Empire Business Law

Pomona California Startup Lawyer

At Empire Business Law, our experienced Pomona, California startup attorneys offer comprehensive legal services for startups. As leading small business startup lawyers near you, we specialize in navigating the complexities of business startup law in California, ensuring your venture begins with a strong legal foundation. Whether you need assistance with entity formation, protecting intellectual property, or drafting employment agreements, our law firm is dedicated to supporting your startup’s success.

Empire Business Law has helped numerous startup companies launch over the years. As a leading Pomona, California startup lawyer, we recognize the distinct needs of entrepreneurs. Our goal is to advise founders on key matters such as raising capital safely, protecting intellectual property, and fostering sensible growth. We offer comprehensive legal services for startups, ensuring they navigate the complexities of business startup law in California effectively.

Pomona California Startup Lawyer - What You Should Know Before Starting A Business

Starting a business can be difficult, particularly when it comes to understanding the legal rights and responsibilities. Empire Business Law provides the expertise needed from day one, specializing in helping new businesses avoid potential pitfalls before they become costly issues. Regardless of your industry, forming a limited liability entity is one of the safest ways to operate. The dedicated team of "small business startup lawyers near me" at Empire Business Law is knowledgeable in all aspects of business startup law in Pomona, California, and can help you maximize your liability protection to avoid legal issues impacting your personal life. In addition to forming a limited liability entity, our legal team will guide you on the essential documents required for new businesses, offering outstanding legal services for startups.

Startup Attorney Pomona CA - Employment Agreements

At some stage, every Pomona, CA startup will need to hire employees. Integrating employment agreements into your startup’s culture provides numerous benefits. A primary advantage is the protection it offers both you and the new hire, preventing potential disputes by clearly defining expectations and responsibilities for both parties, as well as detailing compensation packages to eliminate surprises. Highlighting the importance of detailed job descriptions to clarify roles is essential. Our startup attorneys at Empire Business Law can assist in drafting these agreements, ensuring they comply with the best practices in business startup law in California.

One of the most critical aspects for Pomona, California startups is the “work-for-hire” provision in employee agreements. These provisions ensure that any intellectual property created by employees during their employment belongs to the business, not the individual. These agreements can be terminated by either party for any reason or no reason at all. In the future, some startups may designate key employees as “for cause,” meaning they can only be terminated for specific reasons. Properly documenting these relationships protects all parties, particularly in case of a dispute. A startup lawyer in Pomona, CA, like those at Empire Business Law, will carefully draft these agreements to protect your business interests.

Pomona California Startup Lawyer - Employee Manuals & Employment Handbooks

When a startup in Pomona, CA is ready to hire employees, it's an ideal time to draft an employee handbook. This handbook should detail your company’s general employment policies and standard practices, including disciplinary actions, overtime procedures, privacy policies, technology usage, and the confidentiality of the startup’s trade secrets or proprietary information. Clear rules regarding workplace behavior help maintain organization and prevent issues, enabling you to focus on business growth rather than resolving conflicts caused by miscommunication. Our team of Pomona, California startup lawyers at Empire Business Law can help create a comprehensive employee handbook that aligns with the best practices in business startup law in California.

Regular updates to the employee handbook are crucial to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws. If an employee is unhappy with their working conditions or believes workplace safety is at risk, they should report this to management directly and seek external assistance from HR departments specializing in these issues. Law firms for startups, like Empire Business Law, ensure your employee handbook remains up-to-date and compliant with all relevant regulations, providing essential legal services for startups.

Empire Business Law - Attorney for Your Growing Business

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Why Choose Us

Free Initial Consultation

Personalized and Results-oriented Practice

Value Based Billing

Successfully counseled hundreds of businesses

Experienced in working with a diverse group of businesses.

A sought after team of lawyers that are on your side.

Testimonials

If you are looking for a very professional and reliable lawyer do not look any furthermore. Daniel López helped us by answering all of our questions. He made us feel comfortable with the process. I will highly recommend him to my family and friends. Thank you so much, Daniel. You were the best!

Ines S

Empire Business Law Client

Daniel is amazing! he's helped us get our business restructured right. He's so knowledgeable and extremely responsive. I would highly recommend Daniel and the attorneys at Empire Law for anything you need done with your business.

Rudy G.

Empire Business Law Client

We needed some trademark work done. There was another business using our logo. We called Empire and they literally held our hand through the whole process.

Patrick M.

Empire Business Law Client

I recommend Daniel Lopez, Esq. due to his knowledge, integrity, and ability to choose what is right for his clients. No upselling or trying to overcharge.

Tim J.

Empire Business Law Client

Great first experience with this Law firm. I had a meeting with Daniel. He was friendly, informative, and straight to the point which I appreciate as a business professional.

Tom A.

Empire Business Law Client

Danny was very helpful and answered all my questions regarding the creating of my LLC. He was very helpful. I would work with his firm again.

Stevee A.

Empire Business Law Client

Always a great experience speaking with Danny. Knowledgeable and professional.

David P.

Empire Business Law Client

Independent Contractor Agreements

Pomona, CA startups frequently work with independent contractors before hiring employees. These contractors handle similar projects for multiple startups but run their own businesses rather than working on-site. The Independent Contractor Agreement defines the terms and conditions for contractors working with startups. A crucial part of this contract addresses intellectual property rights, ensuring any inventions or trade secrets created during the contractor's work for the company's products or services are protected. Our startup attorneys at Empire Business Law specialize in drafting these agreements to protect your business's interests, adhering to best practices in business startup law in California.

The laws surrounding independent contractors in the United States are complex. An employee may be considered "dependent" on their employer if they lack control over their work schedule and location, while a more independent worker may face less oversight compared to traditional employees. This distinction has significant implications for running your business smoothly.


Distinguishing between employees and contractors is essential for any business, especially when dealing with external suppliers. If a startup closely supervises a contractor, they might be classified as "employees" rather than independent contractors, subjecting their work to greater scrutiny regarding the company's control over tasks. Startups should always protect trade secrets, including processes and products, when collaborating with contractors, as legal requirements protect both parties from unfair treatment. A Pomona, CA startup lawyer, like those at Empire Business Law, can help you navigate these complexities, ensuring your independent contractor agreements comply with business startup law in California.

Website Terms Of Service and Privacy Policies

The first major public step for any Pomona, California startup is launching a website. This serves not only as an advertisement for their services but also provides essential information on how customers can engage with them, whether through specific services or multiple channels like social media accounts. To prevent future issues, startups must have thoroughly drafted Terms of Use/Agreements before their site goes live, ensuring no surprises as their business grows. Our team of Pomona, CA startup lawyers at Empire Business Law specializes in crafting comprehensive Terms of Use/Agreements, aligning your website with best practices in business startup law in California and offering robust legal services for startups.

For Example:


By using the website, you are agreeing to our terms of service. We reserve the right at any time and without warning or exception to change these rules, as well as limitations on what uses, are authorized for users - so please read them carefully before visiting!

A Pomona, CA startup’s website should also have a privacy policy in place before going live. A privacy policy outlines the data collected from website visitors, how that data will be used, and how it will be shared with third parties, including their identities. Like an employee handbook, the privacy policy must comply with all federal and state laws. Startups should also be aware of emerging data privacy regulations, such as the GDPR in the European Union and CCPA in California. Consulting a Pomona, CA startup lawyer is crucial for drafting a compliant privacy policy if the business intends to operate in the EU, California, or to stay current with other data privacy laws.

  • Selecting An Entity

    We know that the right type of entity can make or break a startup. You need to know the right balance between liability, taxes, and other factors in order for everything to work out well - which is why our team has years' worth of expertise on this subject! Let us help you decide what would be best suited based off some common questions surrounding each option. The first step when launching any business venture into outer space? Selecting an appropriate legal form such as Corp., Ltd., Partnerships etc.… There’s no single “correct" answer here; different entities offer advantages depending upon how much money/risky investments people are looking to take on.

  • Corporation (C-corp)

    One of the main reasons that people invest in early-stage startups is because they offer a great opportunity for returns. This means that those who put money into these businesses stand to make some serious profit if their investment pays off later down the road; especially when you take into account all types of legal protection offered by C-Corps which has been established over time based on what was appropriate at various points during our history as well laws surrounding them today--this predictability helps encourage investors with ideas or plans about starting up shop but not knowing where to start!


    C-Corps can be a cumbersome navigation when the law is complicated and there are relatively few shareholders. In addition, C-corp dividends are "double taxed" - meaning that as an entity they must pay taxes on any earnings which go towards paying out profits in dividends or salaries; but those same funds would also suffer another layer of taxation if investors receive them directly instead through compensation packages made up mostly from stock options exercised at market price during periods where shares rise dramatically (and often times beyond what was original cost).


    The Articles of Incorporation function as the business’s charter, outlining its basic information and governance structure. This includes an initial stock authorization for shares to be issued by defaulting creditors with no action taken on their behalf within one year after formation - this is known formally in corporate law circles as “writer-up procedure." The certificate also identifies which laws will apply if there are any disputes between parties operating under different legal systems like state vs federal etc.


    The Bylaws, in combination with the Articles of Incorporation, set out the mechanisms by with the business runs; when annual meetings are, how shareholder voting works, and how business decisions are made, among other things. The Director’s Initial Resolutions and Shareholder’s Initial Resolutions ratify the procedures that went into incorporation, list the initial corporate officers, and allocate the stock authorized by the Articles.


    Two more documents do not need to be filed with the Articles, Bylaws, and Initial Resolutions, but are just as pivotal for a startup to have. The Shareholders’ Agreement lists the rights and obligations for the company’s shareholders; it describes how shares are priced and transferred (or restricted from transfer), and is a method for ensuring civility among a startup’s initial shareholders through listing clear procedure and providing methods of dispute resolution. Finally, small and privately owned C-Corps might use a Subscription Agreement to facilitate a sale of stock with a specific private investor, and the accompanying terms governing price, quantity, confidentiality, and return on investment.

  • S-corporation (S-corp)

    S-Corporations operate in most ways indistinguishably from a C-Corp. The defining feature of an S-Corp is that its shareholders have filed a federal election with the IRS to alter how they are taxed. Rather than face double-taxation, S-corps elect to have their profits “flow-through” the corporate entity directly to the shareholders. In this manner, earnings of an S-Corp are only taxed once they reach the shareholders as profit. Startups considering filing as an S-Corp should note that, to properly file as an S-Corp, they may need to file an S-Corporation election with the Department of State of their respective State in addition to the same filing with the IRS.

  • Limited Liability Company (LLLC

    The limited liability company, or LLC, is a relatively new entity in comparison to the C-Corp, but has become a very popular entity for startups because of its flexibility. An LLC combines the limited liability of a corporation with the taxation structure of a partnership. This means that its owners (called “members”) are insulated from the LLC’s debts, while any profit the LLC makes is “flow-through,” similar to an S-Corp, by default.


    LLCs are created by the prospective members filing Articles of Organization with the Department of State. The Articles of Organization lists the LLC’s basic identifying information. While initial resolutions are not mandatory for an LLC, it is good practice to to file accompanying Members’ Initial Resolutions and Managers’ Initial Resolutions, formally ratifying the Articles and the company’s formation. Finally, while not mandatory but highly recommended, a startup LLC needs to draft an Operating Agreement. An Operating Agreement is the document which details the structure and operation of the LLC; it species, among other things, how the LLC is managed, how decisions are made, how profits are split between the members, how new members can be join or leave the company, how membership interest is transferred, and how to resolve disputes which arise. The Operating Agreement is highly customizable, which offers more flexibility than a C-Corp, but that flexibility can also mean these documents need to be heavily negotiated to ensure it meets the startup’s needs, both immediately and in the future.

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