Washington DC Business Lawyer
Every day, thousands of people decide to start their own business. But starting a business is not just a matter of ordering business cards and renting office space. Before you even open your doors, you need to carefully consider some basic questions about how your business will be legally structured and organized.
The Washington DC business lawyers at Henault & Sysko Chartered can assist you in selecting and forming a business entity that is right for your situation. And beyond initial formation, we can also help you plan for the strategic growth of your business. After all, once your business is up-and-running you will still need to deal with a host of critical legal matters, such as negotiating and signing contracts and dealing with lenders.
Selecting the Right Legal Entity for Your Business
Many businesses start as one-person operations. Perhaps you are a longtime employee with specialized expertise who wants to set up a shingle as an independent contractor. Even if you have no employees at first, you still need to think about setting up a legal entity to protect your personal assets. Also keep in mind, as your business grows into a multi-employee operation, you will need a business structure that is flexible enough to handle such growth.
There are, in fact, a number of different types of legal business entities to consider, including:
- Sole proprietorships;
- Limited liability companies;
- Corporations;
- Subchapter-S corporations;
- General partnerships;
- Limited partnerships;
- Limited liability partnerships; and
- Professional service corporations.
The right option for your business will depend on a number of factors. The lawyers at Henault & Sysko Chartered can sit down with you and review your plans in detail to help you arrive at the best option.
Contact the Washington DC Business Lawyers at Henault & Sysko Chartered Today
Most new businesses fail because they do not have effective procedures and systems in place to protect and exploit critical assets. For example, does your business have a process in place to protect confidential information, such as customer lists or pricing strategies? Do you have non-compete or non-disclosure agreements in place with key employees to ensure this information is not disclosed to the outside world without your consent? And with respect to intellectual property, such as copyrights or patents, what procedures do you have in place to assign your inventions to third parties?
These are not one-time questions. A successful business must constantly reevaluate its procedures and strategy as the market changes. But by working with an experienced DC business lawyer from the outset, you can put you–and your business–in the best position to deal with these changes moving forward.
So if you are looking to start a business in the DC area, contact Henault & Sysko Chartered today at 410-768-9300 to schedule a free initial consultation. We can assist you in all aspects of the business formation process, from drafting DC corporation filings and bylaws to negotiating employment agreements and contracts related to intellectual property. We can also represent your business if it becomes involved in any form of commercial litigation.
