Boston Small Business Law

Planning for and minimizing risk is essential to every business.  For small businesses with tight margins, what might seem like a minor misstep could have major consequences.  By retaining our small business attorneys at the outset of your venture, our team can provide a forward-thinking, cost-effective strategy that protects your business from start-up to exit planning.

Our team of small business and corporate attorneys can help you address a wide range of matters from corporate to real estate, employment to intellectual property, and contracts to litigation.  Regardless of your business’s industry, our experienced attorneys can provide advice and assistance with a number of business issues that may arise.

A new business should start on the right foot. Our team organizes and forms new companies for prospective business owners, which includes choosing an appropriate legal structure (e.g., LLC, C-Corporation, S-Corporation, partnership) and drafting internal governing documents such as Shareholder Agreements, Partnership Contracts, Operating Agreements, and By-laws to govern your company’s day-to-day operation.  A properly set-up and well-maintained company can shield its owners from personal liability for corporate actions, minimize the tax impact on company revenue, and provide flexibility in soliciting investment to raise capital and grow your business.

Additional corporate issues will arise as your business expands.  We help you prepare and negotiate agreements with potential business partners, vendors, service providers, and independent contractors.  When you need capital, we can provide guidance on various funding options, such as venture capital, debt, stock purchase agreements, convertible notes, and financing contracts.  If you decide to expand or exit your business, we can organize and facilitate a merger, acquisition or sale.

Once you have employees working for the business, there are numerous federal, state, and local employment laws your company must comply with, or risk facing additional liability.  Our team will advise you of your legal obligations to employees and prepare and maintain Employee Handbooks, Offer Letters, Employment Agreements, and other documentation necessary for hiring and managing employees.  In addition, we help businesses protect their confidential business information from misuse by existing and former employees through Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Confidentiality Agreements, Non-Competition, Non-Circumvention, and Non-Solicitation Contracts.  When it comes time to terminate an employee, we can draft a Separation Agreement to protect your business’s intellectual property, and lead Severance Negotiations when they arise.

Whether you are leasing space for the first time, renewing your current lease, or upgrading to a new retail or office space, it is important to consult with our attorneys to evaluate and negotiate commercial leases.  Tenants may have more leverage than they realize, and our lawyers can help you evaluate a prospective lease completely.

Registering copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property is essential to protecting a business’s brand and trade secrets.  Our intellectual property attorneys both safeguard your business’s intellectual property and ensure that you monetize it effectively.  Further, if your business utilizes intellectual property of other businesses and third-parties, our attorneys can walk you through the licensing process to prevent infringement or other intellectual property violations that may arise.

Every good business needs a good website.  We keep you up-to-date on internet-specific regulatory compliance, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and newly passed state data privacy laws.  In addition, we draft Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policies to comply with consumer protection laws.

Disputes of any kind can be very costly and can disrupt your overall business venture.  We counsel clients regarding their legal rights and help them resolve disputes efficiently through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration.  If litigation becomes necessary, our litigation team is prepared to aggressively and appropriately represent your interests.

Our client base covers an extensive range of industries, including:

• Technology
• E-Commerce
• Medical
• Cannabis
• Food and Beverage
• Fashion
• Branding and Marketing
• eSports
• Biotechnology
• Manufacturing
• Distribution
• Cosmetics
• Advertising

Small businesses cannot afford expensive mistakes.  Experienced legal representation in Boston can help you protect your business and plan your way around those mistakes to keep your business growing and thriving.

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