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Attorney for Small Business

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Legal & Financial Services > Attorney for Small Business



Starting a business - do I need a lawyer? CPA?

Aug 2006

I am starting a photography business and first want to know if I need a lawyer, to draw up papers for an LLC? A bookeeper to help me keep track of finances? (And teach me Quicken for Mac) A CPA to do taxes & give tax advice? And/Or an accountant? How many of the above do I need & can anyone make any recomendations as to who is wise to tax law, honest, and not too expensive, not condescending, as well as a shrewd business person, preferably in the Richmond,El Cerrito, Berkeley area? ruby


You don't need a lawyer to create your LLC: you can do it yourself, or use Nolo Press materials to guide you. That said, it's still often a good idea to have a lawyer do it, or at least to consult with one. Why? It's simply that the lawyer will be able to use the time you spend together to discover any other issues that may exist with your prospective business. Some will be relatively obvious things to check - licensing requirements, fictitious name statements, etc. - and others probably less so. Nor is it necessarily expensive to involve an attorney: I offer a free consultation, for instance, and so do many others. If there's anything that I can do for you, please feel free to contact me by phone (510-289-2288) or via email at any time. Kathleen Hunt
I'm, a videographer and have used Richard Lee, 272-0200, as my attorney for over 20 years (thankfully not frequently!). He has a reasonable fee, but you can see him for a half hour free if you join Film Arts Foundation for $45. www.filmarts.org (415)552-8760

Dennis Middleton is a tax CPA who can set things up for you so you get maximum deductions. His phone is 339-8860, email is dnm at jps.net.

Sandra Garselle, with Hilliard Management, can do your weekly/monthly bookkeeping 655-2041


An excellent lawyer to contact is Richard Lee, 510-272-0200, or e-mail rjl at rjleelaw.com. He is experienced working with new businesses. You might also try Ann Valliant, who is a Management Consultant, 510-848-1516 ann at annvalliant.com. She could help you set up bookeeping and advise you on your other needs ernie

Starting a small business; need legal advice

Sept 2004

I am considering starting a small business and would like to consult with an attorney about my options. I have looked at the website, but there are only a couple recommendations and they are old and not geographically convenient. Can anyone recommend someone in the East Bay, first choice being Berkeley/Albany, but others would be great too. Lucy


www.sweepslaw.com: (Berkeley) good, knowledgeable attorneys to help you decide a) which corporate status is right for you, b) how to secure your trademark or trade name, and c) what issues you should be worried about as you begin. Ask for Angelique Tremble for corporate formation questions and Tsan Abrahamson for trademark/tradename issues. (flat fee for corporate formations, and they provide excellent back-up materials for keeping your coporate records straight). They make house calls!

www.methven.com: (berkeley) good website for getting basic legal knowledge and links to help you do-it-yourself and to keep abrest of the law. Also have corporate and litigation lawyers. Very reasonable rates (roughly $240/hr) and nice people.

www.premiercounsel.com: (Lamorinda) Good resource for forming large corporations or for securing funding/raising capital, and creating private placements or angel funding documents.

www.athenalaw.com: (SF) good for start-up companies who plan to do a great deal of high-tech work, including software and technology licensing work. Ask for Hilary Luros; she will take the time to really talk you through your issue and has excellent rates, including a 20% ( I think) reduction if you go over a certain amount of money each month.

-- legal eagle


I work with several small business clients on issues relating to formation, contracts, employment, etc. Happy to assist. david at dlevinlaw.com
Kathleen Hunt is an attorney located in El Cerrito. She has worked with quite a few business start-ups, so she might be able to help you with whatever you need. Her office number is 510-289-2288.

Need an attorney for my small business

April 2002

I own a small business and need an attorney to deal with several issues related to it. I'd prefer someone in the East Bay. Any ideas? Thanks anon


Dear Anon, My husband is a partner with a firm located in Palo Alto. He'd be available to speak with if you like. We live in Danville. You can email us at jeffreyiiATsbcglobalDOTnet Kim
My husband, Rick Randel, is an attorney in Oakland who does corporate/real estate and general business transactions representing small businesses in matters relating to new venture formation, raising capital, real estate transactions, etc. He can be reached at 510-336-9454 or randoloATsbcglobalDOTnet
I have used Peter Sproul (925-256-3900) for my small business needs for years. He is a nice guy but also a very effective attorney. He is not cheap, but he is worth it. Rebecca
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this page was last updated: Oct 7, 2006


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