Sophisticated Legal Counsel
for Serious Entrepreneurs

A different kind of law firm...

We help entrepreneurs, founders, dreamers and innovators pursue their passion without worrying that legal “stuff” might come back to bite them. Our clients range from start-ups to growing businesses and nonprofits with nearly 100 employees across a wide variety of industries. If you love what you do and want to build something amazing (or take amazing to the next level), then let’s talk.

Maritza "Shay" Nelson

Outside General Counsel Services

Big corporations can afford to hire teams of in-house attorneys to handle their legal needs. But even if your business or nonprofit organization can't afford to have an attorney on the payroll full-time, you still need to minimize the legal risks that are posed to business entities of all types and sizes. You still need to avoid expensive legal surprises. And you still need to have your legal questions answered (including the questions you didn't even know to ask).

With our Outside General Counsel Services, your business or nonprofit organization can still get access to Sophisticated Legal Counsel on a monthly or annual flat fee basis that works with your budget:

Know exactly who to turn to with all of your business and nonprofit legal questions.
Pursue your passion without worrying that what you don’t know will come back to bite you.
Save time—you have a business to run that already takes more hours than you have in a day. When were you planning to become a practicing attorney too?
Minimize the likelihood of business disputes with preventative legal advice.
Be able to honestly say, “Our attorney will handle this.”

Practice Areas

We handle many of the most common day-to-day legal issues facing start-ups and growing businesses:

Formation & Governance

Advising startups on business and nonprofit formation and governance-related matters.

Raising Money From Investors

Navigating the complex web of federal and state securities laws.

Business Contracts

Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating business contracts.

Employment Law

Hiring and managing employees and independent contractors.

Intellectual Property

Protecting your intangible business assets: trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Business Acquisitions

Buying, selling, merging with, or franchising an existing business.

Why
Choose Us

Our business and nonprofit clients are passionate about what they do, and they bring their experience and expertise to entrepreneurship. But they also recognize that they are not business attorneys.

You don’t know what you don’t know, but your business or nonprofit is depending on you to know! It’s every business owner’s catch-22. You can search the internet and hope you get everything right or rely on trusted, experienced business attorneys.

We take the time to get to know your business or nonprofit. What is your big picture goal? What are you most worried about? We educate you about the unique legal issues your business or nonprofit faces. How does the law apply to your particular situation?

We craft business legal services to fit your unique needs without surprise invoices. We do most of our work on a flat fee basis. Why? Because every business, regardless of size, needs experienced legal counsel. And contrary to popular belief, no one pays attorneys solely for their time. An attorney’s real value is in their knowledge, experience, and ability to solve your problem.

Whether you are just getting started, a growing business or nonprofit hiring your first few employees, or an established organization with more complex legal needs, if you are passionate about what you do and looking for trusted legal counsel, then let’s talk.

What Our Clients Say About Us

Maritza is a wonderful attorney to work with. She's to the point, offers her honest opinion and help in handling any business needs. I will definitely be using her for any other services moving forward and highly recommend her!

Valerie Schrader

 5/5

Maritza and her team have provided my small business with expert and personalized legal advice at an affordable rate. They are incredibly generous with their time and expertise, and I feel much more confident that I am running my business in a legitimate, professional manner and that my assets are protected.

Jennifer Fultz