Cleburne Legal Blog

Do you need a family limited liability company?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

If you are fortunate enough to enjoy a supportive, loving and friendly family dynamic, you may consider starting a business together. Perhaps you and your spouse have the type of relationship where you work well together and complement each other when it comes to strengths and weaknesses, which would certainly contribute to your success.

You may also want to pass on the business to your children when you retire and want to protect it for that purpose. Another of your goals may be to protect your assets from creditors and/or have the ability to bypass probate after your death.

Does your single-member LLC really need an operating agreement?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Instead of operating as a sole proprietorship, you decided to take advantage of the personal protections of a limited liability company. Since you are the only member, you may not think you need an operating agreement.

After all, aren't operating agreements meant to outline the relationship among members? Since you are the only member of the LLC, you shouldn't need to worry about one, right?

New business owners may be worried about frivolous lawsuits

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

As a relatively new business owner, you know that you have to stay on top of every transaction that occurs with your company. You undoubtedly put up a lot of funds to get your business off the ground, and you do not want anything to jeopardize the operations you have going, especially until you can start turning a regular profit.

Unfortunately, some people know that new small businesses do not have a lot of extra money at their disposal. As a result, they may try to file frivolous lawsuits against your business in hopes that you will simply settle rather than facing the expenses of litigation. However, rather than immediately settling with someone over a frivolous claim, consider your legal options.

Is a breach of contract worth pursuing legal action?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Thursday, February 27, 2020.

When conducting any type of business venture, having a contract is a must. These agreements can be verbal or written, but it is typically more advisable to have a written record of any business dealings. In particular, having a written contract may act as better evidence in the event that the other party involved violates the terms of the agreement.

Even with a written agreement, there is no complete guarantee that the other party will abide by the terms. As a result, your company could experience setbacks or other damages, some of which could be seriously detrimental to the company. In such a situation, you may need to decide whether taking legal action is necessary.

How can I make sure my clients pay me?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Wednesday, January 29, 2020.

Your company does good work, and you are proud when your completed project makes a client happy. However, nothing can diminish that feeling of pride faster than having to wait and beg for the money a client owes you for the work you did.

Running a small business is challenging enough when some days every dime counts toward keeping things going. Having to wait indefinitely for someone to pay you can make you frustrated and angry. There are steps you can take to improve the chances that a client will pay, but in the end, you may have to make some difficult decisions.

Has a corporation board breached its fiduciary duty to you?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Tuesday, December 31, 2019.

Purchasing shares in a company is often a leap of faith, but it is not something you might do blindly. Certainly, you must believe in the company and its product or service. Additionally, you may expect the company to succeed and thus provide you with a sound and profitable investment. You also trust that those who make the decisions for the operations of the company will have your interests in mind and be your voice.

As a shareholder in a corporation, you do not control the way the business runs. Ultimately, the board of directors and the officers of the corporation handle those matters. However, it is their duty to make wise decisions about the direction of the company and the use of its funds since those decisions directly affect your well-being as a shareholder. This responsibility is known as fiduciary duty, and it is a legal obligation.

Your business may need more contracts than you realize

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

When you decided to start your own business, you likely knew that there would be a lot of work involved. Even after you got your business operations up and running, you still had to take steps to keep everything in line. You may have created new business relationships, taken on employees, conducted various sales and carried out other related actions.

Because each aspect of your business is important and you want to protect your company, you understand the value of having contracts in place whenever a new relationship or arrangement comes into play. In fact, you may need contracts for certain areas that you may not have considered before.

Does damage to your company have you considering litigation?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Friday, November 1, 2019.

Running a small business takes a lot of work from the moment you decide to start the business. You have undoubtedly gone through mountains of paperwork, made numerous decisions, had to deal with setbacks and felt the stress of starting a business. However, you reached your goal, and your company has been operational for a short time.

Because your company is relatively young, you may not have had any legal issues to face as of yet. You may have anticipated an issue coming sooner or later because so many businesses do face legal claims or face problems that need litigating. You may have reached a point where you feel that going to court over a business matter is necessary, but you may still feel hesitant.

A partnership agreement can reduce conflicts

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

Bringing partners into your business or collaborating with someone to start a company is not as easy as shaking hands over a cup of coffee. A partnership includes many legal complexities, and it is important that you and your partners understand what each expects of the others. This is why business advocates highly recommend having a solid partnership agreement that addresses these matters.

A partnership agreement should be as thorough as you can make it, including any contingencies you can think of from the start to the end of the business. Your business and your partnership have their own unique factors, so you will want your partnership agreement to reflect those elements with clarity and precision. Because of this, using an online template for your agreement may not provide the solid security you want for your business.

Is your small business ready for transition?

On behalf of Cain & Associates on Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

Whether your Texas business is just starting out or you have worked for decades to build a strong reputation in your industry, you likely have great plans for the future. Perhaps you have ideas for expansion, or you may simply want to establish a successful company that will support your family and provide something you can pass on to your children.

If creating a legacy from your business is in your plans, you should know that this does not happen automatically. In fact, it might behoove you to understand exactly what may happen to your small business if you should become incapacitated or pass away before you have a transition plan in place.