General Counsel, P.C. provides complete corporate counsel to businesses. We firmly believe that "every business needs a general counsel."
Our attorneys have extensive experience representing businesses and will consistently strive to work as an asset to your business. Our experienced lawyers provide comprehensive legal advice for the life cycle of a business.
Our Corporate Practice Group provides a myriad of services for businesses, including the following:
Corporate Formation and Organization
Whether forming your business in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C., we can help you establish, register and create proper organizational documents to get your business properly started.
Registered Agent
As a business registered and doing business in Virginia, a registered agent is required. For a low annual fee, General Counsel, P.C. will serve as registered agent for businesses and non-profit organizations.
Corporate Annual Meetings
All corporations are required by statute to have bylaws, a board of directors and have annual board of director meetings. General Counsel, P.C. will organize, conduct, and record important minutes and resolutions of the company to ensure that this important corporate formality is followed.
Business Planning
Business owners need to ensure that their business relationship is clearly defined and that they properly plan for their retirement and/or sale of their company. This can be accomplished through operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and many times most importantly, buy-sell agreements. We can help your business prepare for "bumps" in the relationship between corporate owners and coordinate succession planning.
Corporate Counsel
We strive to become our clients' "legal partner and trusted advisor." Similar to the in-house legal counsel of large corporations, we become familiar with the business methods and objectives of our clients. Accordingly, when our clients make business decisions, they often seek our legal counsel to proactively consider possible ramifications. Our attorneys also assist clients with regulatory and governmental matters, ranging from obtaining appropriate licenses for their businesses to resolving disputes with government entities.
Contract Drafting/Negotiation
Whether a new business or one that has been in existence for years, the relationship that you have with your clients and vendors can help determine the success of your business. A good contract often goes unnoticed. A bad contract or no contract will often lead to disagreements with customers/vendors, lost business, and potential litigation to resolve disputes. Accordingly, for all businesses it is vitally important to have carefully drafted and reviewed contracts that are customized for your business purposes. General Counsel, P.C.'s attorneys have extensive experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts for our clients.
Commercial Real Estate Representation
Although it is often one of the highest fixed costs, many businesses neglect to carefully review and negotiate the terms of their commercial lease. Landlords know this and often attempt to make their leases as "landlord
friendly" as possible. General Counsel, P.C. can help you review your commercial lease and negotiate for relief from the more one-sided terms and conditions. In addition, if you ever need to enter into a sublease agreement or have any disputes concerning your lease, we can provide legal assistance.
Commercial Bank Loans
Whether to open a new business or expand an existing one, businesses often require bank loans. A business does not have to "accept" the terms and conditions provided by the bank. Rather, it is in the business' best interest to have an attorney review and negotiate the terms and conditions of the loan documents. General Counsel, P.C. can review commercial loan documents to help your business obtain the best terms possible.
Corporate Transactions/Mergers & Acquisitions
Our attorneys can help you buy or sell a business. Buying or selling a business can be an extremely complicated endeavor. If you are selling the business, in addition to obtaining a fair value, you want to insure that you limit/eliminate your potential liabilities following the sale so that you can move forward. If you are buying a business, you want to ensure that you have full disclosure of all aspects of the business. In addition to financial disclosure, you want to know what, if any, liabilities are associated with the business. Further, you want to ensure that the agreement provides you with protection from liabilities.
Whether an asset purchase agreement or a stock purchase agreement, whether an S-Corporation, an LLC, or a sole proprietorship, General Counsel, P.C. can assist with the sale or purchase of a business. If you are considering buying or selling a company, please call us to discuss how we can assist.
Insurance Coverage
You have insurance to minimize the risk of a financial tsunami that would damage your business. But a dispute with your insurance carrier can threaten that sanctuary. Our experienced attorneys assist policyholders through each step of the insurance coverage dispute process-from proactive analysis of the coverage provided in your policy to early-stage discussions with your insurance carrier, all the way to trial and appeal.
Winery and Vineyard Law
As a comprehensive business transaction and litigation law firm in the heart of the Northern Virginia wine country, General Counsel, P.C. has the breadth of expertise to advise winery and vineyard owners on a wide range of legal matters affecting the industry, including regulatory compliance; litigation; trademark registration; licensing; employment policies and procedures; ADA compliance; real estate; financing; corporate formation, maintenance, acquisition and disposition; and taxation. Whether your firm produces 100,000 cases or 100 cases, our attorneys provide solutions to the challenges that wineries and vineyards face as they create, grow and manage their business.
