Legal Guidance for Small Businesses
Starting and running a business can be intimidating. There are many moving parts and you don’t know what you don’t know. Will a decision that seems logical and rational today come back to hurt your business tomorrow?
I’m Tom Horwitz. I’ve been practicing law in Ohio since 1993. I have devoted my practice to counseling small businesses and guiding them through what sometimes appears to be an overwhelming maze of legal issues and requirements.
I offer quality representation and responsive counseling. Unlike many attorneys who raise their hourly rates for all clients every year, your hourly fee with me would be locked in for at least three years. I often utilize flat fees for routine matters.
Business Succession
What happens when a co-owner dies or wants to leave the business?
To control who acquires a co-owner’s interest in a business, all owners should enter a buy-sell agreement before one of them dies, becomes incompetent, or wants to leave the business
Business Organization
Should the business be a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, a limited partnership, etc.?
The different legal forms of businesses have different tax consequences, ownership rules, transferability of ownership rights, and protections of an owner’s personal assets from the business’s creditors.
Business Financing
Does the business qualify for a guaranty from the SBA on a loan or a line of credit?
The United States Small Business Administration has strict guidelines regarding the purposes of loans to be guarantied by the SBA and the size of businesses eligible to receive SBA-guarantied loans.
Mergers and Acquisitions
How should a business acquire another business?
The purchasing business needs to carefully construct the transaction so that it will not be responsible for the acquired business’s debts.
Business Regulation
Is the business subject to specific regulations, such as regulations on food safety or underground storage tanks?
A business needs to be aware of changes in regulations, including changes being considered by regulatory government agencies and legislatures.
Employment
How can a business terminate a problem employee and avoid being sued for employment discrimination?
Although nothing prevents a disgruntled former employee from bringing a frivolous employment discrimination lawsuit, with the vigilant exercise of legal employment practices, a business can reduce the risk that the former employee’s lawsuit will be successful.
