Comments on: Legal Resources for Home Business Owners

By: This Weeks Helpful Reads… Week 162

This Weeks Helpful Reads… Week 162 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:16:52 +0000

[...] and links each week to provide the widest range of information for the home business entrepreneur. Legal Resources for Home Business Owners by Â Traci Feit Love… Traci givesÂ us some really good low cost and free resources to get [...]

By: Cindy Bidar

Cindy Bidar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:54:57 +0000

Thanks Traci, this is a great list. I would also suggest your state’s own website. Here in Michigan it’s possible to do many new biz related tasks, such as name searches and applying for an LLC. They also have information on necessary licenses and permits. I agree it’s no substitute for an attorney, but it is a good starting point.

By: cory huff

cory huff — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:31:58 +0000

I don't think for a second that Traci was implying that you can go it alone without a lawyer long term - but articles of incorporation and other simple forms are things that you can scrape by on without a lawyer. They're good starting points. Resources - it just depends on how you use them. cory huffs last blog post..Hi, and I’m a PC

By: Traci Feit Love

Traci Feit Love — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:59:22 +0000

@Gorj Design – Absolutely – once you get past the start-up phase of your business, you really need to find and retain a lawyer with expertise in small business law. There are too many potential pitfalls and hiring a lawyer is likely to save your business money in the long run.

By: Traci Feit Love

Traci Feit Love — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:57:57 +0000

@Peter – I agree with you that the law is complex, and that business owners who can afford an attorney should absolutely hire one. Unfortunately, lawyers are expensive and the cost is prohibitive for many small business owners. For that reason, I wanted to remind people in this post that even when you can’t afford an attorney, the law still applies – and I wanted to provide some resources for people who have no choice but to try to understand and comply with the law without the help of an attorney.

My overall point that if you have a choice between hiring an attorney and doing it yourself, you should hire an attorney. Attorneys, as you say, have expertise and up-to-date knowledge that is invaluable and that will probably save business owners money in the long run. But in the short run, if you simply don’t have the cash to pay a lawyer, then I hope this post provides some resources that help small business owners make sense of and comply with the law.

By: Gorj Design

Gorj Design — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:20:16 +0000

Very interesting, is good to be informed on legal rights. I also believe a lawyer is a need if you have a large business even if it can be expensive .

By: peter lindquist

peter lindquist — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:15:38 +0000

Pardon me, this is some of the most simplistic and general advice I’ve seen in a while. Consdiering the fact that the 50 states all have different laws and requirements to business regulation, it is avalue to employ on a defined, strategic basis, an attorney with expertise and up-to date knowledge. Your post was nothing more than self-promotion to a site… you need to do better.

By: Kelly McCausey

Kelly McCausey — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:53:25 +0000

Thanks for sharing some legal resources with us Traci

I especially appreciate learning about the Department of Labor site.