turnaround.
Contact Information
Please contact my office to schedule a free initial consultation at (541) 686-2634, or by email at mstylos@stylos-law.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
-Plato