In the business world, attorneys are often considered to be analogous to the “Eeyore” character from the children’s book, “Winnie the Pooh”. Eeyore is a donkey who walks around all day with a dark cloud over his head. He often complains about all the bad things going on around him and constantly fears the worst for his future. For this reason, entrepreneurs often avoid consulting with an attorney in the creation of their new business, choosing rather to focus on the perceived positives rather than the potential negatives. In doing so, new owners fail to realize the benefit one derives from proactively identifying and planning for potential legal issues that may affect their business.
While working with a prospective business owner, an experienced attorney is careful to properly advise an individual of the potential legal issues which exist while actively working to not extinguish the entrepreneurial spirit. The role of the attorney is to first help the owner identify potential legal issues which are relevant to his or her business. These issues range from deciding which business entity to utilize in the creation of the company to developing a plan for dealing with liability issues. Once these issues are identified, a plan is created and put in place to handle the eventuality of these circumstances. The ultimate goal is to help the entrepreneur to potentially avoid or mitigate (reduce) the risk associated with the business.
When one properly identifies and plans for potential legal issues, a business owner acquires new confidence in his or her ability to handle any such problem which may manifest itself. This leadership quality becomes apparent to present and future company employees increasing the possibility of economic viability. While the proverbial “Eeyore” clearly does not possess the qualities necessary to help a business owner, retaining the services of an experienced attorney who understands the importance of maintaining the balance between entrepreneurial enthusiasm and risk avoidance is crucial to the future success of a company. The attorneys at Paulson & Paulson, PLC possess this experience and the ability to help you navigate the uncertainties which exist in the modern business world.