Bell Legal & Consulting Firm

This time last year I was working in a corporate and commercial real estate law firm and on track to bill almost half a million dollars in billable hours for the firm on a salary that wasn’t even 20% of that. I was juggling litigation cases, million dollar real estate transactions, private placements, trademarks, and corporate matters. I was anxious all the time, I would get calls and texts from the firms partner at all times of the day and night including weekends. I was al...ways thinking about work and clients and responding to emails and worried that I might have missed something. I hated having to do things I didn’t want to do with my time and always feeling obligated to answer my phone and explain my every move. It’s been 6 months since I started my own firm, billing for myself, putting in the time and effort for my own business, practicing only what I love and I’m already set to make more than I ever did as an associate. Let this be your Monday motivation to not be afraid to bet on yourself the way your employer bets on you showing up and working your a** off everyday to make them money.

It’s officially Spring! Thankful for this new season and looking forward to seeing every part of life and business continue to bloom and grow. Here’s to entrepreneurship and staying booked and busy from the beach and anywhere I choose!

S-Corps are not legal entities that you can form. S-Corp is a tax designation that LLCs and Partnerships can choose. Among other things, by electing to be treated as an S-Corp, limited liability companies and partnerships must pay employees a reasonable salary which the company is able to deduct as business expenses to reduce its tax burden. Make sure you understand the implications of any business structure and it’s requirements.

Key Ingredients to Startup Success: Private placements are a way for private companies to raise capital from known investors in exchange for equity. Regulated by the SEC and exempt from registration, private placements still require the following legal docs and SEC exemption filing:... -Offering Memorandum -Subscription Agreement -Investor Questionnaire (optional) Private placements are important for startups and real estate investment companies and require thoughtful planning and careful execution but doesn’t have to be difficult!

You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? -Rumi . . We are all born with potential and make choices everyday in our lives about how far we want to go with it. One of my biggest fears is not living up to my full potential and letting life pass me by. ... . . I think when we realize we are capable of achieving the things we want just by going for it, taking the first leap, the first step towards it, ignoring our own doubts and fears and the boundaries placed on us by others, we begin to fly. See more

A letter of intent (LOI) or a term sheet is an important part of preparing for any deal. Be sure you understand what creates a legally binding LOI from a non binding LOI before signing.

We’re almost at the finish line of the year 2020! This year has awakened the entrepreneur, side-hustler, and investor in many. Have you completed the basic legal requirements for a successful business? If not there’s still time. Don’t go into 2021 without structuring your LLC or corporation, securing your brand through trademark registration, and protecting and monetizing your business using contracts. ... Click the contact link in bio to schedule a consultation. Heres to finishing 2020 strong #startuplawyer #business

Have a legal question about your startup, trademark, or general corporate business needs? Here’s our contact info! Scan the code for more ways to reach us and schedule your consultation. Tip: Explore our website to discover more of the services we can provide for your startup.... #explore #discover #atlanta #lawyer #attorney #startuplawyer #founders #tech #business #entrepreneurship #lawfirm #trademarks #trademarklicensing #legalservices #legalcounsel #smallbusiness #startupsuccess #techfounders #lawyersofinstagram #entrepreneur

In order to be successful as you continue to grow in business, it’s important to have all the right ingredients mixed in. Every week, starting today, I’ll be providing a key ingredient needed to make your startup a success. Today’s ingredient:... Assigning roles or jobs for each key team member and determining equity compensation for each. Next, get employment contracts reflecting this with vesting schedule. #startupsuccess #startupbusiness #techstartups #startuptips #startupfounder #startuplawyer #startups #attorneyforstartups #attorney #corporatelaw #businesstips #businesssuccess #businesslaw #businessconsultant #contracts #techfounders #blacktech #womeninbusiness #womenintech #wednesdaywisdom #entrepreneurship

Legal Tip Tuesday: Look for Indemnity and Limited Liability Provisions in contracts. indemnity provisions- also known as hold harmless clause transfers risk between parties of a contract to prevent risk or compensate for a loss as the result of a specified event.... limited liability provisions- cap the amount of monetary damages or limiting exposure in the event a lawsuit is filed or a claim is made. Often overlooked, these contract provisions are important to mitigate risk. #legalservices #attorney #startuplawyer #startups #contracts #deals #businessdeals #corporate #businesstips #businesslaw #legaltips #entrepreneur #startupbusiness

The first Friday of 2021 is complete! I’m looking forward to helping 100 startup businesses this year #biggoals What are your big goals for the year and what are you doing to accomplish them? #startups #startupbusiness #founders #techfounders #startuplawyer #startuptips #blacktechstartups #techstartups #businessgoals #lifegoals #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneur

Cheers to a Happy New Year and creating the life you want. Remember it’s never too late to start again! #newyearsresolution #2021goals #businessgoals #startupbusiness #startups #entrepreneurlife #startuplawyer #businesslawyer #tech #lifestyle #wednesdaywisdom #atlanta #lawyerlife #businessowner

Legal Tip Tuesday: Make sure you pay careful attention to these provisions in a contract and check to see if they are missing. I’ve reviewed so many contracts that did not include the payment amount or price or payment method. Recipe for disaster. Reps and warranties are important because if at any time after signing you find out the other party has misrepresented something you have a course of action.... In any contract you need to know how to end it...for any reason and any restrictions on terminating. I recently reviewed an employment contract that penalized the employee by $25,000 if they left the company before 3 years. Most contracts have conditions precedent before performance by either party or prior to an even occurring. You need to know and understand any conditions surrounding things like payment and performance and make sure they are fair and reasonable. And of course, READ EVERY CONTRACT BEFORE SIGNING!