• Legal advice while your business is temporarily closed
• Help with restructuring amid the current climate
• Online mediation and arbitration to settle a dispute outside of the closed court systems
• Proactive estate planning

I would like to discuss these ideas with you if you’re interested in filling your downtime with a little legal due diligence.

Contact me or schedule an appointment online to learn more!

Click here to watch this video on YouTube!

The information contained in this video is not specific legal advice. Watching this video does not establish an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking specific legal advice, please feel free to call me or schedule an appointment online.

The post Legal ‘To Do’ List? I Can Help! | Video first appeared on Jamie Miller Law | Tulsa Business Lawyer.

If you have ever dreamed of starting a business or buying an existing business, I would encourage you to do so but think it through carefully, and start it the right way. By starting it the right way, I mean don’t shortcut the steps you need to take. Starting a business from scratch, or buying an existing business are important decisions, and missing steps or making decisions you later regret can have serious legal and tax consequences.

Steps to Consider if you are Starting a Business

Create a thorough business plan AND budget

Having a thorough business plan (and budget) in place is something that often gets overlooked in the initial excitement. I am also a mentor and subject matter expert for SCORE in Tulsa, and there are free resources for business plans available through SCORE, as well as other entities. Just like with anything else though – don’t use just anything you find on the internet. These decisions are too important to take lightly. A link to SCORE business planning resources can be found here:  https://www.score.org/business-plans-startup-assistance-resources. 

Decide how you will structure your business

You also need to decide on a formalized structure for your business, such as a corporation or a limited liability company. This is a conversation I would encourage you to have with an attorney as well as your tax advisor, working together. The Secretary of State website is a great place to start for resources/forms, but submitting that filing is not the end of the process. Depending on the structure you choose, you will also want to have governing documents professionally drafted, such as an operating agreement, partnership agreement, or bylaws, as well as buy-sell agreements if there are multiple owners. 

File for licenses or permits

Depending on the type of business, there may be licenses or permits needed, as well as additional registrations for tax purposes, such as the Oklahoma Tax Commission if you will be selling taxable goods and/or services. 

Hire employees or contract independent vendors

The conversation about employees versus independent contractors is also important, and there are many factors that go into that decision. Misclassifying workers as contractors when they are actually employees can have serious consequences. Again, consult with an attorney about these issues, and your tax professional should be in the loop as well.

Draft contracts for vendors, clients, customers, contractors, and employees

Every business needs solid written contracts in place. These may be contracts with vendors, clients, customers, contractors, and occasionally employees. It is often less expensive for preventative legal services such as contract drafting and negotiation than trying to fix a bad contract later or litigate it after there is a problem.

These are just a few of the steps involved in starting a business.  Having a solid business plan in place, as well as professionals to guide you through the process can help to make it manageable and get you up and running smoothly. 

If I can help you with starting a business 2020, I would love to hear from you!  To schedule a consultation:  918-938-1322 or jamie@jmillerlawfirmpllc.com.

The post Starting a Business in 2020 first appeared on Jamie Miller Law | Tulsa Business Lawyer.

I expanded options for what is known as limited scope representation. Limited Scope services occur when a client hires a lawyer to complete specific tasks, or a portion of the legal representation. This may include a lawyer drafting documents to be used in court but the client represents himself or herself in court. The lawyer discloses such limited representation on court documents but typically does not appear at any court hearings. The client gets the benefit of legal advice from a licensed attorney at reduced costs from traditional full scope representation. You can read more about limited scope representation HERE.

Online scheduling is now an option for clients to schedule an appointment. The link to schedule that is HERE. Please note that I don’t always update it in real time, so if you are looking for an appointment time and can’t find one, please call me or send me an email and we’ll get you on the calendar.

I am very pleased to continue my involvement with the Bixby Metro Chamber of Commerce, and will continue on the Board of Directors in 2019. Also, I am excited to announce that I am again nominated for Woman-Owned Business of the Year, and also for Volunteer of the Year, with those winners to be announced at the end of January.

I continue to participate as a guest speaker on a regular basis on topics such as estate planning as well as business law, employment issues, and mediation. If you would like me to speak at an event or for a group, please feel free to reach out to me. I am also still a volunteer mediator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If you have a charge pending with the EEOC, you have probably noticed that it is affected by the current government shutdown. You can keep track of any updates with the EEOC on their website by clicking HERE.

I was also fortunate to continue to work with a number of wonderful clients this year, and was able to close several probates, worked with individuals and families to complete or update their estate planning needs, settled cases, got businesses formed, businesses bought and sold, and partnered with a number of businesses on an ongoing basis to address their everyday legal needs.

In 2019, I plan to continue all of the above, as well as increasing my work with business owners and how I can assist them in a variety of ways. I am also always looking at technology to work with clients and will be looking at expanding methods of providing virtual services where it makes sense.
As always, we are thankful for our clients, our partners, and our community. Thank you for your business, and if I can ever answer a question or assist you, I hope to hear from you.

The post Looking Ahead: Expanded Legal Services, Nominations and More first appeared on Jamie Miller Law | Tulsa Business Lawyer.