OUTSIDE GENERAL COUNSEL SERVICES

Many emerging, mid-size and start-up business clients benefit significantly by having regular consultations with experienced counsel, or having certain of their contracts drafted  or negotiated for them.  But, they may lack the budget or the office space for an in-house legal department, or the resources to maintain a large law firm on a high monthly retainer.

The firm offers legal counseling, per-project legal services, one-off contract drafting and negotiation, and  general business problem-solving expertise.  These skills were developed from its principal’s many years of advising major national corporations as in-house counsel, solving a diverse array of legal challenges for them.

These services may be used on a per-project or other as-needed basis, with flexible billing structure for a wide variety of clients.

Business owners benefit from this “outside general counsel” approach, because it provides an experienced lawyer to help navigate legal pitfalls inherent in their everyday operations.

Proactively addressing these challenges is prudent before major problems occur, which may result in the loss of valuable rights, IP and other business assets, or personnel, or result in tedious, costly, and time-consuming litigation.

Representative Services:

■ Contracts and Forms: Developing a customized library of templates for key regular business needs, such as master services agreements, product sales or licensing agreements, non-disclosure agreements, work-for-hire or IP licensing agreements, employee contracts, and contractor, subcontractor, vendor, and consulting agreements

■  Transactional Advising:  Evaluating proposed ventures and agreements to analyze rights, obligations, and exit terms, and explain the “small print” in commercial contracts

■  Governance:  Advising on corporate formalities, preparing effective operating, partnership and shareholder agreements, by-laws, and required meetings minutes, board and shareholder resolutions, notices and consents, and compliance with state and federal filing obligations

■ Existing Business Forms: Review clients’ current business contracts to evaluate any risks or omissions, counsel on improving negotiating strategies for key clauses, and update to comply with current laws

■ Fiduciary Duties: Counseling corporate officers and directors on fiduciary and other legal duties and avoidance of risks of beach