Reliable corporate legal support reduces uncertainty by establishing governance rules, protecting ownership interests, and ensuring contracts reflect commercial intent. Proactive planning improves fundraising and sale prospects, while careful transaction management and dispute prevention protect value. For family businesses and closely held companies, legal planning also integrates succession and estate considerations to preserve continuity over time.
Comprehensive review and standardization of contracts protect revenue streams and intellectual property by ensuring consistent terms for payment, confidentiality, and ownership. Clear remedies and enforcement mechanisms reduce ambiguity, making it easier to collect damages or enforce performance without prolonged disputes that drain resources.
Clients choose Hatcher Legal for a client-centered approach that emphasizes clear communication, thorough documentation, and pragmatic problem solving. The firm integrates business and estate planning perspectives to deliver legal strategies that protect ownership interests and support long-term objectives.
We recommend periodic reviews of governance documents and contracts to address growth, regulatory changes, or leadership transitions. Regular legal check-ups ensure documents remain effective, reduce the likelihood of surprises, and support sustainable business development over time.
Choosing the right entity hinges on ownership structure, tax goals, liability concerns, and plans for outside investment. An LLC often provides operational flexibility and pass-through taxation, while a corporation may be preferable for raising equity and issuing stock. Consider how ownership transfers, management control, and funding needs will evolve when evaluating options. A legal review compares state filing requirements, ongoing compliance obligations, and potential personal liability exposure. Counsel should explain anticipated tax consequences and shareholder or member governance features so the chosen structure aligns with business objectives and minimizes administrative burdens as the company grows.
A shareholder agreement typically addresses voting rights, transfer restrictions, buy-sell provisions, valuation methods for transfers, and dispute resolution procedures. It can also set employment terms for owner-employees and define how major decisions are approved, ensuring clarity on authority and preventing governance deadlocks among owners. Including confidentiality obligations, noncompete or non-solicitation terms where appropriate, and mechanisms for resolving disagreements such as mediation helps preserve the business and avoid litigation. A well-crafted agreement protects minority and majority interests while providing predictable exit paths when ownership changes are necessary.
Formation timing varies by state and complexity. Simple LLC or corporation filings can be completed in a few days to a few weeks depending on state processing times and whether expedited filing is used. Preparing governing documents and addressing tax registrations or licenses may add additional time before operations can fully commence. When foreign qualification, permits, or negotiated ownership arrangements are required, planning ahead avoids delays. Engaging counsel early streamlines filings and ensures documents such as operating agreements and initial resolutions are in place when the business begins operations or seeks financing.
Update your operating agreement or bylaws whenever ownership, management, or core business activities change materially. Examples include bringing on new investors, admitting new members, changing management structure, or approving a merger. Regular updates keep governance aligned with current operations and investor expectations. Periodic review is also sensible after major regulatory changes, tax law updates, or a strategic shift in the business model. Revising governance documents proactively can prevent disputes and ensure decision-making authority and distribution rules remain clear as the company evolves.
Due diligence in a sale examines financial records, contracts, employee arrangements, intellectual property, litigation history, and regulatory compliance. The process aims to identify liabilities, contingent obligations, and any factors that could affect valuation or post-closing responsibilities. Clear disclosures reduce the likelihood of post-transaction disputes. Buyers use due diligence findings to allocate risk through purchase price adjustments, escrow arrangements, indemnities, and specific contractual protections. Sellers should organize documents in advance to expedite the process and present a transparent picture that supports a smooth transaction and timely closing.
Yes. Hatcher Legal drafts intercompany agreements that govern transfers of goods, services, or intellectual property among related entities. These documents clarify pricing, responsibilities, and performance standards and help ensure proper allocation of income and expenses for tax and accounting purposes while reducing misunderstandings between affiliated businesses. Intercompany agreements also address confidentiality, dispute resolution, and termination rights. Well-structured agreements support regulatory compliance, prevent internal conflicts, and provide auditors with documentation demonstrating arm’s-length arrangements between related parties when needed.
Protecting personal assets begins with selecting an appropriate entity that provides limited liability, carrying adequate insurance, and observing corporate formalities such as keeping separate bank accounts and documenting major decisions. Avoid commingling personal and business funds to preserve liability protections and reduce the risk that courts will treat the business as an extension of personal finances. Additional measures include proper capitalization, clear contracts that allocate risk, and contractual indemnities where appropriate. Coordinating business arrangements with estate planning and creditor protections can further shield personal assets from business-related claims while remaining consistent with legal obligations.
Shareholder disputes commonly arise over control and decision-making, distributions of profits, valuation and transfer of shares, and alleged breaches of fiduciary duties. Ambiguities in governance documents or unexpected changes in ownership can also trigger conflict among owners. Addressing these issues early through clear agreements reduces friction. Poor communication and misaligned expectations about growth or exit strategies frequently escalate disagreements. Formal mechanisms such as buy-sell provisions, dispute resolution clauses, and regular governance meetings help manage tensions and provide structured ways to resolve conflicts without impairing daily operations.
You may need to register in other states where the business has a physical presence, employees, property, or regular business activity. Foreign qualification ensures the entity can lawfully transact business in each state and prevents penalties for operating without authorization. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so location-specific analysis is necessary. Registration also affects tax filings and franchise taxes in some states. Review activities such as remote sales, interstate contracting, or hiring to determine whether registration is required, and plan filings to maintain good standing and avoid administrative sanctions.
Hatcher Legal approaches commercial litigation with a focus on resolving disputes efficiently while protecting client interests in court when needed. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of claims, pursue negotiation or mediation when advantageous, and prepare litigation strategies that consider risk, cost, and potential business impacts. Litigation support includes drafting pleadings, conducting discovery, and representing clients at hearings and trial. Throughout the process we keep business objectives central, seeking outcomes that minimize disruption and preserve the company’s operations and reputation whenever possible.
