Buda Small Business Lawyer

Are you looking for a small business lawyer in Buda, TX?

At The J M Dickerson Law Firm, we are small business lawyers with 30 years of experience guiding clients through complex matters.

If you are starting a business in Buda or running one that has outgrown its first paperwork, the legal structure behind it decides what you personally owe when something goes wrong. An LLC or corporation separates the business from your household only when it is formed correctly and kept current.

The J M Dickerson Law Firm forms business entities, drafts the agreements between owners, and maintains company records each year. Our Buda, TX small business lawyer can choose the right structure with you, prepare the filings, and keep your company in good standing with the state. Schedule a free initial consultation to talk through your business.

Small Business Lawyer Buda, TX

A small business lawyer handles the legal side of owning a company. That includes choosing and forming the entity, writing the agreements that govern it, and keeping its records and state filings current. The lawyer also prepares contracts and plans what happens to the company when an owner leaves or dies.

Buda businesses recorded $712 million in retail sales in 2022. A small business attorney in Buda helps local owners build a structure that matches the size of their business.

Types of Small Business Cases We Handle in Buda

Most owners first come to us at formation. Others arrive when a partner wants out, a contract goes wrong, or a lender asks for records the company never kept. Our Buda small business attorney handles the following matters.

  • LLC formation. A limited liability company suits most small businesses in Texas. We prepare the certificate of formation and the company agreement that governs how the owners run it.
  • Corporations. Some owners need a corporation for investors or for a planned tax election. We form the corporation and prepare its bylaws, initial resolutions, and share records.
  • Company agreements between owners. Without written terms, a buyout or a deadlock between partners has no agreed answer. We draft agreements that cover contributions, voting, and what happens when an owner leaves.
  • Contracts. Customer agreements, vendor terms, and commercial leases set the rules for most business disputes. We draft and review those contracts before they are signed.
  • Annual minutes and records. An entity’s protection depends on records that show it operated as a separate company. We prepare annual minutes and document transactions between the owner and the business.
  • Asset protection. Business assets, rental property, and personal savings belong in separate structures. We coordinate the company with the owner’s broader protection plan.
  • Estate planning. An owner’s will and trust decide who controls the company after death or incapacity. We align those documents with the company agreement.
  • Buying or closing a business. A purchase requires due diligence and a written transfer of assets or ownership. A closure requires formal dissolution and final filings with the state.

Why Choose The J M Dickerson Law Firm as My Small Business Lawyer in Buda, TX?

Business Training and Books Written for Owners

Joseph Michael Dickerson holds an MBA from Texas A&M International University in addition to his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law. He began with a business degree from Texas State University. He wrote The Road Map to Rich: A Lawyer’s Perspective on Getting and Staying Rich for owners building wealth. His 2023 book, The 3 Bucket Method for the Trucking Industry, applies his asset protection method to a business facing large jury verdicts. His books earned awards from The Attorney Magazine in 2019, 2021, and 2023.

His planning work has included a privacy trust that kept an investor’s name out of a lawsuit over one of his apartment buildings.

Recognition From the Business Community

He was a finalist for Entrepreneurial Attorney of the Year in 2019. That same year, he received the Young Professional of the Year award from the Laredo Chamber of Commerce. A Rotary member since 2000, he started a charity motorcycle ride in 2017 that has generated over $130,000 for the End Polio Now campaign.

Understanding Small Business Cases

Business Entity Types and How They Treat Liability in Texas

The entity you choose determines who is responsible for the company’s debts. It also affects taxes, paperwork, and how easily ownership can change hands.

  • Sole proprietorship. The owner and the business are the same person in the eyes of the law. Business debts and judgments can reach the owner’s personal property.
  • General partnership. Each partner can be personally responsible for the partnership’s obligations. A partnership forms by conduct, even without a written agreement.
  • Limited liability company. An LLC is a separate legal entity created by filing a certificate of formation with the state. Its owners are generally not personally liable for its debts.
  • Corporation. A corporation is also separate from its owners. It requires directors, officers, and more formal records than most LLCs.
  • Tax elections. An LLC or corporation can elect how it is taxed. That election is a federal tax decision and is coordinated with the owner’s accountant.
  • Assumed names. A business operating under a name other than its legal name must file an assumed name certificate.

What Are Important Aspects of a Small Business Case?

These points decide whether an entity protects its owners when it is tested.

  • A written company agreement. Texas does not require every LLC to have one. Without it, the owners have no agreed terms for buyouts, deadlocks, or an owner’s death.
  • Separate records and accounts. Commingled funds and missing minutes weaken the line between owner and company. Owners who skip company records give a creditor room to argue that line never existed.
  • Annual state filings. Texas LLCs and corporations file a franchise tax report and a Public Information Report each year. Missing that report can cost the company its right to do business and expose its owners to personal liability for certain debts.
  • Contracts in writing. Text messages and even an emoji reply can be offered as evidence of a deal. Signed agreements remove that uncertainty.
  • A succession plan. A buy-sell agreement sets the price and terms when an owner retires, leaves, or dies.
  • The right structure for today. If a sole proprietorship still fits your business, our Buda small business lawyer will tell you so.

What Should You Bring to Your Small Business Consultation?

These records show us how the business is organized today.

  • Any certificate of formation, company agreement, or bylaws
  • A list of owners and each owner’s percentage
  • Recent business contracts and your commercial lease, if you have one
  • Any notices from the Texas Comptroller or the Secretary of State
  • Questions about a partner, a dispute, or a planned sale

The first meeting is free. Our Buda small business attorney will review your structure and explain what it does and does not protect.

What Is the Small Business Case Timeline?

A Buda small business attorney can form a new LLC quickly. Restoring a company that has fallen behind on records and filings takes longer.

  1. Consultation and a review of your current structure and goals.
  2. Entity choice, coordinated with your accountant on tax treatment.
  3. Filing of the certificate of formation and preparation of the company agreement and initial minutes.
  4. Opening of separate business accounts under the company’s own employer identification number.
  5. Annual upkeep of minutes and filings, which our Business Minder Pro Plan covers for subscribing companies.

Before filing a business lawsuit or closing a business, owners follow a different sequence. We outline those steps at the first meeting.

Buda Business Filings and Local Resources

Buda businesses answer to both county and state offices.

  • Hays County issues food establishment permits for restaurants and food businesses inside Buda city limits.
  • Hays County Development Services issues development and septic permits for businesses in the unincorporated areas around Buda.
  • The Texas Comptroller administers the franchise tax that applies to most Texas LLCs and corporations.

Reach Out to The J M Dickerson Law Firm to Schedule a Consultation

A company is easier to structure at the start than to repair after a claim. Business owners meet with The J M Dickerson Law Firm at no charge for the first consultation. We set the scope of work once we understand your company and your goals. Contact us to meet with our Buda small business lawyer.