Owning a small business doesn’t mean your business-related problems will be small. Some legal issues can have a long-term detrimental effect on your company, while others may cause it to close. In most situations, there are legal solutions for small business problems. We will look at some of those solutions in the following article.
Choosing the Wrong Business Structure
One of the first decisions you will make is what type of business entity your business will be. Small business problems might occur if the entity you chose does not have the right management style, tax structure, or personal liability protection.
Possible solutions include:
- reviewing your options with your business attorney, and
- changing your company’s business structure.
Faulty Contracts, Leases, and Other Small Business Problems
These legal documents can lock you into a less than ideal situation. For example, you may sign a contract that contains unexpectedly restrictive provisions. You may learn too late that there are hidden fees in your commercial lease. During the course of business, you may ask people to sign non-disclosure agreements, employment contracts, or non-compete agreements.
Possible legal solutions for these small business problems include:
- have your business lawyer review any documents before you sign them, and
- your attorney also may need to draft important legal documents for you.
Failing to Protect Intellectual Property
Companies may patent new inventions, trademark their logo or other identifying marks, or copyright original compositions. After spending your time and money developing intellectual property, you may want to keep others from using it without permission. However, people may use your intellectual property without asking and without paying you.
If you find someone is infringing on your intellectual property, the best legal solution is to contact your attorney as soon as possible. Sometimes a stern warning may be enough. In other cases, you may have to file a lawsuit.
We Offer Legal Solutions for Small Business Problems
In this article, we could only cover a few of the problems that arise when owning and operating a business. When you face legal problems, get the legal advice you need.
Attorney Richard Sierra at the Florida Small Business Center assists clients like you with business and litigation matters. As always, Our Goal Is to Help You Succeed™. For an appointment, you may call us at 1-866-842-5202 or use the contact form on our website. We represent clients throughout the State of Florida, including Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Deerfield Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Orlando, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, and surrounding communities.