Key Takeaways

• Choosing the right entity — LLC, S-corporation, C-corporation, or partnership — affects your taxes, your personal liability, and your ability to raise money or bring in partners.
• The cheapest problem to fix is the one you prevent. Clear operating agreements, contracts, and employment documents avoid the disputes that later cost far more to litigate.
• We act as practical outside general counsel across PA, NJ, NY, and MD — available for a single contract or an ongoing relationship.
• When a deal or a partnership goes wrong, the same firm that papered the agreement can enforce it in court.

Business Formation and Structure

We help founders choose and form the right entity — limited liability company, corporation, or partnership — and put the internal governance in place: operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder and partnership agreements, and buy-sell provisions. Getting these documents right at the start prevents deadlock, protects minority owners, and defines what happens when an owner wants out, becomes disabled, or passes away.

Contracts and Agreements

Contracts are the operating system of a business. We draft, review, and negotiate the agreements you rely on every day: customer and vendor contracts, master service agreements, non-disclosure and non-compete agreements, independent-contractor and employment agreements, commercial leases, and licensing arrangements. A well-drafted contract allocates risk, sets clear expectations, and gives you leverage if the other side fails to perform.

Transactions: Buying and Selling a Business

Whether you are acquiring a competitor, selling the company you built, or bringing on an investor, we guide the transaction from letter of intent through due diligence, purchase agreement, and closing. We help structure asset versus stock sales, negotiate representations and warranties, address non-competes and earn-outs, and manage the transfer of contracts, licenses, and employees.

Outside General Counsel

Many growing companies do not need a full-time legal department — they need a trusted lawyer they can call. We serve as outside general counsel, handling day-to-day questions, reviewing contracts as they come in, managing employment and vendor issues, and coordinating specialists when needed, all at a fraction of the cost of in-house counsel.

Business Disputes

When negotiation fails, we litigate. We handle breach-of-contract claims, partnership and shareholder disputes, business divorces and ownership deadlock, claims for breach of fiduciary duty, non-compete and trade-secret matters, and collection of unpaid accounts. Our detailed commercial litigation capability is described on our Commercial Litigation page.

What Our Firm Does

• Form LLCs, corporations, and partnerships and draft the governing agreements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate the contracts your business runs on.
• Guide purchases, sales, and investments from letter of intent through closing.
• Serve as ongoing outside general counsel for growing companies.
• Resolve and litigate partnership, shareholder, and contract disputes.

Who We Help

• Founders and entrepreneurs starting or restructuring a company.
• Closely held and family-owned businesses.
• Professional practices — medical, dental, consulting, and similar.
• Partners and shareholders who need agreements drafted or disputes resolved.
• Owners preparing to buy, sell, or bring an investor into the business.

Why Choose Siddons Law Firm

A litigator-first firm. Above all, we are litigators. We prepare every matter — even a routine transaction, filing, or estate plan — with the forethought that it could one day be challenged in a courtroom, because any legal matter conceivably can be. That discipline means the work we do for you is built to withstand scrutiny from the start. It is what we mean by experience guided by intelligence.

We give business owners direct access to an experienced attorney who understands both the deal and the courtroom. We practice across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland, we explain the trade-offs in plain terms, and we focus on protecting your ownership, your cash flow, and your ability to keep operating while a matter is resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I form an LLC or a corporation?

It depends on how you plan to be taxed, whether you intend to raise outside investment, how many owners you have, and your liability profile. An LLC offers flexibility and pass-through taxation, while a corporation may be preferable for outside investors or certain tax elections. We walk you through the trade-offs before you file.

Do I really need a written operating or shareholder agreement?

Yes. Without one, your business is governed by the state default rules, which are rarely what the owners actually intended. A clear agreement defines voting, profit distributions, what happens if an owner leaves, and how disputes are resolved — preventing the deadlocks that destroy businesses.

Can you review a contract before I sign it?

Absolutely, and that is often the highest-value work we do. Reviewing a lease, vendor agreement, or customer contract before signing lets us flag one-sided terms, hidden obligations, and missing protections while you still have leverage to negotiate.

What is a business divorce?

A business divorce is the separation of co-owners who can no longer work together. It can involve buying out an owner, dissolving the company, or litigating claims of misconduct or deadlock. Handling it carefully protects the value of the business and limits personal liability.

Do you offer ongoing counsel or just one-time projects?

Both. Some clients hire us for a single formation or contract, while others keep us on as outside general counsel for ongoing needs. We tailor the relationship to the size and stage of your business.

Start the Conversation

Whether you are launching, growing, selling, or protecting a company, the Siddons Law Firm can help. Call (610) 255-7500 to discuss your business in PA, NJ, NY, or MD.