Answers on your schedule: a call returned the same business day
You should not have to wait a week to ask whether a clause is normal. Routine questions get a same-day callback.
Business law
Business lawyers for Columbus owners
You run the company. We keep the paperwork underneath it solid: the entity, the ownership terms and the contracts you sign every week. Fast answers by phone, flat fees for routine work, and one attorney who knows your business.
Where owners start
- 01Forming the companyEntity, EIN guidance and an operating agreement.
- 02A contract to signReview and redlines, usually within two business days.
- 03A partner problemBuyouts, deadlocks and exits, worked out on paper.
What we handle
What can a business lawyer take off your plate?
Most of our business clients are companies with two to fifty people: contractors, clinics, agencies, restaurants and family firms. These are the matters we handle for them most often, usually on a flat fee quoted before we start.
Entity formationLLCs and corporations set up with the filings and internal paperwork done in one pass.
Operating agreementsVoting, capital calls, buyouts and what happens when an owner leaves.Customer and vendor contractsTerms that say what the deal actually is and who carries the risk.
Commercial leasesOffice, retail and warehouse leases reviewed and negotiated before you sign.
Buying or selling a companyLetters of intent, due diligence and purchase agreements.
DisputesDemand letters, negotiation and, when needed, litigation.How we work with owners
What should you expect from your business lawyer?
Three habits that make outside counsel useful to a small company instead of a cost it avoids. Owners tell us the difference is simple: they call earlier, so problems stay small and the bills stay predictable.
- 01Answers on your schedule
- 02Paperwork in order
- 03Plain risk talk
Paperwork in order: formation first, ownership second, contracts third
We build the documents in the order that protects you, so a contract never rests on an entity with no operating agreement.
Plain risk talk: what a clause costs you if things go wrong
Every redline comes with a one-line note on why it matters, so you can decide what to push on.
Fees
What does business legal work cost?
Routine work is billed as a flat fee quoted in writing. Owners who call often use a monthly plan instead of hourly bills.
Formation package
Filing, EIN guidance and a single-owner operating agreement
Contract review
Read-through, redlines and a short risk summary
Monthly counsel
Routine calls, two contract reviews a month, annual check-up
Illustrative demo figures, confirmed in a written engagement letter. The Ohio LLC filing fee is $99.
Owner guides
Starting, buying or selling: where do the risks hide?
Most expensive business disputes start with a document that was never written or a contract nobody read twice. A partner leaves with no buyout terms, a customer stops paying under a contract with no late fee, a lease renews automatically at a higher rate. These guides cover the steps owners skip.
Common questions
Business Law questions
Quick answers for owners. Every company is different, so call with yours.
It depends on ownership plans, investors and tax goals. We walk through the tradeoffs with your accountant before filing.
Yes. Send it over and we will flag the terms that shift risk to you and suggest edits.
Many clients use a monthly plan for routine questions and contract reviews. See the fees page for illustrative options.
Your operating or shareholder agreement usually controls. If there is none, we help negotiate a buyout that is fair and documented.
Most routine reviews come back within two business days with redlines and a short note on the risks that matter. Tell us your deadline and we plan around it.
At minimum: an operating or shareholder agreement, a standard customer contract, written terms with key vendors and a simple employee handbook. Missing documents are cheaper to write now than to argue about later.
Your agreement should say. If it does not, we look for a negotiated buyout first and explain the court options if that fails. A deadlock clause written today avoids that conversation later.
Yes. Entity choice, ownership changes and sales all have tax consequences, so we plan them with your accountant from the start.
Who you will work with
Evan Whitford leads the business group
Evan advises owners on formation, contracts and ownership disputes. When an owner also needs an estate plan or an employment policy, Claire and Julian join the same file.
