Why you should have a small business lawyer
I decided to expand my practice to help Houston small businesses approximately two years into my career. The biggest reason was that I got to experience first hand the ups and downs of owning a small business. It is A LOT OF WORK. Owning a small business in Houston and anywhere comes with a very large set of challenges. Not only do you have to do your job but also have to deal with all the stresses of running a successful business.
Having a small business lawyer with you from the beginning could help the chances of your business drastically. While this may seem self-serving the benefits of addressing all the possible issues beforehand could save your business time and money. Trust me, every small business or entrepreneur is in search of money.
Having a strategy as to the business formation and what obstacles you can encounter could be the difference between your business succeeding or eventually running dry.
How can a small business lawyer help?
My sales pitch to all my clients is the following… “ You are about to embark on a life journey which will have financial, legal, and tax consequences. Aren’t you sure you want to start it right?” This is all true. I dealt with all of this on my own when I first started my business. It is difficult enough to manage your small business but to worry about the legal aspect is something that is better left to a trusted small business lawyer.
The first step we take when helping out business clients here in Houston is we ask what the goal of the business is. Some people want just a simple business while others want global domination. Both are ok if you ask me however getting off on the right foot is the first brick you need to put down and that starts with the business formation.
Here in Texas, there are a few options you can choose from. Most small business can either elect to be an LLC, a Corporation, General Partnership or a limited partnership. Each has its own pros and cons. Therefore your strategy will help select which business formation you chose.
Small Business legal disputes
It will be inevitable but with business comes to conflict. This can come in many forms from someone being injured at work, a client breaking a contract, or negotiating deals.
In Houston, the majority of our small business cases revolve around one of the following.
-Negotiating Deals
Breach of contract is an evil of doing business in general. Breach of contract means that one party did not fulfill the terms of the agreed-upon contract and now the other party wants a remedy.
Example:
Mr. Burns signs a contract with Shelbyville to provide the power for a price of $50,000/month. Let’s pretend Shelbyville doesn’t pay when it’s due. Shelbyville is in breach of its contract with Mr. Burns and Mr. Burns can sue to get his money. Makes sense.
I always stress the importance of contracts when dealing in business. It protects your small business from legal pains in the future. Nothing is worse than arguing whether a contract ever existed or not because the people were too lazy to sign one in the first place.
As part of our business strategy, we always discuss potential contracts and make contracts in efforts to facilitate the business between the parties. Remember though that even in the absence of a signed contract there still may be a binding contract. This is where we can help to prevent problems and make sure your business runs smoothly.
Trusting your Business lawyer
Trust is a big thing in life and in business. Having a good business partner (I do consider a lawyer a business partner) you can trust can help your company tenfold in the future. Having a small business lawyer who knows your company is a huge perk. As much as I love learning new businesses, it is always easier for my law practice when we have been there from the beginning. We know the business from the ground up like it was ours and that allows us to know how the business operates. That doesn’t mean we don’t take new business BUT it does mean that when we partner with small business owners we are in it for the long haul.
If you or someone you know is in need of a small business lawyer here in Houston please give us a call. We take pride in helping Houstonians start and succeed in their businesses. Our services can extend from simple contracts to full-on legal disputes.
Give us a call at Zavala Texas Law here in Houston if you would like to discuss your business and how we can help.
