Small businesses in Maine face substantial economic and regulatory pressures. State and federal regulations have steadily increased the complexity, risk, and costs of doing business. Faced with these pressures, many large corporations hire in-house lawyers or routinely consult with their outside legal counsel. In this way, legal services are incorporated into their long-term business planning. Legal services are expensive, however, and many smaller Maine companies feel that they cannot afford to engage in this kind of planning.
An absence of effective legal planning by small businesses represents a serious risk not only to business owners themselves, but also to the Maine economy. More than that of most states, Maine’s economy is dependent upon the health of its small business community. Effective legal planning, beginning with the initial incorporation of a business, is a step toward keeping Maine’s small businesses, and its economy, strong.
In order to provide small businesses with the solid foundations they need to thrive and grow, Verrill Dana offers the Small Business Counsel Program. This program is designed to provide the small business owner with a package of essential high-quality legal services for a fee that is both affordable and predictable.
Corporate Organization Package
Organizing a small business as a legal entity under state law can provide important liability protections and a recognized and proven structure for growing and expanding a business. The Small Business Counsel Program offers a fixed-fee package that includes all services necessary to form a business corporation or, in certain cases, a limited liability company under Maine law. These services include:
- A one-hour initial consultation with a Verrill Dana corporate attorney to discuss available organizational options and the appropriateness of each for your particular venture.
- Filing of organizational documents with the Secretary of State’s office and, in the case of “S” corporations, filing of the S election form with the Internal Revenue Service.
- Preparation of the initial records of the new company and documents evidencing organizational actions of the corporation’s incorporators, owners, and directors or managers.
- Assembly of a record book containing the appropriate documents.
The fee for enrollment as a participant in this program is $750. This fee does not include any governmental filing fees or post-organizational services.
How to Participate
To be considered for participation in this program, a small business owner need only schedule an initial consultation with one of our corporate attorneys and complete an application.
