Seattle lawyer

Stacey L. Romberg - Attorney at Law

Small Business Law, LLC, Estate Planning & Probate - Seattle

Small Business Law  |  Probate   |   Estate Planning 

Small Business Law

As a Seattle business lawyer, I represent a variety of business entities including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, joint ventures and sole proprietorships. Representation includes forming business entities, purchasing and selling businesses and conducting annual meetings. I also provide on-going advice to my small business clients in a variety of areas including contracts and leases. Non-profit corporations are welcome.

This article by Stacey Romberg was published in the SBA's "Small Business Resource Guide 2006." It's about forming business entities.

Seattle Small Business Attorney
Stacey Romberg with client Marcia Ives from
With A Little Help, Inc.

Other articles and information regarding small business law:

Contracts:  I routinely create a variety of business agreements for my clients. Many of my clients have similar business transactions that they conduct as part of their on-going business. They need "template" contracts, in which they fill in the pertinent information unique to the transaction and use the contract on a continual basis. I work with my clients as a team to create these documents. I also draft contracts needed by my clients to cover unique situations, as well as review contracts that are presented to my clients for negotiation and signature.

Reviewing Commercial Leases is an important area of my business practice. My business clients are generally aware of the major terms involved in their lease - but get bogged down in the fine print.

However, the fine print contained in a commercial lease can make a big difference! It's a safe bet that your landlord has hired an attorney to draft the lease, and that an attorney has drafted numerous clauses that completely favor the landlord. You need to understand the implications of those clauses, and also have some negotiating power!

Hiring an attorney to assist you with a lease is a smart and important step for any business owner.

Mergers and Acquisitions. Small businesses are frequently bought and sold. I have represented clients, in Washington and even internationally, in the purchase and sale of businesses. The legalities and tax issues related to a merger or acquisition can be complex. It is important for the purchaser and the seller to work closely with both a lawyer and a CPA to obtain good results. I offer experience taking clients through:

  • the due diligence process of investigating a potential transaction
  • negotiating the deal
  • preparing all documents needed to close

It is my approach to fully advise clients of any potential risks of the deal, but also to work hard to negotiate and close deals as instructed by my clients. Even though this process can be intense and occasionally frustrating, it can also be very rewarding to help a business grow by purchasing another similar or complimentary business, or to help someone retire by assisting them in selling the business they spent a lifetime building.

 

Estate Planning

I represent clients with small and medium-sized estates. I prepare

  • Wills
  • Testamentary Trusts for children and dependents
  • General Durable Powers of Attorney for financial matters
  • Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care Decisions
  • Health Care Directives ("Living Wills")
  • Community Property Agreements.
  • Mental Health Advance Directive
  • Memorial Instructions

I enjoy working with gay and lesbian couples and unmarried heterosexual couples, and recognize the unique challenges these relationships can pose in estate planning.

It is my personal philosophy that every adult should have a Will. That's a main reason that I do pro bono work drafting Wills for the Volunteer Attorneys for Persons with AIDS program (VAPWA), through the King County Bar Association. Although the clients served through this program have few assets, giving them a Will helps assure that, when death comes, they can choose who will administer their estate and how their assets will be distributed.

I believe that the process of creating a Will, and making these choices, is a very healthy process for people to undergo. Virtually every situation is unique. For example, when I was a child, I received financial assistance through a tennis foundation in order to afford to travel in the Intermountain region and play tennis tournaments at a competitive level. That assistance resulted in a junior ranking, which in turn resulted in a college athletic scholarship. Now, I think it's important to give a portion of my estate back to a similar program - to give another kid a chance to play and compete. That's unique! But EVERYONE has a unique story, and unique goals in terms of their estate planning. By creating a Will, it gives you the chance to turn those goals into a reality.

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Probate

Probate is the administration of a person's assets and liabilities upon death. I offer experienced representation of clients in both routine and difficult probates. I represent both heirs and personal representatives before the Superior Court in order to initiate probate proceedings and ensure that matters proceed smoothly and efficiently.

The Probate Process in Washington State

The probate process can be very difficult for families.

It's hard to lose someone you love, and then deal with all of the financial and legal complexities resulting from a probate. I try to streamline the probate process, and make it as simple, efficient and understandable as possible. I also try to conduct the probate in a thoughtful way, so as to avoid disputes with creditors and with family members. Probate is never fun, but I try to make it as easy as possible for families. The grieving is the hard part. The probate should not be.

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Stacey Romberg, Attorney at Law
Representing Clients in Small Business Law, Estate Planning and Probate
Seattle Washington  98133
Phone: 206-784-5305
Fax: 206-789-8103
E-mail: inquiry@staceyromberg.com

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