Everything we do in business is based upon an agreement, which is a contract. Therefore, if your transaction is worth protecting, call Dowd Law!

Almost everything we do in business involves a contract. However, it’s not practical to document every contract or involve an attorney in every transaction. But if your transaction is important, then it’s important to make sure your interests are protected.

What’s Important to Document, Have Reviewed, or Evaluated:

1. Transactions involving significant value;
2. Transaction involving significant liability; or,
3. Transactions that are regularly recurring.

Brandon Business Contract/Document Reviews

NEVER SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A CONTRACT. We can review and explain virtually any type of document. Whether it’s a contract, an employee handbook, or any other type of document. Shorter documents can be reviewed at a rate of 10 pages per ½ hour. Shorter contracts/documents are typically reviewed for a flat fee of $125 per 10 pages. Not sure what it will cost? Call us. Larger documents are often billed at an hourly rate, as many pages in large documents may have a lot of blank space or only require a cursory review. Therefore, they can usually be reviewed requires less time.

Commercial Leases

Aside from home-based businesses, most businesses lease commercial space. That means they have a commercial lease. Commercial leases in Florida are covered by different statutes and regulations than residential leases. Unlike residential leases, which are usually year-to-year, most commercial leases are 3 – 5 years long. These leases usually require personal guarantees of the business owners with monthly rental payment that could easily exceed a personal home mortgage payment. A personal guarantee on a commercial lease could easily exceed a $100,000. Before you sign a commercial lease have Dowd Law give it a review so that you know what you are signing and the consequences.

Brandon Business Contract Revisions

Contract not the way you want it? Need to make revisions but don’t know what to say or how to say it? Give Dowd Law a call. Generally, we can help you understand the contract, the revisions, and what’s missing. We can also help you understand what is worth fighting over, and what’s not!

Form Contracts

Virtually every contract is based upon a template or form with modifications made to the contract to customize it for the client. Generally, specific types of contracts that are created multiple times by an attorney often become that attorney’s “Form Contracts”. Tey are called this because they are essentially “fill-in-the-blank” forms that are customized for the client. These type of contracts are usually a lot less expensive than having an attorney create the same contract from scratch. Prices for our form contracts can be found on our Fees page.

Generally, some of the typical types of form contracts that clients use include:

• operating agreement
• shareholder agreement
• partnership agreement
• employment agreement
• independent contractor agreement
• non-compete agreement
• non-disclosure agreement
• non-solicitation agreement
• vendor agreement
• distribution agreement
• licensing agreement
• franchise agreement
• referral agreement
• commercial lease
• residential lease
• equipment lease
• asset purchase agreement
• stock purchase agreement

Don’t see the contract you want? Give us a call and for a quote.

Custom Brandon Business Contract

Often we need to create a contract for which we have no forms. We can give you an estimate of time and cost because of this. At Dowd Law, we will create custom contracts at an hourly rate or for a flat fee so you can budget for the work.

Write, Review and Negotiate Contracts

Generally, Dowd Law can write, review, revise and even negotiate your contracts for you. Most contracts and contract reviews can be done for a flat fee. Revisions and negotiations are usually based upon an hourly fee.

What Every Contract Must Include

The essential elements of every contract are:

1. offer;
2. acceptance;
3. consideration; and,
4. mutual understanding.

If you don’t have all 4 elements, then you don’t have a contract. However, to properly protect yourself, you must fully understand the transaction. Therefore, at a bare minimum, just as it relates to payment, you must know: who is paying; how is it being paid; who is it being paid to; and, when is it being paid. Generally, you must clearly identify the responsibilities of all parties, the timing of those responsibilities and the consequences of failing to perform those responsibilities.

As simple as those bare minimums may seem, most contracts prepared by the general public lack many of these provisions. Generally, this is because they have conflicting provisions, or unintended consequences. If it matters to you, gets an experienced business attorneys review!

Avoid Contract Litigation

Unfortunately, poorly written and unwritten contracts are much more likely to end up in lawsuits, and because lawsuits can devastate a business, we want you to be protected. This is because, if it’s not in writing it can be extremely difficult to enforce. And, extremely expensive. If it’s important, put the contract in writing. Make sure your contract covers what is important to you. And that there are no ambiguities in any material provisions.

Every contract is different. What’s important in one contract could be irrelevant in another. However, EVERY contract should identify the parties to the contract and the purpose of the contract. It should also clearly and carefully identify the responsibilities of the parties. And, the timing for completion and/or deadlines, and when and how payment is to be made. The more thought and detail in the contract the lesser the chance of contract litigation.

Use an Experienced Business Attorney

Generally speaking, not all contracts are significant. Because of this, many of them don’t justify hiring an attorney. However, if it’s important, involves a lot of money or risk, call Dowd Law.

Being able to read and understand a contract or lease may not be enough. Often the problem is not what’s in the contract, but what’s missing from the contract, or understanding the consequences of certain provisions.

Dowd Law has the experience you need. Often, we give you guidance, protect your investment, and because of this help steer you clear of liabilities. Don’t lose out. Or worse, end up in a lawsuit that could devastate your business. Have Dowd Law write or review your contract.