Starting a new business is an exciting and life-changing process. Most business owners enjoy thinking about their product or service, their marketing, and how they’ll reach new customers. However, dealing with the paperwork and legal issues involved with a startup business can be tedious. Many start-up business owners become bogged down in figuring out how to form a corporation or LLC, and obtaining the correct business licenses.
Consulting with an experienced business formation lawyer can help you navigate the legal issues involved with starting a business. The experienced start-up lawyer at Jones Gregg Creehan & Gerace will help you set up your company so you can focus on building your brand and increasing your profits. We work closely with start-up business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs to protect them and their businesses. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.
We Help Pennsylvania Start-ups Protect Themselves
When you start a business, taking the necessary steps to protect your business and personal assets is vital. It only takes one lawsuit to wipe out the assets of a new start-up business. It’s impossible to prevent lawsuits completely, but our business law lawyers can help you protect yourself as much as possible.
Getting off to a good start will help your business immensely. We can help you create a good business plan and help you target potential customers. Our Law Firm has helped many Pittsburgh entrepreneurs lay down the foundations they need to build their business and enjoy future success.
Our law firm can also help you protect your personal assets and house from liability exposure. Additionally, we may be able to advise you on ways to decrease your tax liability. Reviewing your business and financial situation with an attorney before you start your business can help you significantly in the long term.
Pittsburgh Business Formation Lawyers
One of the first steps you should take is to choose what type of business formation you would like for your startup. The type of business formation you should choose depends on multiple factors, including the size of your business and the ownership structure. There are several different types of business formations in Pennsylvania, including the following:
- Sole proprietorship
- Limited partnership
- General partnership
- Limited liability company (LLC)
- Corporation
Choosing a business formation structure can be difficult, and there are many factors for you to consider. We will advise you on which type of business entity works best for your startup from a tax, legal, and liability standpoint. We can also explain the difference between a C corporation and an S corporation and advise you of which type of corporation will work best for you.
Importantly, we will help you protect your personal assets from lawsuits. Our law firm answers our clients’ questions in plain English, not legalese. We will work with you, your business partner if any, and your accountants to determine the most advantageous business formation for your startup.
Start-up owners may be tempted to purchase their business formation documents from an online legal website to save money. Using a document preparation service can be cheaper in the short term, but cost you money in the long term. When you consult with an attorney, he or she will be able to write your initial paperwork and discuss your situation with you. A generic service cannot provide you with specific, tailored legal advice.
We offer straightforward answers to questions, allowing our clients to make the best decision possible. Once you choose which type of business formation you would like for your startup, We will form the entity and prepare all of the necessary paperwork, including the following:
- A minute book
- Company seal
- Member or stock certificates
- Initial minutes
- By-laws for a corporation
- The operating agreement for an LLC
Ownership Agreements and By-Laws in Start-Up Businesses
Do you have partners? If so, we can help you prepare a legal document that sets forth the relationship between partners and how the business should be run. If the relationship between you and your partner or partners breaks down in the future, this document will determine what rights and responsibilities the owners have should a dispute arise. Suppose one of the partners dies, retires, leaves the business, or becomes disabled. The partnership agreement will determine what will happen next.
Pittsburgh Startup Contract Lawyer
Contracts are essential in any business enterprise. They are crucial for new startup companies. If you plan on hiring employees, our law firm can help you create employment contracts that state the employer’s and employees’ responsibilities. Suppose your startup company will use proprietary information. We can help you draft confidentiality agreements with non-compete agreements for your employees. We can also help you draft purchasing agreement contracts and other types of customer contracts.
Succession Planning for Start-Up Business Owners
Thinking about what will happen to your startup company if you become incapacitated or pass away can be difficult. Nonetheless, stakeholders in privately and publicly held companies must be concerned with the leadership they have now and what will happen when current leaders retire or pass on. We also assist clients in transitions involving corporate officers.
Deciding what will happen if you become incapacitated in a family business is essential. Emotions often run high in an emergency. When the business employs multiple family members, their livelihood depends on the business succeeding after the original owner is incapacitated or passes away. If you have a family business, we can help you create an estate plan that sets out a plan for the succession of one owner to the next.
Contact a Pittsburgh Startup Lawyer Today
At Jones Gregg Creehan & Gerace, our business startup lawyers have extensive experience helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. We understand all of the challenging aspects of starting a business. We will help you form your business, write thorough and legally valid contracts, and manage any other issues that arise. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.