General Counsel Service Program
Moran Kidd Lyons Johnson & Berkson, P.A. understands that most businesses cannot afford the luxury of full time in-house counsel. The attorneys at Moran Kidd have decades of experience serving as in-house counsel and in private practice representing a broad spectrum of business clients. Our range of experience has given us a unique understanding of the benefits of the close relationship between a business and its counsel. We have devised the Moran Kidd General Counsel Services program to provide our business clients with a fixed fee and affordable alternative to a full time in-house counsel. Through this program, a client’s management team can receive many of the same benefits as would be provided by an in-house counsel including:
- An advisor with an intimate understanding of the client’s business, its business culture and history.
- Creation of a proactive preventative legal environment.
- Proactive business governance and compliance.
- Effective risk management and litigation avoidance strategies.
- Reduction of burden on senior management.
- Efficient and timely advice on legal issues affecting existing and planned business operations.
Moran Kidd works with its business clients to develop customized General Counsel Services to meet the business client’s legal needs and budget. General Counsel Services may include the following:
- Designated attorney with primary responsibility for General Counsel Services.
- Unlimited telephone and email consultation.
- Regular meetings with client to discuss legal needs and current development.
- Assistance in planning and conducting of shareholder/owner meetings.
- Consultation with client and other business professionals.
- Review of legal documents and correspondence.
- Discount on standard billing rates for additional legal services such as litigation and other matters not included in General Counsel Services.
- Supervision/assistance with selection and management of external litigation counsel and special counsel.
- Corporate/business entity maintenance program.
- Legal audit/compliance review.
Corporate Maintenance
Moran Kidd Lyons Johnson & Berkson, P.A. offers a continuing corporate business/maintenance program for its business clients for a fixed annual fee. Moran Kidd provides the following services:
- Serves as Registered Agent in the State of Florida.
- Maintain corporate records.
- Attendance at Annual Shareholder/Owner and Board of Directors meetings and preparation of minutes or preparation of consents in lieu of meetings.
- Assistance in compliance with State filing requirements.
- Assist in preparation of Annual Reports for the State of Florida.
- Provision of Annual Questionnaire to identify compliance issues and accuracy of corporate records.
Legal Audit/Review
Moran Kidd Lyons Johnson & Berkson, P.A. suggests that a legal audit review program for new and existing clients is a cost effective and proactive approach to evaluating the “legal health,” status and identification of potential areas of risk. The legal audit includes a customized review of critical client documents, programs and procedures with a written evaluation and recommendation. Legal audit and review may include the following:
- Review of organizational documents.
- Review of fundamental business relationships and major contracts.
- Review of client business operating procedures and general business/legal forms.
- Review of owner management and buy/sell agreements.
- Review of employee handbook/practices.