If you are like many of the business owners we have counseled over the years, your business represents a sizable investment, years of hard work, the realization of a dream and a significant portion of your overall estate. As a business owner, your estate plan must also include a well-designed business plan. The two must work together to maximize and protect both the value of your business and the value of your estate. Our firm’s founder, Esther Hopkins, is eminently qualified to help you accomplish this goal. Her background as a litigator on a wide range of business matters gives her an in-depth understanding of all phases of the business life cycle. She can help you at start-up, at exit, and at every stage in between, whether you are a sole proprietor, mid-sized company or large, international corporation.
The Importance of Business Formation Planning
Your business formation plan must address the possibility of rapid growth while simultaneously protecting business and family assets against economic downturns or the failure of the business itself. For example, your plan must protect against lawsuits, conflicts with employees and partners, the inability of loved ones to access assets in the event of incapacity, and minimize taxes. Choosing the right business entity is extremely important. We have extensive experience with C Corporations, S Corporations, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies, Joint Ventures and Partnerships. We’ll take the time to understand your particular situation and goals in order to give you a solid starting foundation and clear vision for long-term success.
Our business planning services include:
• Business formation and structuring
• Choice of business entity
• Purchase or sale of a business
• Ownership issues
• General legal counsel to businesses and individual owners
• Coordination of personal, estate and business plans
• Reorganization and restructuring
• Shareholder control agreements
• Voting agreements
• Buy-sell agreements
• Sales and disposition of businesses
• Dissolutions
• Asset protection
• Succession planning
Contact Esther Hopkins today for a consultation.