Services


Contract Drafting, Negotiation, & Review

 

Contracts are one of the foundations of doing business, but they can be complex and hard to understand. Whether you are creating a new contract form, reviewing a contract, or negotiating a relationship, having the help of an experienced contract attorney can help reduce time and expense, manage risk, avoid unnecessary disputes, limit liability, and avoid unintended legal consequences.

At CS Solutions & Strategies (CSSS), we know the implications a bad contract can have on your business. Signing a contract before an experienced attorney reviews it could mean unknowingly agreeing to unfair terms or unfavorable conditions. Negotiating contracts on your own can be difficult and result in a less beneficial agreement. To best protect your business, contracts must be well-written to ensure enforceability and not so one-sided as to shift all exposure and liability to you. We can handle all of your contract concerns to assist you in obtaining the best outcome for your business.

OUR TEAM HAS EXPERIENCE WITH MANY TYPES OF CONTRACTS, INCLUDING:

  • Commercial Lease Contracts

  • Employment Contracts

  • Non-Competes

  • Non-Disclosure Agreements

  • Purchase Agreements

  • Partnership Agreements

  • Manufacturing & Development Agreements (Life Sciences)

  • Shareholder Agreements

  • Operating Agreements

  • Licensing Issues

  • Trade Agreements

  • Supplier Contracts

  • Master Service Agreements

  • Consulting Agreements

  • Software Creation and Licensing

  • Sale of Businesses

When business owners operate without a contract or operate under a faulty or one-sided agreement, it puts them at risk for disagreements from which it is difficult to recover financial damages and may shift the exposure to liability unfairly. To best protect yourself and your business, it is crucial for contracts to be expertly negotiated and drafted to stand up to litigation and enforcement.


Governance and Board Development

 

High standards of corporate governance balance the interests of a company’s diverse stakeholders and underpin the framework for achieving corporate objectives. These standards are the responsibility of the directors. 

CSSS has a wealth of experience in many aspects of corporate governance. We can collaborate with boards to develop action plans that improve board composition and skill sets and advise on best corporate practices, policies and procedures, as well as compliance and communications.

Our corporate governance services include:

  • Preparation of corporate governance frameworks and other policies and protocols

  • Governance audit

  • Board evaluation

  • Board induction and orientation, particularly senior management responsibilities and directors’ fiduciary duties

  • Directors’ training

  • Director and alternate director services

  • Board succession planning


Strategic Planning & Business Development

 

Entrepreneurs, executives, and leadership teams are charged with the responsibility of ensuring the future growth and viability of their organization. Their leadership is necessary to identify direction, set goals, determine priorities, quantify growth, build and strengthen core competencies, and craft initiatives that will measurably move the organization to the next level of performance.

Our consulting experience which spans a wide range of industries enables us to design and facilitate a strategic process that suits your culture, planning experience and desired outcomes.


Leadership Development & Inclusion Training

 

Whether you are interested in conducting a learning session for top-level executives, front-line supervisors, CSSS has the capability and experience to tailor what we teach for team members at all levels of the organization. Through a collaborative analysis of your organization, we can help develop learning events that are exceptionally relevant to your organization’s goals, challenges, and culture. Following any programs we deliver, we work closely with you to ensure long-term application and sustained change that drives performance.

CSSS provides training initiatives around many topics that can complement your existing corporate leadership training programs and culture, including Strategic Thinking, Teamwork, Coaching Skills, Empathy (Emotional Intelligence), and Inclusion.


Business & Non-Profit Formation

 

Starting a business is a milestone that requires careful consideration — and a hefty dose of courage. It can be immensely rewarding to see your ideas come to fruition. However, achieving prosperity requires laying a foundation of careful decision-making and hard work while your business is still in its infancy.

At CSSS, we help businesses make strategic choices from the outset. Our team, which stands on a foundation of business law experience and training, supports both established entrepreneurs and startups throughout the Greater Boston area. We believe that innovation is critical to a flourishing economy, and to that end, we invest a hands-on approach to help local businesses succeed.

WE CAN HELP YOU UNDERSTAND EACH STEP OF THE BUSINESS FORMATION PROCESS, PROVIDING THE PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS YOU NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON ISSUES SUCH AS:

  • Choosing the right business entity to suit your industry, goals, and governance structure

  • Establishing corporate formalities such as bylaws and meeting minutes

  • Obtaining financing and acquiring assets

  • Pursuing franchising opportunities

  • Structuring business transactions

  • Determining members’ or shareholders’ rights

  • Working through a business succession plan

  • Addressing tax implications

Ensuring you have the right foundation for your business could mean the difference between success and failure. Our Principal has helped entrepreneurs across the nation get their businesses off the ground and on the path to success. No matter the industry, our team can help you gain solid footing.

Once we help you get your business up and running, we can also help you address any of the countless business law concerns you may face. Once we help set up your entity, our team can continue to work with you by serving as general counsel on an ongoing basis to ensure your interests are always protected.


Intellectual Property

 

Ideas, tangible or not, are the most important things to protect in today’s competitive markets. With so many channels and constantly replenishing feeds to watch out for, tracing the ownership and originality of a design, brand name, or invention needs the laser-focused eye of a trained attorney. We’ll handle the search, application, and filing process of trademarks, copyrights, and patents. And if your idea has been infringed upon, our network of litigation experts will negotiate the best possible licensing and settlement agreements.


Liability & Risk

 

Whether you run a biotech company or an eCommerce website, all businesses need to minimize their legal liability and risk. Our team will assess the structure of your operation, such as its physical or digital space, the types of products you sell, who your consumers are, what type of company you have filed under (LLC, Corporation, etc.), and so on. From there, we will tailor the right risk plan, complete with permit applications, insurance policies, and more, so you can worry less about liabilities and concentrate on growing your business.