Every company has a life cycle. It is formed. It operates for some period of time. And it is often dissolved, merged, or sold. Perceptive business owners know that their companies have the best chance to succeed in all of these phases by developing a strong relationship with an experienced business lawyer. Hendrickson & Long serves the needs of businesses across West Virginia (WV) and Pennsylvania (PA). Regardless of the stage your company is in, you can find your business lawyer in WV and surrounding states at Hendrickson & Long, PLLC.
Navigating Business Entity and Formation Issues with Your Business Lawyer
Entrepreneurs new to the world of business can benefit greatly 
from the experienced counsel of a business lawyer. Just think of all of the legal issues faced by new business owners and managers:
- Choice of business entity, which can affect personal legal liability, reporting obligations, recordkeeping, and tax liability
- Contract development and review for business partners, financing entities, and vendors
- Employee and independent contractor issues, such as properly classifying workers and developing confidentiality, noncompete, nonsolicitation, and privacy agreements
- Governing document drafting and review, such as articles of incorporation, bylaws, and partnership agreements
- Intellectual property protection, including copyrights, patents, service marks, and trademarks
- Operational issues, such as identifying and obtaining proper licensing
- Property acquisition and development issues, including environmental, land use, permitting, and zoning issues
Even those experienced in the world of business often need sound legal advice approaching many of these issues.
Operational Legal Issues Faced by Business Owners
After the type of business is selected and formation issues are taken care of, businesses move into an operational phase. The legal issues faced in operations depend partly on the nature of the company, but many are common:
- Audits and investigations by governmental entities, such as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and state departments of labor (PA, WV)
- Commercial law issues, such as those relating to negotiable instruments, sales, and secured transactions
- Employee and worker issues, such as those arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), prevailing wage laws, and wage payment laws
- Litigation brought by consumers or customers, contractual partners, and employees
- Regulatory compliance matters
An Experienced Business Lawyer in WV, or PA Can Help at the End of the Business Life Cycle
If your company is nearing the end of its life cycle, your business lawyer can provide important legal guidance and assistance, as well. Whether you’re facing business combination, succession, or closure issues, a business lawyer from Hendrickson & Long can make sure it is all handled legally.
Our business lawyers in WV and PA routinely handle the legal aspects of issues like these for our business clientele:
- Acquisitions
- Business transition planning
- Mergers
- Tax planning
Skills You Should Expect from Your Business Lawyer in WV or PA
Every business law firm worth its salt must be well-versed in the many areas of law that affect companies both large and small. One lawyer is typically not sufficient to protect a company’s interests. Rather, it often takes a team of business lawyers to represent a company well. Consider all the knowledge and skills that come into play for many businesses:
- Arbitration services and mediation services
- Business bankruptcy
- Commercial law, including negotiable instruments, sales, and secured transactions
- Competition law, such as laws dealing with monopolies and unfair trade
- Consumer laws, such as debt collection and product liability
- Contract law
- Environmental law
- Financial laws that affect companies
- Franchise law
- Labor and employment law
- Negotiation skills
- Property law, including intellectual property
- Tax law
Perhaps most importantly, a firm must have the ability to provide not just front-end advice and document preparation but also to go to court when litigation develops.
Hendrickson & Long Has the Team of Business Attorneys You Need in WV and PA
Hendrickson & Long is a mid-sized, WV-based firm that provides comprehensive legal advice and support for businesses in PA and WV. Our firm is highly skilled in both transactional law that applies to businesses and also in business civil litigation.
Our Firm Can Handle Your Transactional and Litigation Business Law Matters
Hendrickson & Long is well-recognized for its expertise in commercial and business law issues:
- Named as a Tier 1 firm regionally in commercial law by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms
- Named as a Tier 3 firm in the area of commercial litigation by Chambers USA
- Recognition in Litigation magazine
In addition, many of Hendrickson & Long’s attorneys have received individual
recognition for professional knowledge or ethical standards like these:
- Named as Super Lawyers or Rising Stars by Super Lawyers
- Recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms, including in the
areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation - Recognition for professional excellence on Martindale.com
In addition, should litigation become necessary, our civil litigation skills are top-notch.
Hendrickson & Long’s business lawyers have helped numerous companies avoid legal problems. We have also aided businesses who found themselves in hot water, defending them vigorously to avoid or mitigate problems and damages. Contact us today to begin building a relationship with your business lawyer in WV or PA.