While large corporations typically have several lawyers on their staff to advise them, small and medium-sized businesses sometimes feel like they cannot afford full-time legal counsel. As the owner of two different businesses in diverse fields, Jerry Slutzky understands the needs and challenges of business owners.
The Slutzky Law Firm provides small and medium-sized business clients with the advice and services needed to start, operate, grow, and eventually sell or otherwise transfer ownership of a business. In addition, we advise you on how to protect your assets, minimize your losses assist you with business disputes, and aid in contract negotiation, drafting and enforcement.
We provide a free, no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your legal hopes and dreams and to determine whether or not we are a match for what you need from an attorney.
We recognize that many small business owners need legal guidance at an affordable price, we provide several payment plans to accommodate those needs, including an annual or monthly retainer, flat fee, or an hourly pay-as-needed basis.
Like your own in-house counsel, The Slutzky Law Firm is available to counsel and guide you when you need the advice without the cost of a full-time staff attorney.
New businesses: We can provide advice and guidance to the entrepreneur who wants to open a new business or purchase an existing business, including a detailed checklist of most of the things you must consider before the doors open to the public. This includes helping you to obtaining the appropriate licenses and permits, reviewing and negotiating leases and vendor contracts, preparation of documents designed to protect you from those who might seek to take advantage of you, establishment of the proper business entity to meet your objectives, and protecting you, the entrepreneur, from many of the potential land mines that exist in creating a new business.
Similarly, if you are purchasing an existing business or expanding your business through acquisition or merger with another business, we can provide advice and guidance to ensure you are obtaining valid ownership of the assets of the business, and through strategic alliances with your accountant and insurance advisor, protect you from some of the pitfalls that can occur in a business transaction.
Existing businesses: We can provide advice and guidance to existing business owners on how to improve their business to reduce the risk of potential liability from employees, co-owners, and other individuals and businesses. This includes helping you to provide for continued operation of the business (and maintain your income) should you become disabled, injured, or otherwise are unable to direct the business for an extended period of time.
In addition, we can help you with succession planning services, so that when the time comes to transfer ownership of your business through a voluntary sale, upon your death, or other circumstances, the transfer will be as smooth as is reasonably possible under the circumstances.
- Business plan development, review and counsel;
- Name selection and protection;
- Trademark & copyright guidance;
- Choice of business entity;
- Business entity formation;
- Operating and partnership agreements;
- Buy-Sell agreements;
- Corporate record-keeping and licensure compliance;
- Risk management;
- Employment and independent contractor agreements;
- Human resources and operations manual development;
- Non-Disclosure, confidentiality, and non-compete agreements;
- Drafting, negotiation and review of contracts for use with clients, customers, employees, and vendors;
- Strategic partnership agreements;
- Online privacy and terms of use drafting;
- Commercial dispute negotiation and resolution;
- Business succession planning;
- Preparation for and sale of your business;
- Business office or store lease review and negotiation;
- Connecting you to resources that can help you grow your business; and
- Many other related services.