Columbus Small Business Attorneys
We act as outside general counsel for owner-operated businesses across Central Ohio: LLC formation done correctly (not a $99 filing with no operating agreement), contracts people actually read, commercial lease review before you sign a personal guarantee, and partnership disputes resolved before they kill the company. Flat monthly plans give growing businesses a lawyer on call without a general counsel's salary.
What we handle
- LLC and corporation formation
- Operating and partnership agreements
- Contract drafting and review
- Commercial lease review
- Partnership and shareholder disputes
- Business purchase and sale
How your case will run
- 1
Risk map
One session on where your business is actually exposed, and usually not where owners think.
- 2
Fix the foundations
Agreements, entity cleanup, and the three contracts every owner-operated business needs.
- 3
Counsel on call
Questions answered in hours, not billed in six-minute increments.
Fees, stated plainly
Formations and standard contracts are flat-fee. Ongoing counsel is available as a monthly plan with defined response times.
Common questions about business law
Should my Ohio business be an LLC or an S-corp?
For most Ohio owner-operated businesses, the answer is both: form an LLC for liability protection and simplicity, then elect S-corporation tax treatment once profits are high enough that the payroll-tax savings exceed the added accounting cost, commonly around $60,000–$80,000 of annual profit, but confirm the number with your accountant.
Do I need a lawyer to review a commercial lease?
Yes, commercial leases have none of the consumer protections of residential leases, and the standard forms are written for the landlord. The clauses that hurt tenants most are personal guarantees, CAM (common area maintenance) charges with no cap, restrictive use clauses, and repair obligations that quietly include the roof and HVAC.