Starting a business involves a few legal decisions that are cheap to get right at the beginning and expensive to fix later: what kind of entity to form, who owns what, and what happens if a founder leaves. The firm handles those decisions and the documents that record them.
Choosing the entity
Most new Florida businesses form as a limited liability company or a corporation. The choice affects taxes, how owners are paid, what records must be kept, and how easy it is to bring in investors later. Licensed professionals have their own options, described on the Professional Practices page. The firm walks through the tradeoffs with the owner, and where taxes drive the decision the owner’s accountant is part of the conversation.
Formation documents
Florida entities are formed by filing with the Florida Division of Corporations. Filing is the easy part. The documents that matter day to day are the operating agreement (for an LLC) or the bylaws and shareholder agreement (for a corporation), which set out who decides what, how profits are split, and how an owner gets out. The firm drafts these to fit the business rather than using a generic form.
Agreements between founders
When there is more than one founder, the firm puts the terms in writing before money and effort go in: ownership percentages, what each founder contributes, whether ownership vests over time, and what happens if someone stops working on the business. These conversations are easier to have at the start.
What to bring to a first meeting
- The business idea in a paragraph, and who the owners will be.
- Any agreements already signed, including leases, loans, or letters of intent.
- Whether the business will need investors, employees, or licenses.
Ready to start? Contact the office or call (321) 321-3426.