When it comes to business law there are many details and intricacies your business must follow, which is why having an attorney by your side is incredibly helpful. This attorney is well-versed in exactly what documents need to be signed, what kinds of agreements need to be made, and the procedures that must be followed. At Von Esch Law, our team has been practicing business law for a long time, and has a lot of experience in this area. We’ve have complied a short list of the most important documents your business will need over the course of your company’s life- so either make sure you have them, or call us for help today!

1. Employee Contract

Employee contracts are essential for any business. This contract should consist of expectations from your employees, unacceptable behaviors and any specifics regarding company policy or their specific role. These things should be laid out when the potential employee interviews for the company, then once they are hired the employee should sign an employee contract. The contract prevents arguments or problems from arising because the employee should know when they sign the contract that they are agreeing to certain terms and conditions.

2. Bylaws

Company bylaws are extremely important for the functionality of the business. Setting the bylaws from the beginning of the company’s foundations can help prevent issues regarding position status or pay grade. The company bylaws should spell out the roles within the company, how the company will operate and any sort of structure set in place.

3. Non-disclosure agreement

A non-disclosure agreement, or NDA, is one of the first things to consider regarding your business. Even if your business is just in the beginning ideas stage, an NDA can only help! A non-disclosure agreement should be signed by anyone your business works with or associates with. By having all employees, associates or contractors sign an NDA, you are creating privacy within your business. Once they have signed, they are legally banned from sharing any private information regarding your company.

4. LLC Agreement

An operating agreement for an LLC is not legally required most of the time, but is a smart idea. An operating agreement essentially lays out how decisions are to be made within the company- for example which decisions are allocated to which roles, who determines financial decisions, who’s in charge of functional decisions, who has the final say ect.

5. Online Agreements

If your business has a website or any sort of online presence, which it absolutely should in this day in age, then online privacy agreements and descriptions are necessary. A terms of use description or page on your website protects your business if users are trying to take content or grab pictures. In addition, if your website is taking any sort of information from your customers such as addresses, names, emails or phone numbers, then you need an online privacy policy! This policy simply states what the customer’s information will be used for.

6. Business Plan

If your business is a start-up you most likely already have a business plan. A business plan can be an incredibly useful document for your future, so make sure to always keep it handy and up-to-date.

 

To learn about more documents and agreements that your business should have, contact one of our team members today!