Legal Question in Business Law in California

Re: starting a company

Please contact me directly. There are so many things to discuss. We will start from Incorporation, corporate by laws, fictitious name statements, negotiating and procurring contracts, hour and wage law issues....

Re: starting a company

Start by going to the California Secretary of State web site. It will give you some information regarding different business structures, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships. It will also give links to other gov't web sites, such as IRS, Franchise Tax Board and Board of Equalization (Sales Tax).

Whatever you decide, meet with an attorney to help determine what is best for you and to help structure the business for you.

Re: starting a company

Most lawyers, I included, would advise you to seek professional assistance in launching a new business. Nevertheless, you can learn a lot for a very small investment from buying (or maybe you can get one at your library) a self-help book such as Nolo Press' "The Small Business Start-Up Kit for California."

Once you have read this (or a similar) book, you will be in a much better position to discuss the basics of business organization and management with the professional people you'll be conferring with, which should include an attorney, an accountant (or at least a bookkeeper with substantial small business experience) and an insurance agent.

The size of the proposed business should dictate, to some degree at least, the amount of outside assistance you'll want to seek. For example, if you don't plan to have employees, you won't need to bone up on employment law, withholding, workers comp, policy manuals and all those issues. If you're starting up with 100% your own money, you'll need less financial and securities advice (but that doesn't mean none at all!).

When you hire an attorney try to find one who has had actual business experience (other than running his or her own law firm) if possible.