At Shrader & Goad in Amherst, Virginia, our lawyers understand the legal needs of businesses and commercial entities throughout Central Virginia. We serve those needs by providing efficient, reasoned and cost-effective legal counsel to our business and commercial clients.

Our lawyers provide general counsel to new businesses on such matters as developing, reviewing, and defending transactions and contracts; creating legally sound employee policies; and resolving business disputes through litigation and negotiation.

Further, we help businesses to restructure, acquire or sell real property and assets; secure financing for improvements; and complete other adjustments that fluctuations in the business environment demand.

We also assist mature businesses and their owners in developing and executing succession plans. The plans may involve handing over control of a business to family members or other trusted parties, selling assets to new buyers or pursuing other strategies intended to help business owners attain their financial and personal objectives.

Specific areas of our business and commercial representation include:

• Business startups. Our attorneys provide advice and assistance for new businesses, helping them with founding documents, incorporation, and strategies for limiting personal liability in business affairs.
• Business contracts. We draft, review, and defend business buy-sell agreements and contracts for goods and services, among other contractual matters.
• Business transactions. Our Amherst buy-sell agreement lawyers assist businesses in a wide range of real property transactions, including those involving real estate acquisitions and development, as well as in purchases and sales of equipment and facilities, and real estate acquisition and development.
• Business collections. We assist businesses with debt collections by issuing warrants in debt against debtors and pursuing wage garnishments or other collections actions in court.
• Landlord-tenant issues. We represent landlords in disputes with tenants over rents and leases, provide legal assistance in the eviction process, and provide legal defenses against tenant-driven lawsuits.
• Insurance settlements. We help businesses to obtain compensation on valid claims for property damage and other losses covered by insurance policy contracts.
• Civil litigation. We represent clients in lawsuits involving business-related matters in Virginia circuit courts, district courts, and appellate courts, if required.
• Negotiations. When possible and beneficial to our clients, we seek settlements through negotiation as an alternative to litigation.

Need Help Starting An LLC, S Corporation Or Other Business Entity? We Can Help.

At Shrader & Goad, our attorneys help prospective business owners and entrepreneurs choose the right business structures for their needs. From the earliest stages of business formation to succession or sale, we advise and assist Central Virginia businesses throughout their life cycles. We advise prospective business owners on the liability features of different corporate structures and help them to complete the legal steps concerning:

• Limited liability companies (LLCs)
• S corporations
• C corporations
• Partnerships, including general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships
• Buy-sell agreements
• 501(c)(3) corporations
• Corporate reinstatement
• Business succession