Corporate lawyers provide a wide menu of Business Support Services designed to keep a company legally healthy, operationally efficient, and ready for growth. While their internal “duties” focus on the legal work itself, these “services” are the tangible deliverables and solutions they offer to business clients.

Here are the main categories of business support services provided by corporate lawyers:

1. Strategic Business Advisory – This service functions like a legal “GPS” for business owners, helping them map out the life cycle of their company. Entity Selection & Formation: Advising on whether to launch as an LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Partnership to maximize tax benefits and liability protection. Succession Planning: Designing strategies for the eventual transfer of ownership, whether through passing it to family, selling to employees (ESOPs), or outside buyers. Fractional General Counsel: Acting as an “outsourced” legal department for smaller companies that need ongoing advice without the cost of a full-time in-house lawyer.

2. Transactional Services – These are the “products” corporate lawyers deliver to facilitate business activity and revenue generation. Contract Management: Drafting and negotiating the standard agreements a business uses daily, such as vendor contracts, customer service agreements, and purchase orders. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Support: Managing the entire process of buying or selling a business, including structuring the deal, performing due diligence, and drafting the purchase agreement. Financing & Capital Raising: assisting with loan agreements, venture capital funding, and ensuring compliance with securities laws when issuing stock to investors.

3. Operational & Workforce Support Services – These services focus on the internal “gears” of the business to ensure smooth daily operations. Employment Law Services: creating executive employment contracts, employee handbooks, non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, and advising on hiring/firing compliance. Real Estate & Leasing: Reviewing and negotiating commercial leases for office or warehouse space and handling property acquisitions. Intellectual Property (IP) Management: Registering trademarks and copyrights, and creating licensing agreements to let others use the company’s IP for a fee.

4. Risk Management & Dispute Prevention Services – This service category is about “shielding” the business from liability. Corporate Governance: Maintaining the company’s “corporate veil” by managing board meetings, keeping minutes, and updating bylaws to prevent owners from being personally liable for business debts. Regulatory Compliance: ensuring the business adheres to industry-specific regulations (e.g., data privacy, import/export rules, securities regulations).Dispute Resolution: While distinct from litigation, corporate lawyers often provide mediation services or negotiate settlements for partnership disputes (“business divorces”) and breach of contract issues before they reach court. Summary of Services Service Category Key Deliverables Startup & Strategy Incorporation filings, Operating Agreements, Business Plans, Contracts NDA’s, Sales Agreements, Vendor Contracts, Licensing Deals Growth & Finance M&A Deal Structure, Loan Documents, Stock Purchase Agreements Protection Trademark Filings, Employee Handbooks, Non-Compete Agreement Support Services?

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