Business Formation Attorney
At Phillips & Bathke, P.C., we help entrepreneurs, startups, and growing companies take the critical first steps in launching their businesses. With offices in Chicago, Peoria, and New York, our firm provides hands-on legal guidance through every phase of business formation, from choosing the right structure to drafting governing documents and protecting key assets. Whether you’re building a tech company, a retail brand, or a professional practice, we ensure your business starts on solid legal ground.
Business formation is about more than filing paperwork. It’s about making decisions that will affect your tax obligations, personal liability, investor relationships, and operational flexibility for years to come. We work closely with our clients to understand their goals, explain the options clearly, and set up the right structure from day one.
Unfortunately, we require this initial consultation fee before reviewing and discussing your case. So, we are unable to assist you and wish you the best of luck.
Choosing the Right Entity
One of the first and most important decisions in forming a business is selecting the right legal entity. We walk clients through the differences between sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), S corporations, C corporations, and professional entities. Each comes with different implications for liability protection, taxation, and management structure.
We explain how each option fits within your specific business model, whether you’re a solo founder, launching with co-owners, or preparing to bring on outside investors. We also help foreign companies establish U.S. entities when entering the American market.
Formation Documents and Internal Agreements
Once a business entity is chosen, the next step is making sure the internal rules are clear and legally sound. We draft and review operating agreements, shareholder agreements, bylaws, partnership agreements, and other key documents that define ownership, responsibilities, decision-making, and exit strategies.
Disputes between founders often arise not because the business failed, but because the parties didn’t plan for what would happen if someone left, needed to be bought out, or disagreed on strategy. We help prevent those problems by ensuring the business’s governing documents are customized, thorough, and designed to avoid ambiguity down the line.
Intellectual Property and Brand Protection
As an intellectual property firm, we understand how important it is to protect your ideas, brand, and content from the beginning. We guide new businesses through securing trademarks, copyrights, and domain names.. If your company is creating technology, offering digital services, or producing branded content, it’s critical to get these protections in place early.
We also ensure IP ownership is properly documented within the business structure. This is especially important when multiple founders or contractors contribute to the company’s assets or product development.
Ongoing Compliance and Strategy
Starting the business is only the beginning. We help clients stay compliant with state and federal filing requirements, manage ownership changes, and prepare for future growth or investment. Our attorneys are also available to advise on employment agreements, vendor contracts, and day-to-day legal decisions as your business evolves.
At Phillips & Bathke, P.C., we take pride in helping clients build businesses that last, starting with a smart, strong legal foundation.
