Corporate Lawyers in Monroe, NC

An Overview of Corporate Law Services We Offer in North Carolina

With more than four decades of experience working with businesses and entrepreneurs in North Carolina, the corporate law attorneys at Plyler, Long & Corigliano, LLP are knowledgeable, dedicated, and committed to helping clients find the right solution. We provide a full range of corporate law services in Union County and throughout the surrounding region in North Carolina. Along with other legal matters, our Monroe corporate lawyers assist clients with:

• Corporate Formation: All North Carolina businesses need the right foundation to succeed. Our corporate law attorneys help clients with issues related to corporate formation. We help you select the right legal entity (Corporation, LLC, Partnerships, etc.) and put the right infrastructure in place for your company.
• Corporate Governance: Beyond the initial formation of the business, a North Carolina corporation needs the proper governance structure in place. We help clients with a wide array of corporate governance matters.
• Contract Drafting and Negotiation: Contracts are the basis of many commercial relationships. A corporation may be a party to many contracts—from a contract with a key vendor or supplier to an employment agreement with a high-ranking executive. Our North Carolina corporate law attorneys help clients with the drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Shareholder Matters: A corporation must maintain a strong relationship with its shareholders. The last thing that you want to deal with is a shareholder dispute or potential for legal liability in a shareholder claim. We help our clients navigate a wide range of shareholder matters—from shareholder agreements to federal and state securities laws.
• Regulatory Compliance: There are many different federal, state, and local regulations that could impact your business. The regulations that will apply depend on many factors, including your industry. Our corporate law attorneys in Monroe, NC help clients with complex regulatory issues.
• Commercial Litigation: Commercial disputes can arise for a wide variety of reasons. It is crucial that corporations take a proactive approach in disputes. With deep experience in civil litigation in North Carolina, we provide solutions-driven legal guidance and support in business disputes.
• Corporate Transitions (Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, etc): The buying, transitioning, or selling of a business is complicated. If your corporation is considering a transition, it is crucial that you have qualified legal representation. Whether you are preparing to acquire another company, merge with a corporation, or sell the business, our North Carolina business lawyers have the skills and experience to help.

A corporation is a creature of statute. That means certain things must be done to be and stay, a corporation. It is formed by filing Articles of Incorporation with the North Carolina Secretary of State. There are fees for filing, set by the statute, which are amended from time to time. Mailing your Articles of Incorporation does not make you a corporation at that time. Unless and until filed with the Secretary of State, the corporation has no authority to act. It is not officially formed until filed with the Secretary of State. Accordingly, it would help if you did not do any business as a corporation until your articles are filed with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State can take as long as two to four weeks to file your corporation.

• You can pay an additional fee to expedite the filing, which is set forth by the Secretary of State.

The corporate name must also be sufficiently different from other corporate names to properly identify the corporation. The availability of a corporate name can be checked on the North Carolina Secretary of State’s website. A corporate name must end with “company”, “corporation”, “incorporated”, “limited”, “co.”, “corp.”, “inc.”, or “ltd.” All corporations in North Carolina must have a registered office and a registered agent. The registered office must be located within this state and the registered agent must be a resident of this state. At least one person must sign the articles as the incorporator. The incorporator can be but does not need to be, the same as the registered agent.

• By-laws should be adopted by the corporation after incorporation. These by-laws govern how the corporation is to be operated.

Corporations can elect to file as a regular C-corporation or as a Subchapter S “Small Business” corporation if they meet the requirements. An election must be made within a certain period of time after the articles are filed to claim Subchapter S status. This must be filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Each election has different consequences as to how the corporation or shareholders are taxed

Once you are formed as a corporation, you must file an annual report with the Secretary of State and pay a fee for the annual report. Additionally, as a corporation, you must keep annual minutes with your corporate books to maintain your corporate status. Corporations and limited liability companies, as well as limited partnerships, are effective ways to limit liability. A Monroe, NC corporate attorney like the ones at Plyler, Long, & Corigliano, LLP can help you ensure your corporation is set up correctly. Contact us today for questions or help pertaining to your corporation.

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