Business owners know that no two days are ever the same. Each day brings a chance to seize new opportunities but also may require confronting new or unexpected challenges. From addressing immediate concerns to long-term strategic planning, keeping your business on the positive side of the ledger requires commitment, vigilance, and a team all pulling together towards the same objective.
As an experienced small business lawyer who has worked both in private practice and in-house at a company with over a thousand employees, I understand the priorities, concerns, and needs of entrepreneurs and business owners. The Law Office of W. Todd Ver Weire partners with companies in Georgetown and throughout Texas to protect their interests and help them grow and thrive. I know that effective business representation requires more than a knowledge of the law. Business owners need and deserve lawyers who understand their company’s specific needs and goals; lawyers whose efforts match the same hard work and commitment their business clients bring to their enterprises on a daily basis.
Sophisticated and Responsive Representation for Small Businesses
Texas business owners should have access to their lawyers when and where they need them. That is why our firm makes accessibility and convenience the highest priority. We know that questions and concerns don’t keep business hours, and neither do we. We are available and responsive to ensure our clients are never without the answers they need or the guidance that can help them sleep at night. As your business partner, we also never lose sight of your bottom line when providing high-quality legal representation.
From companies in their earliest stages to established businesses seeking to expand, our firm provides a complete suite of services for small businesses, including:
Business Formation and Governance
When starting a business, selecting and forming the right entity structure for your new or growing venture is one of the most critical steps in your business journey. Your choice of entity and the documents governing its ownership, management, and operations will impact how you run your company, your relationship with any co-owners, partners, or shareholders, your tax obligations, and the protection of your personal assets.
Given how foundational choosing the right entity is to your venture’s future, relying on fill-in-the-blank online forms when starting your business can be a costly mistake. A website won’t know the nature of your business, what matters most to you, or your long-term goals. We will take time to get to know you and develop a holistic understanding of what you want to accomplish to help you select and form the corporate structure best suited to your needs.
Similarly, we can help craft agreements that clearly define the rights, obligations, and relationships of co-owners, partners, and shareholders to help minimize the chance of costly misunderstandings and destructive conflicts while facilitating effective management and efficient operations. We craft meticulous documentation for corporate ownership, governance, and succession, including partnership, shareholder, and buy-sell agreements.
Business Contract Drafting and Negotiation
Positive and profitable relationships with customers, vendors, and strategic business partners are at the heart of every successful business. In turn, the heart of these relationships is found in meticulously crafted contracts that clearly establish rights and obligations, maximize benefits, and minimize risk. We help our clients negotiate agreements upon which they can confidently build their businesses.
Employment Matters
A business’s employees can be its greatest asset. But they can become costly liabilities if disputes arise or an employer runs afoul of the complex web of federal and state laws that govern employment relationships. Business owners not only need to avoid missteps involving discrimination, harassment, wage and hour obligations, employee classification, and a host of other legal obligations, but they must also protect their customer relationships, trade secrets, and other employees from interference or misappropriation.
We help businesses establish policies and programs that minimize their exposure to employment-related claims and keep them in compliance with federal and state employment laws. We craft documents and agreements designed to clearly define the terms of an employment relationship and the rights and obligations of the respective parties and reduce the likelihood that conflict will arise, including:
- Employment agreements
- Employment applications
- Independent contractor agreements
- Covenants not to compete
- Confidentiality agreements
- Non-solicitation agreements
- Trade secret protection
- Separation agreements
- Employee handbooks, policies, and procedures
A Texas Small Business Lawyer for Those With Big Plans
If you are a Texas entrepreneur or business owner in need of a trusted partner who will protect your interests and is as invested in your success as you are, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Please contact the Law Office of W. Todd Ver Weire and complete our online form to arrange a consultation.
