An Experienced Business Lawyer
Robertson Law Firm is a client-oriented law firm, and a significant portion of the firm’s practice involves providing legal advice to businesses on issues ranging from contract drafting and negotiation to the resolution of disputes. Stephen takes pride in advising clients in ways to avoid unnecessary expenses and litigation. In short, he strives to keep clients out of court and focused on their business. Many cases evolve into litigation because the parties did not draft clear contracts or fully explore the risk of miscommunication and conflict at the beginning of a project or relationship. Often, something as simple as a thorough contract review can help avoid litigation. He regularly reviews commercial contracts and insurance contracts to ensure that clients comply with their obligations under existing contracts. Stephen recognizes that litigation is time consuming and expensive, and he strongly feels that it should be the last resort in settling conflicts.
Despite best practices, disputes sometimes arise. When parties are in conflict, a calm and professional voice can sometimes reduce that conflict so the parties can reach an amicable agreement and get back to business. Stephen provides that voice and an objective judgment to help your business make thoughtful decisions. Stephen has years of experience working with businesses large and small. As an alumnus of a large, prestigious New York law firm, I have worked on the sophisticated and complex kinds of cases that those firms handle. However, the focus of his practice is small businesses. The blending of Stephen’s big-firm experience with running a small and individual-focused law firm is what makes Robertson Law Firm unique.
While partners at a large firm delegate much of the key document review and case research to less experienced associates, Stephen will know all the important details of your matter and will personally handle your case. This prevents inefficient duplication of work and results in a high quality of representation. Because his hourly rates are much lower than the large firms who work in his field, this personalized attention also results in significant cost savings. The firm structure also allows Stephen to enter into contingent fee agreements or other alternative fee arrangements, where appropriate, and he tailors his representation to ensure that he meets clients’ needs in the most cost-effective manner. Stated another way, Stephen can offer big-firm service on a small-firm budget.
Stephen has extensive experience in advising businesses on legal matters. He has performed internal reviews of companies to assess their compliance with both simple and complex laws – ranging from individual and corporate criminal liability to arcane securities regulations. He has worked with financial experts to assess the viability of businesses and to determine whether bankruptcy is an appropriate path. He has assisted with the dissolution of closely held companies, both in circumstances in which the parties wished to dissolve and in circumstances in which the dissolution was contested.
In providing business advice, Stephen remains constantly aware that attorneys can provide significant value to businesses – but only if he does so in an individualized way that fits each client. Stephen understands that businesses must devote their time, energy, and resources to the business rather than to legal matters, and he works cooperatively with business clients to ensure that legal issues distract them as little as possible.
When clients perceive a need to litigate, or when they are potential defendants in a lawsuit, Stephen works to ensure that they are aware of all of their options. He is experienced and skilled in guiding clients through the maze of potential pitfalls and opportunities that precede full-blown lawsuits. He helps clients understand not just the financial effects of litigation, but also the intangibles – such as time away from work.
Stephen assists business clients in applying a cost benefit analysis to their legal matters – and determining whether initiating or settling a lawsuit makes business sense. He facilitates that process by making sure that the data on which the decision rests are reliable and complete. Therefore, in addition to helping clients understand the law, he also prides himself on helping them understand the big picture of not just the money associated with lawsuits but also the value of other aspects of litigation. He empowers clients to make informed and thoughtful decisions.
Within the scope of a business and litigation practice, Stephen has worked with, and developed relationships with, experts in various fields. Those relationships aide in serving clients because Stephen uses those resources to ensure that my clients are fully informed. Some of the fields in which I have relationships with trusted experts include: business valuation, profit valuation, construction, accounting, and many others.
Stephen has also monitored the relationship between business clients and their insurers, to ensure compliance with insurance policy contracts and to optimize risk management. He has analyzed potential claims and advised clients on when they should – and should not – assert a claim with their insurer.
Stephen regularly analyzes and negotiates contracts to ensure that clients’ best interests are protected. And he has worked with management to ensure employees’ good conduct.
For some of small business clients, Stephen functions as an outside general counsel. For those clients, he works hard to learn the strengths of particular employees, and he designs representation in a way that takes advantage of the assets clients already have in place. For such clients, Stephen handles everything from traffic violations that employees incur while working to analyzing contracts that could make or break the company. Stephen is proud of the relationship with business clients, and he strives every day to earn the trust they place in him.
Representative matters:
- Amicable Dissolution of partnerships and LLCs
- Contested Dissolution of partnerships and LLCs
- Commercial contract analysis
- Insurance contract analysis
- Business valuation for sales
- Assessment of potential litigation
- Defensive settlement negotiations
- Offensive settlement negotiations
- Drafting of contracts for athlete sponsorship agreements
Robertson Law Firm, PC is equipped to provide business advice on contracts, disputes, and other business issues. If your company needs quality legal counsel, contact Stephen to schedule a consultation.