New Business Formation

Every state requires a business to have a Registered Agent within the State who can accept official notices like renewal notices and lawsuits. The registered agent must be an owner or manager of the business or an attorney. Even if you are also a resident of the State where you do business, we add value by keeping a renewal calendar (in case renewal notices are delayed or lost in the mail) and prompting you as much as necessary when your company is due for renewal. We’re also in a position to work with you and explain your options if we receive notice of a lawsuit. Argent Place Law includes this service for one year automatically with every new business formation so we can make sure you are taken care of at least that long. After the first year, our fee is $200/year plus the State’s annual registration fee.

Our basic operating agreements use a set of terms that are ideal for companies owned by a single owner or married couple. However, if you’re getting in business with one or more partners who have separate lives (and may someday want to go a different direction), you’ll want something more comprehensive. We will draft an operating agreement that spells out everything: how the business is managed, how profits are distributed, what happens if one partner dies or leaves, what happens if there is a disagreement, what happens if a partner wants to sell their interest, who controls the money, can new partners be added and how, and much more. We have extensive experience with writing these kinds of agreements and know the kinds of questions to ask. We will guide you.

What if you have an old company name or brand that needs a fresh coat of paint? What if you you’re entering a new line of business, or want to have two or three lines of business within the same company? Then you’ll want a fictitious name, or “trade name.” A company can have as many of them as they want, and they cost less than changing the company’s name outright. We typically can prepare these within one-two business days after we are engaged!

When you set up a business in a particular state, it is automatically registered to do business in that state. However, if your company regularly does business in another state besides its “home” state, it should also register as a foreign company and obtain a Registered Agent in that state. While the procedure, paperwork, and costs vary from state to state, our attorney’s fee remains the same. Failing to register in a state where you regularly do business can carry steep penalties if they catch you, so let us help you go from a “local” company to a “national” one!

Many people hesitate to call their lawyer over small things, either for fear of wasting the lawyer’s time or for fear of racking up fees. We know, however, that sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and sometimes people don’t realize all the ways their lawyer can help them. With this service, you get half an hour of “phone time” every month (typically two fifteen-minute phone calls) where we talk about you and your business. How are things going? Anything you’ve been concerned about? What projects are coming down the pipeline? What did you decide to do about the situation we discussed last month, and how’s it developing? Don’t underestimate the power of a little advice at the right time. Never be afraid to reach out to a lawyer. Retain us to be your General Counsel.