Transactional & Organizational Services
I assist clients in the formation, maintenance and operation of family-owned and and start-up businesses.
Formation
Not every business needs to incorporate. Illinois law allows for businesses to be operated as proprietorships, partnerships (limited and general), and as corporations (general and limited liability). Each form of ownership has unique attributes and selecting the correct form of organization can have a profound impact on a new business and its principals. Corporate counsel should take time to explore the nature of your business, help you select the best form of ownership meet your needs, and guide you the process of forming (or reforming) the business. I have counseled a number of Chicago area start-up businesses and have helped them survive the perilous first years of operation.Maintenance
Once organized, corporations and partnerships have regular recurring administrative tasks that must be performed in order to retain their proper business statuses. These functions include annual meetings and reports, and other governmental filings. Corporate counsel can (and should) be available to assist you these reccuring functions. I provide most of these annual services to my clients on a fixed fee basis.Operation
Legal counsel should also be available to assist with contract, litigation, in the formation and negotiation of contracts, and in handling the myriad of disputes that can arise between a business and its employees, vendors and / or customers. I review contracts and give general counsel to my business clients on a wide array of concerns.No one wants to become involved in lawsuits, but they remain a fact of life, and counsel should be available to handle basic litigation matters as well.
, and have successfully represented clients in collecting their debts, in creating and enforcing non-competition agreements with their employees, and in defense of unfair trade practice and business fraud claims.
NEW CORPORATION FEES:
The SECRETARY of STATE has announced a revised schedule of fees, effective December 1, 2003, for Business Corporations, Not-For-Profit Corporations and Limited Liability Companies.
Fees have increased substantially
examples:
- Articels of Incorporation were $100, now $150
- Annual Report was $25 + franchise tax. now $75 + franchise tax
- LLC Articles of Organization were $400, now $500.
further information available at the Secretary of State's Web Page
HOME BUSINESSES IN CHICAGO:
Chicago's Home Occupations Ordinance allows Home Businesses but regulates them to preserve and protect the residential nature of the neighborhoods. Click here for some of the details....
