Business Dispute Lawyer
New businesses, including startups, small one-person shops, and well-intentioned companies often don’t fully understand their legal obligations. This limited knowledge, and experience, might cause mistakes that could be serious, in legal standards.
These mistakes could expose a business to disputes, but also cost the business owner copious amounts of time and money. As a business lawyer, we have worked with clients who have made the following mistakes before they chose to retain us as their legal advocate.
- Choosing the wrong type of business entity. It is common for a single business owner to automatically choose to structure their business as a sole proprietorship. While this might be true, this type of business entity might not be right. Before you file the paperwork, you should review your options carefully with a business lawyer who can assess your long term goals, including how easy it may be to solicit investments from in the future.
- Failing to trademark your brand. Regardless of how many people are involved in the business, be it one, three, or more, it is important to consult a lawyer about trademarking your business name and logo. Failing to do so could result in someone stealing your branding, or even claiming that you stole it from them. You might also want to trademark any confidential information such as trade secrets.
- Working with vendors without securing a contract or agreement. Proving an agreement was made, without it being written down, is not easy to prove. Your business interests should be a priority, especially when vendors are involved, and that means always having legally binding contracts in place. You can ask a lawyer to create standard contracts that can be adjusted based upon the vendor and circumstances. It is advisable to avoid entering an agreement with a contract. On the other hand, if you are asked to sign a contract, it may be a good idea to have your lawyer run through everything before you sign.
- Using an employee agreement that cannot be upheld in court. Before you hire a single employee, you should think about the process and create an airtight employee agreement. This will serve as the foundation for your employer-employee relationship. Without this, you could be vulnerable to various labor disputes. Your employee agreement should layout any terms for the duration of employment, company policies, employee classifications, termination rights, employee rules, and so forth. You can talk to a lawyer about creating an organized employee handbook that discusses all of these things and more.
- Handling a dispute on your own. Trying to take care of a legal issue on your own could be the single biggest mistake your could make. This will not likely save you any money, and could jeopardize the ability to address and resolve the situation in a strategic, amicable, and cost-saving way. Furthermore, you could risk losing your business. No matter what the dispute is about, or who is involved, you should always have a lawyer on your side.
- Waiting to talk with a business lawyer. Forming a solid relationship with a business lawyer is an investment in the success and future of your company. It is a proactive approach to business and could help you to avoid small mistakes that can cost you huge amounts of time, money, and stress.
If you are ready to retain a trusted business lawyer who can handle a full spectrum of business matters, including litigation, talk with a business lawyer Danbury, CT trusts today.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Sweeney Legal for their insight into business law and small businesses.
