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Outside General Counsel Services

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Practical Legal Advice for the Business You Run Every Day

A customer sends you a contract. A vendor changes its terms. A disagreement develops with a business partner. You are considering a new lease, hiring arrangement, or business opportunity—and you want to understand the risks before making a decision.

These are everyday business issues. Having an attorney who knows your business gives you someone to turn to when they arise.

At Coats Schmidt, P.A., our Outside General Counsel Services provide business owners with ongoing legal guidance without the expense of employing a full-time in-house attorney.

Led by Managing Partner Jon B. Coats, Jr.

Our Outside General Counsel practice group is led by the firm’s Managing Partner, Jon B. Coats, Jr., whose practice includes business and real estate transactions, commercial matters, and civil litigation.

Jon works with business owners to understand their operations, priorities, and concerns. His approach centers on practical advice: explaining the legal issues, identifying meaningful risks, and helping clients make decisions that advance their business objectives.

Through this practice group, clients develop an ongoing relationship with Jon, supported by the firm’s attorneys as the needs of a particular matter require.

An Attorney Who Knows Your Business

Many business owners contact an attorney only after a problem becomes a dispute. An ongoing relationship allows you to seek advice earlier; before signing an agreement, committing to a transaction, or responding to a situation that could create unnecessary exposure.

As outside general counsel, we serve as a regular point of contact for your business’s legal questions. As our understanding of your business grows, we can help you evaluate decisions in the context of your broader goals.

Our role is straightforward: explain your options, identify meaningful risks, and help you decide how to move forward.

How We Can Help

Our Outside General Counsel Services can include:

Contract review, drafting, and negotiation:
Customer and vendor agreements, service contracts, confidentiality agreements, and other documents used in your business.
Day-to-day business advice:
Practical guidance on legal questions that arise during ordinary operations.
Business ownership and governance:
Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, ownership changes, and the rights and responsibilities of business partners.
Commercial leases and real estate:
Review and negotiation of leases, renewals, amendments, and agreements affecting your business premises.
Business transactions:
Legal support for purchases, sales, financing arrangements, and new business ventures.
Dispute prevention and resolution:
Assistance addressing disagreements with customers, vendors, landlords, or business partners before positions become entrenched.
Coordination with other professionals:
Working with your accountant, insurance adviser, or other professionals when a matter requires a coordinated approach.

When an issue calls for specialized counsel, we can help identify that need and coordinate with the appropriate attorney.

Who Can Benefit?

Outside general counsel services may be a good fit for:

Owner-operated businesses with recurring legal questions.
Companies that regularly enter into customer, vendor, or service agreements.
Businesses with multiple owners or an evolving ownership structure.
Growing companies that need legal support but do not need a full-time staff attorney.
Established businesses seeking a continuing relationship with counsel familiar with their operations.

Legal Advice With Your Business Objectives in Mind

A legal concern does not always require a lawsuit, a lengthy document, or an expensive solution. Sometimes you need a contract provision explained, a proposed response reviewed, or an honest assessment of whether an issue warrants further attention.

We focus on the questions that matter to you: What is the risk? What are my options? What will it cost to address? Does the proposed approach make business sense?

Our goal is to help you make informed decisions while keeping the scope and cost of the legal work proportionate to the issue.

How the Relationship Works

We begin with a discussion of your business, the types of assistance you anticipate needing, and your immediate concerns. If we agree to work together, we establish the scope of representation and fee arrangement in a written engagement agreement.

From there, you can contact us as questions arise and provide documents for review. Advice and meetings can often be handled by telephone, email, or videoconference, making it convenient to obtain legal guidance during your workday.

Larger transactions, litigation, and matters requiring substantial additional work may be addressed through a separate engagement or an agreed expansion of the existing representation.

If you would like an attorney you can turn to for ongoing business advice, contact Managing Partner Jon B. Coats, Jr., to discuss whether our Outside General Counsel Services are a good fit for your business.

PRACTICE AREAS

TESTIMONIAL

“Jon Coats is as good a real estate attorney as I have dealt with. He does his own closings, is prepared, knowledgeable, personable and thorough. His response time to phone or email messages is unprecedented in my 30 odd year experience.” - Real Estate Client