Business Law
Entity formation, operating agreements, commercial contracts, partnership and LLC disputes, corporate governance and advisory across Washington, D.C., Florida and Kentucky.
A business doesn't stay in one state. Founders incorporate where it makes sense, hire across the country, sign contracts with counterparties in other jurisdictions, and open second and third locations as they grow. TrustSphere advises companies across D.C., Florida and Kentucky from a single firm, so the counsel that helped form your entity is the same counsel that handles your contracts, your governance and — when it comes to that — your disputes.
We work with founders, owners and management through the full arc of a company's life: choosing and forming the right entity, papering the relationships among owners, negotiating the commercial agreements that drive revenue, and resolving the conflicts that arise between partners, members and shareholders. Because we also litigate, we draft documents with an eye toward how they hold up when tested.
What we handle
Entity Formation
Selection and formation of LLCs, corporations and partnerships, including multi-entity structures, foreign qualification across firm jurisdictions, and the tax-aware structuring decisions that come with each.
Operating & Shareholder Agreements
Operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder and partnership agreements, buy-sell provisions and the governance terms that decide how owners share control, profits and exits.
Commercial Contracts
Drafting, review and negotiation of vendor, customer, services, licensing, NDA and supply agreements — the documents that carry your day-to-day revenue and risk.
Partnership & LLC Disputes
Member and partner disputes, deadlock, breach of fiduciary duty, freeze-outs, buyouts and dissolution, handled with both the governing documents and the courtroom in view.
Corporate Governance
Board and member governance, compliance, recordkeeping, resolutions and the ongoing formalities that keep liability protection intact.
Advisory & Transactions
Ongoing outside-counsel advisory, mergers and acquisitions, asset and equity sales, and the diligence and documentation that move a deal to close.
Multi-jurisdictional capability
Entity law, fiduciary standards and the procedures for resolving owner disputes differ across D.C., Florida and Kentucky. Florida and Delaware-style governance norms are not identical to those a Kentucky court will apply, and the District has its own corporate code and filing regime. We advise on which jurisdiction fits your structure and operate fluently in all three, so a company growing across state lines doesn't outgrow its lawyers.
Which entity type is right for my business — LLC or corporation?
It depends on how you plan to take profits, raise money, bring in owners and handle taxes. An LLC offers flexibility and pass-through taxation that suits many closely held businesses; a corporation can be the better fit when you expect outside investment or a particular equity structure. The right answer turns on your specific facts, which is exactly the conversation to have before you file.
Do I really need an operating agreement if my state doesn't require one?
Yes. Without one, your company is governed by the state's default rules, which rarely match what the owners actually intended for control, profit splits and exits. A well-drafted operating agreement is the single most effective tool for preventing partner disputes — and for resolving them quickly when they do arise.
Can you help with a dispute between business partners?
We do. Owner disputes — deadlock, breach of fiduciary duty, freeze-outs and forced buyouts — are a core part of our practice. We start with the governing documents and pursue resolution through negotiation where possible and litigation where necessary.
Can you serve as ongoing outside counsel for a small company?
Yes. Many of our business clients use us as their general outside counsel — on call for contract review, governance questions and the day-to-day legal decisions of running a company — rather than only for one-off projects.
Facing a business law matter?
The first consultation is confidential, and we respond within one business day.