Exit | Operate | Acquire | Start

If the mediation is a negotiation facilitated by a neutral third party who can help each party see the strengths and weaknesses of its position and evaluate the likelihood of success and value of the claim, then I think mediation is valuable. Even if the mediation does not result in a settlement, each party walks away with valuable information that might help them negotiate a settlement later on.

A limited liability company (LLC) should be the default choice when you are thinking about starting a business, entering a joint venture,...

Five concerns startup businesses have: (1) Protecting personal assets, (2) Protecting and retaining your "toolkit," (3) Transferring ownership of work product, (4) Getting paid, and (5) Resolving client disputes.

If a company founder creates intellectual property ("IP") before forming an LLC or corporation, how does the LLC or corporation become...

Economic Downturns: Questions I saw my small business clients ask

One of my most successful clients recently reminded me that he started his consulting business during the 2008 recession when no one was...

Here's the Deal - how buyers and sellers of small businesses can better prepare for the acquisition process

You might need to provide copies of key company legal documents, such as Articles of Incorporation, a Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws for a corporation or Articles of Organization, a Certificate of Organization and an Operating Agreement for an LLC

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: Review of Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel

Buy an existing business and grow it, rather than starting a business from scratch. That's the idea of "entrepreneurship through acquisition" or "ETA"

A lawyer's letter is a valuable tool, but, in my experience, rarely changes behavior if it's the only tool used. Instead, the lawyer's letter is just a step in the process.

Knowing which type of entrepreneur you are is one of the first steps to identifying the types of legal issues you will encounter in your business.

Virginia is now on the cutting edge of the employee versus independent contractor debate, and that could create a lot of legal problems...

Improve the efficiency and speed of your lawyer's creation of your Virginia LLC or corporation by being prepared to provide the following information during your initial phone or in-person consultation:

Most small business deals are AS IS. But even then, a buyer should try to get the seller to make the following limited reps and warranties in the purchase agreement:

1) You will pay more than the purchase price. 2) It will be difficult to find money for your deal . 3) You will need a lot of legal documents. 4) It will take longer than you think.

When you are evaluating a lawyer for help with your deal, ask about estimated fees so that you can include that estimate in your cost of doing the deal.