Carson City & Douglas County, NV Business Law Firm

Our firm advises and represents companies and entrepreneurs with a broad range of business related services. We advise our clients on business law, start-up assistance relating to the formation of an entity, the protection of a trademark or license agreement and assist with buying or selling a business.

Business Startup Services

For those of you in start-up mode – the best investment you can make is to develop a plan before you commit your finances. Unfortunately, our firm has worked with too many small business owners who did not invest sufficient time in a comprehensive plan and the business failed! Whether you develop your plan on your own, with a banker, your accountant or with us – the best advice that we can give is to advise you to develop a realistic plan of this adventure upon which you are about to embark!

At a minimum, your business plan should include your mission, an identification of your target customer, a plan for how you are going to reach that customer, a plan to develop a business identity, employ workers, a thorough understanding of your product or service, and pro-forma financial statements including marketing and production costs.  Of course, your plan should also include your choice of business structure (deciding between a corporation, LLC or S-corp). 

With our background in business, including the development of financial statements, our history in protecting various brands, and our general legal expertise, we can help you develop your business plan – or we can just help with parts of it.  We also recognize that most start-ups are cash strapped and investing in legal services is just not a priority.  We can work with you to develop business with the proper legal structure on a time frame that works for you!

Operating Your Business

Once a business is off the ground and has reached a standard growth or maintenance mode, its legal needs decrease.  Such a business might have the following legal needs:

• This may be the time to shore up those legal issues that the business had to delay until cash-flow allowed. 
• It may be the time to develop some understandings between the partners (what if something happens to one of them, will the others want to be in business with that partners heirs?) 
• The legal world is constantly changing and we keep abreast of those changes.  We can help business owners review:
• Business owners often state that their greatest fear relates to unknown legal issues.  We offer a “Speed Dial Counsel” program that provides business owners with the confidence to call us when you think you need us.

Buying and Selling a Business
 
In the good old days, the sale of a business could often be accomplished with a handshake.  In today’s world, certain questions must be answered:  Is the business being sold or just its assets?  Who is responsible for outstanding debts?  What are the tax consequences of such a sale?  We can:

• Provide advice on the structure of the transaction
• Negotiate terms and draft the purchase/sale memorandum
• Provide advice relating to engaging in proper due diligence.

Teamwork

We recognize that businesses seek counsel form many different advisors (accountants, bankers, benefits administrators).  We understand that you need a professional who can do what you need done when you need it done and be a member of your team.  We wish to be a part of your team.