Mesa Business Law

The Mesa business law firm of Joseph M. Udall has extensive experience representing small and mid-size businesses in Maricopa County, the East Valley, and throughout the state in entity formation, contracts and business transactions.

Business Formation

When beginning a business, selecting the appropriate type of business entity for your new venture is an important step with tax and legal liability implications. Many different options are available in Arizona, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and limited liability partnerships. A qualified and experienced business attorney in Mesa can guide you to the right choice given your particular needs.

Common types of business entities are corporations and the partnerships.  With the corporate form, officers and directors are generally shielded from personal liability for wrongful acts of the corporation.  However, depending on the circumstances and type of corporation formed, corporate profits may be subject to double taxation, first as corporate income, and then again as income to the final recipient. An exception to the foregoing double taxation rule of corporations is the S corporation, where shareholders report the flow-through of income and losses on their individual tax returns. With a partnership, owners are taxed at their individual rate, but they may be held personally liable for debts of the partnership. In most instances, partnerships are easier to establish than corporations and can be operated with greater flexibility by the owners.

A popular business form in Arizona today is the limited liability company (LLC).  The advantages to an LLC are that they are taxed like partnerships, yet the owners are shielded from personal liability like in a corporation, and unlike the S corporation, which limits the number and type of shareholders permitted, there is no limit on the number of members in an LLC. Other business forms that may appeal to the small business owner include subchapter S corporations and limited liability partnerships.

Most businesses are small businesses, and even today's big businesses once started small. If you are just starting out, make sure you get excellent legal advice from a knowledgeable business lawyer to get you started in the right direction.

Contracts

The negotiation, formation and execution of contracts are everyday features of business operations. They are also the area where business disputes most often arise. A contract dispute can come up in any area of your business and can quickly consume your time and resources, greatly inhibiting the ability of your business to function. This situation is especially acute for small to mid-size businesses, which do not have in-house legal departments and resources devoted to resolving disputes.

Contract disputes touch every aspect of your operations. As disputes inevitably arise, you need a knowledgeable and skilled business law attorney who can work to resolve those disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Whether you are looking to start up a business or have a question about your current operations, the Mesa business attorneys at the Law Firm of Joseph M. Udall have the knowledge, skills and experience to meet your needs.

If you need help with business law in Mesa, the East Valley or the Metro Phoenix area, contact our office today for a consultation.

The Law Firm of Joseph M. Udall, PLC, proudly serves the East Valley, Metro Phoenix, and clients in the entire State of Arizona, including the following cities: Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, Chandler, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Maricopa, Casa Grande, Glendale, Avondale, Surprise, Flagstaff, Payson, Globe, Miami, Tucson, and Showlow.