Corporate & Business - Thorp Purdy Jewett Urness & Wilkinson, P.C.

Starting a new business is exciting; it can also be daunting. Whether your business is just getting off the ground or is already up and running, our attorneys can help you evaluate which type of business entity is right for you. We understand the complexities of business management, financial goals, and tax considerations, and we use our expertise to offer sound advice and allow you to focus on the success of your new business. Just a few of the ways we can assist with your new business include:

• Entity formation, such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations (S corp and C corp), and nonprofit organizations
• Drafting, review, and negotiation of agreements with your employees, suppliers, distributors, and others
• Real property leases
• Applications for business licenses
• Compliance with government and agency regulations

Nothing disrupts a business like a legal dispute. Suddenly, valuable time and financial resources that could be contributing to the success of your business are tied up in litigation.

The commercial litigation lawyers of Thorp Purdy confidently represent small businesses and large enterprises in a wide range of business disputes throughout the Eugene-Springfield area and beyond. We have a strong foundation as trial attorneys and it helps us achieve favorable results, whether seeking resolution through negotiations and mediation or in courtroom proceedings.

Ultimately, our goal is to help our clients focus on what matters most — the success of their businesses. We encourage our clients to collaborate with us and understand how the various legal decisions may influence their business, but we can take the reins for them as well while they focus on the day-to-day operations of their businesses.

Some sample cases our commercial litigation lawyers have handled include:

• Disputes between partners, members and/or shareholders
• Breach of contract
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Unfair competition
• Trade secrets
• Securities litigation
• Construction defect and/or construction lien enforcement or defense
• Fraud
• Employment disputes (including BOLI and EEOC claims)
• Collection of contributions owed to Taft-Hartley ERISA and other funds

We understand the unique challenges of managing a nonprofit organization, and we are committed to providing sound advice to the board members, staff, and volunteers doing mission-driven work in the Eugene-Springfield community and throughout Oregon. Our attorneys draw on their experience in this area to assist with:

• Starting a new nonprofit organization, including forming a nonprofit
• corporation, drafting governance documents, and filing for tax-exempt status
• Agreements with your employees, volunteers, community partners, and others
• Real property leases
• Compliance with government and agency regulations
• Dissolving a nonprofit organization

No contract or arrangement can completely protect you from the potential stress and financial loss which may result when the person or business who owes you money stops making payments. Our attorneys strive to understand your needs and goals so we can help you protect your rights and comply with the complex and ever-changing laws applicable to foreclosures, bankruptcies, and other debt collection processes.

Our attorneys practicing in the areas of creditor’s rights represent individuals and businesses to collect what they are due. We generally only represent creditors in bankruptcy litigation, and do not represent debtors in bankruptcy administration matters. However, we have in rare cases represented an established client who ran into hard times in ancillary matters related to the bankruptcy.

Our creditor’s rights attorneys may be able to help you with:

• Nonjudicial or judicial foreclosure on real or personal property
• Alternatives to foreclosure, including deeds in lieu of foreclosure and debt workout
• Collection litigation
• Preparing, filing and enforcing construction liens
• Making and prosecuting claims on payment bonds under the federal
• Miller Act and the Oregon Little Miller Act
• Bankruptcy litigation

Internet computing and e-commerce are an integral, and inseparable, part of public, professional, and personal life. These technologies bring new opportunities – and new risks – for our clients. At Thorp Purdy, our lawyers offer sound and practical advice to clients who are developers, distributors, and end-users of information technologies.

Let us guide your through the business of e-business.

• Shrink-Wrap, Click-Wrap, and Browse-Wrap Agreements
• End-User Agreements
• Warranty and Liability Issues
• Website Terms of Service
• Website Privacy Policies
• Software and Content Licensing
• E-Commerce
• Online Advertising

The fringe benefits associated with employment are an important component of the compensation package which helps our business clients obtain and retain quality employees. But the laws applicable to employee benefit plans are an ever-changing landscape as Congress and federal or other agencies amend or enact new rules and laws. Our attorneys strive to stay on top of this regulatory maze and provide our clients with concise and clear advice on how to stay on top of it.

Our attorneys working in the area of employee benefits may be able to help you with:

• Designing and drafting single employer or multiemployer qualified retirement plans for your business, including money purchase pension, profit sharing or 401(k) plans.
• Designing and drafting cafeteria, medical reimbursement and executive compensation plans
• Advising plan trustees and/or their professionals on compliance with their obligations under the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA, the Labor Management Relations Act, and regulations thereunder
• Correcting past plan errors by filings with the Internal Revenue Service Employee Compliance Resolution System and/or the Department of Labor Voluntary Fiduciary Correction or Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program.

If you have an ownership interest in a business or are actively engaged in the management or operation of a business, it is important to make sure you have a sound business succession plan in place.   Our attorneys can help you develop a succession plan for your business.  Your business succession plan should not only address the unexpected, such as financial adversity, disability or death, it should also address your succession or transfer of ownership when you become ready to retire.

Establishing a succession plan for your business has implications for your business structure, business assets, your employees and your tax obligation at the time of sale or transfer.  Planning for those issues in advance will prepare you and your business for a smooth transition at the time you exit your business.

We are happy to discuss how our business succession planning services can help you plan for the successful transition of ownership and operation of your business interests.