Preparing for Success and Growth
Complex Business Formation • Business Planning
For your business to thrive, you need to plan certain actions and anticipate adverse events that could threaten all you've worked for. I can help project the costs, weigh the risks, execute your plans and minimize taxation.
The law office of John McDuff serves sophisticated start-up enterprises and established businesses in Travis County and Central Texas. I can offer forward-thinking counsel, personal attention as a solo attorney, and over 30 years of experience in business transactions, contracts and disputes. I am also a licensed CPA and veteran tax lawyer who can shrink your corporate tax burden and keep you out of trouble with the IRS.
Call me at 512.457.1177 to discuss comprehensive business planning.
Business Formation and Entity Selection
If you are starting a complex business or forming a new entity to bring on partners or investors, I can advise on the appropriate vehicle. I can explain all the advantages and drawbacks of forming as a limited liability company (LLC), corporation (S corp or C corp), limited partnership, general partnership or limited liability partnership (LLP).
Control, Contracts and Agreements
I can draft the terms of the partnership agreement, shareholder agreement or operating agreement. This requires careful planning of how the business will be financed, owned and controlled, and consideration of profit sharing, tolerance for personal liability, taxation issues and exit strategies.
I sit down with you to iron out the critical details of:
- Ownership structure
- Financing arrangements
- Management structure
I also advise on:
- Advertising programs
- Documents
- Intellectual property issues
- Employee policies and agreements
- Spin-off businesses
- Business contracts and transactions
The Value of Business Planning
You can avoid adverse legal consequences for your company by including your lawyer in your planning team. You know what you want to do, business-wise. It is necessary, though, to weigh the financial costs that may attach to your plan, due to possible legal problems in the future.
Legal considerations in business planning are all about risk. I can help identify and address the legal risks. While you cannot always avoid adverse events, you can limit the impact. Frequently, the results of planning can be measured in dollar savings that dwarf the cost of the legal advice. Or, when something goes wrong years later, you will realize that the proactive approach greatly minimized what might have been a substantial loss or litigation expense.
Contact my Austin office today to arrange a consultation.
