Start-Up / Business Organizations

Creating Business Entity

Before you start doing business (and before you sign any contracts), it is extremely important to create a legal business entity. Otherwise, you may be putting your personal assets at risk. We provide the following services to help you through this important step:

• Choosing the business entity to fit your needs

  (e.g., c-corporation, s-corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership)

• Preparing and filing formation documents
• Making tax elections
• Drafting rules for corporate governance
• Preparing necessary governmental filings

Establishing Ownership Agreements

There are many ownership issues which business partners may not even consider until problems arise. How will decisions be made? How will disagreements be resolved? What if one owner dies or wants to sell his interest? Will there be rights of first-refusal or buy-sell agreements? Dickinson & Wheelock can:

• Help you identify important issues
• Suggest alternatives
• Ensure your agreements are properly written

Protecting Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (“IP”) includes most knowledge and ideas which have commercial value. It even includes business plans and customer lists. So the question isn't whether your business will develop IP, it's how will your business protect and profit from the IP it does develop. Dickinson & Wheelock can help you with:

• Trademarks
• Licensing
• Confidentiality Agreements

  (with employees and business partners)