Austin Contract Lawyer
A skilled and experienced Austin contract lawyer can give your company a competitive advantage every time you negotiate a new business initiative. The purpose of contracts is to put in writing the terms and conditions that you and another party agree to as you launch a business relationship or pursue a transaction. A well-written contract can give you leverage, while a poorly written contract can leave you vulnerable to non-performance, budget overruns, or time delays. Various types of contracts can include:
- Commercial lease agreements
- Partnership agreements
- LLC operating agreements
- Shareholder agreements
- Buy-sell agreements
- Franchise agreements
- Employment contracts
- Noncompete agreements
- Bills of sale
- Purchase orders
- Warranties or limited warranties
- Nondisclosure agreements
- Nonsolicitation agreements
- Agreements to sell the business
- Merger and acquisition agreements
- Real estate purchase agreements.
These are just a few of the many types of contracts your business might encounter. To ensure that you have the most well-crafted contracts that benefit your business, hiring an Austin contract lawyer is the best first step.
Why Choose Weisblatt Law Firm as Your Austin Contract Attorney?
There are many business contract attorneys in Austin to choose from. So how do you pick the right one for your company? First, take a look at the attorney’s bio. Next, read reviews and testimonials by other clients. You can learn a lot about an attorney by where they went to school, what kinds of cases they handle, and what clients have to say about their services. The unique thing about attorney Andrew Weisblatt is that he has worked in his career as both inside corporate counsel and outside counsel. This means he understands both sides of the coin. He knows what it’s like to work inside a business – corporate finances, strategic planning, shareholder concerns, employee relations and growth strategies. He also understands that when serving as outside counsel, he must provide premium client service and unique legal strategies customized to the individual needs of each client. Andrew Weisblatt is deeply committed to doing so.
Services an Austin Business Contract Lawyer Can Provide
A skilled Austin business contract lawyer can not only interpret and litigate existing contracts for your firm, but he can also draft new contracts, review existing contracts, and pursue breach of contract claims.
Contract Drafting
Whether you need a contract drafted for a supplier, customer, employee, municipality, or all of the above, attorney Andrew Weisblatt is knowledgeable and skilled at drafting contracts that benefit his clients. He leaves out no details and is meticulous in using precise language that protects your business interests.
Contract Review
A contract law attorney in Austin can review your contracts to ensure that they are updated and accurately reflect your future business goals. He can also look for ways to strengthen your contracts when they are being renewed. Additionally, if another business offers you a contract to sign, it’s always a good idea to have your own attorney review the document to make sure your business interests are strongly represented.
Breach of Contract
Most business owners dread the headache of dealing with a breach of contract situation. That’s why it’s great to have contract lawyers in Austin who can handle this for you. If you have a customer or supplier who breaches a contract with your business, we can litigate the case or negotiate a settlement to compel performance or collect damages.
Other Types of Contracts We Can Help With
Management Rights Letter
A management rights letter is, in essence, a contract that grants certain rights to investors beyond the default rights granted under the ownership agreement. Both company management and company investors may propose a management rights letter as a separate contract between the two parties. Weisblatt Law Firm can draft such a letter for your business, if needed.
A management rights letter often grants elevated privileges to the investors, such as permitting attendance at board meetings, inspection of accounts rights, and access to company financial documentation. The company may not make these into default rights, and thus they require negotiation and a separate contract. Often, companies employ a business attorney to create the management rights letter, which helps ensure the document properly addresses all relevant rights.
Non-Disclosure Agreements
In some cases, a non-disclosure agreement may be necessary in the course of doing business. There are many situations in which you may benefit from sharing confidential information with another party on a conditional basis. For example, many businesses that operate in the Austin area operate using proprietary information that provides them with an advantage in the marketplace. Information that can result in a competitive advantage can take a variety of forms, such as a manufacturing technique, a client list, or an analytical process. In addition, there are times when a business or an entrepreneur must describe an idea in detail to investors, manufacturers, developers, or other parties simply to explore its viability. All of this proprietary information can be protected by having parties sign a well-crafted non-disclosure agreement.
A Contract Law Attorney in Austin Who Is an Adept Negotiator and Tough Litigator
Andrew Weisblatt always looks for the win-win in contract negotiations, but he can be a tough litigator in the courtroom when he needs to be.
Attorney Andrew Weisblatt is skilled at negotiating on behalf of his clients with suppliers, customers, landlords, and other business entities, and, when possible, he always looks for win-win agreements that are satisfactory to all involved. But he can also be a tough litigator in the courtroom when you need to hold someone’s feet to the fire over contract non-performance or costly project delays. Mr. Weisblatt has keen insight into crafting and interpreting contracts, and he knows when to approach matters collaboratively and when to take a more aggressive stance. You want legal representation that is agile and adept at negotiating and enforcing contracts, while at the same time maintaining respectful communication with suppliers and other entities you interact with while doing business. So whether you need to negotiate a commercial lease or create an employment contract for a new CFO, attorney Andrew Weisblatt can craft and/or review contracts so they benefit and protect your business.
Following are elements that our law firm will always pay attention to when reviewing a contract:
- Performance dates
- Dollar amounts
- Company names and addresses
- References to relevant laws and regulations
- Licensing where necessary
- Arbitration clause
- Force majeure clause
- Clear offer and acceptance
- Fees and penalties
- Enforceability.
Statute of Frauds in Business Contracts
For clarity purposes, it is always best to memorialize a contract in writing to avoid confusion later. A verbal agreement or handshake is not the best way to protect your interests. In addition, a law referred to as the “statute of frauds” requires that contracts with certain terms always be in writing to be enforceable. Texas has its own version of the statute of frauds in the state Business and Commerce Code. The law states that contracts must be written and signed under the following circumstances:
- Any agreement that will not be completed within one year
- A promise to cover the debts of another person or business
- The sale or purchase of real property or a lease lasting more than one year
- Certain healthcare agreements
- Agreements regarding payment of commissions for oil, gas, or mineral leases, royalties, or interests
- Loan agreements over $50,000.
If your business contract involves any of the above, it must be in writing. However, it is always a good idea to have written contracts, regardless of the subject matter of the agreement.
Contact a Skilled and Experienced Austin Contract Lawyer Today
If your company needs an Austin contract lawyer to craft, review or litigate a contract, the Weisblatt Law Firm offers comprehensive legal services to meet your needs. Whether your business is large or small, public or privately held, written contracts are at the very heart of everything you do. You want to make sure every contract benefits and protects your company’s interests. To find out more about our legal services, contact Weisblatt Law Firm at (713) 666-1981.
Attorney Andrew Weisblatt
Mr. Weisblatt has practiced continuously since becoming licensed in 1992 and has represented businesses ranging in size from one person start-up ventures to multi-national corporations employing hundreds of people in multiple countries. From 2005 through 2009 Mr. Weisblatt was in-house counsel and chief operating officer of a multi-national corporation in the steel products industry. That in-house position provided valuable insight into how businesses work and what they actually need from their lawyers – both in-house and outside counsel. Attorney Bio
