Legal Question in Business Law in Maine

restaurant law

We are looking to open a restaurant in southern maine, there are 2 parties involved, and we would like some information on whether or not we need a lawyer initially. we know that we are going to need a partnership agreement.

we are limited financially, and would like to know if it is ok to do some of the legal work ourselves, and to find out exactly what kind of legal paperwork it entials.

Thank you


Asked on 7/07/03, 9:29 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jerome Gamache Ainsworth Thelin & Raftice, P.A.

Re: restaurant law

Since you intend on going into business with a partner, it is prudent to consider possible legal issues. Frankly, the format of an email is too restrictive to properly respond to your query. However, you should not necessarily assume that a partnership is the proper legal entity for the business. A limited Liability Company or a corporation with "S" tax status may make more sense, depending upon your goals. Do you have an accountant? Are you purchasing a business or starting up from scratch? Do you have a lender and line of credit? Have you prepared a business plan? What is your experience? If you have sufficient capital to start up and sufficient borrowing to maintain cashflow, some initial legal expense may be a sound investment to help identify and address potential business/legal issues. Feel free to give me a call at the office, I would be willing to explore what assistance I could provide and what you can do on your own to save on expense.

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Answered on 7/07/03, 10:06 am


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