Small Business Membership Program

Does This Sound Familiar?

As a small or start up business, you don't have an in-house legal department to turn to whem problems or issues arise.  You also may have many different professionals serving your business who don't know each other.  And who should you call if you are worried about something in your business? A lawyer? Your CPA? The payroll company?  Your insurance agent?

The truth is that many people end up calling nobody, either because they don't have days to spend playing phone tag with a variety of professionals until they figure out which one can help them, or they don't even know what questions to ask, or both.  

The slnlaw Small Business Membership Program is here to make getting early legal advice easy.​

​​At slnlaw, we help small businesses every day with employment law problems, business disputes, and other business law needs.  But that's not what this membership program is about.This program is about our shared understanding- from our own personal experience as a small business as well as what we have learned from our clients- of the struggles and frustrations you face. It is about our passion for helping business owners reach their goals.  And it is about our commitment to being your partner in success.

We draw from our experience in practice areas in employment law, business law, and estate planning to bring you a well-rounded approach to solving and preventing business problems.

How the Membership Program Works

The membership is based on a monthly fee, which is the equivalent of one hour at our current average billing rate for attorneys. For that fee, you receive:

• One hour per month of attorney time to use however you need it- for a phone consultation about an employment or business issue, to review a business contract, or any other issue that arises that we can help with.
• Discounts on our standard rates if you need help beyond the one hour per month.
• A designated attorney contact for your business.

The hours you pay for accrue up to a total of twelve (12), so if you don't have need for advice in one month, the time that you paid for will still be available.  Any unused hours you already have will remain available to you even if you cancel your membership.

Ways You Can Use the Small Business Membership

There are a number of ways our small business members can get value from their membership.  These include:Fast access to attorney advice before you make an employment decision, or finalize a business contract, so you can avoid expensive missteps in the process.
Strategic advice about managing growth in your business without running afoul of employment laws.

• "Preventative maintenance" on your business or employment agreements to help make sure that you get what you bargained for, your rights are protected, and you have the kind of clarity that can avoid costly legal disputes in the future.
• Access to the collective wisdom of not only our team but also our network of allied professionals and referral resources.
• The peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have lawyers in your corner who understand your business and your goals.

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A Message from Owner Emily Smith-Lee

"One of the reasons I love working with our small business clients is that I feel we have so much in common.  Every one of the things I counsel clients on is something I have experienced in some way as a small business owner myself- tough choices about employees, navigating business relationships and partnerships, managing the sometimes unexpected consequences of growth, choosing and working with vendors, figuring out marketing and how to make the phone ring, doing battle with technology, and all of the other very important things that operate largely in the background of a small business. I think one of our most constant challenges as small business owners is knowing what is the forest and what are the trees, and I believe that one of the things we can do for your business as counselors is to help yo deal with the trees so that you can keep your eye on the bigger picture and keep moving your business in the direction you want it to go."  

Emily has been practicing law for 22 years, and running the practice that became slnlaw since 2009.  She has published a book on employment law called "Rules of the Road- What You Need to Know About Employment Laws in Massachusetts."  She has been named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list every year since 2013, and was recognized as one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly's 2018 Lawyers of the Year.  Emily lives in Sharon, Massachusetts and is an active member of her community, having served for 8 years as an elected member of the Sharon School Committee, and currently serving as a member of the Sharon Board of Selectmen.

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Ready to Get Started?

Give us a call at (781) 784-2322 to learn how you can join the small business membership program, or simply fill out the form on this page.  We will be happy to set you up with an initial consultation, learn more about your business and your needs, and help you understand how our membership program might help you meet your goals.  The consultation is free, and there is no charge to you unless and until you decide to join.

Testimonials

"Slnlaw did a fantastic job helping me set up my small business. Their attorneys were very friendly and knowledgeable, and I never felt pressured to purchase any service. I would definitely recommend them!"  Michael S. 

"It was a pleasure working with Emily Smith-Lee on a business matter. She willingly shares her expertise and always listens to her clients' concerns.  Emily's caring demeanor puts people at ease immediately. The outcome of my experience with slnlaw was quite favorable. I would highly recommend them." Camille B.

"As a small business owner, I've had the best experience I could have hoped for. They've offered smart advice, like simplifying legal issues so that its clear what actions I can take. I've really appreciated the clarity I've gotten from them, and I always leave the office feeling completely capable and confident about what I need to do next. I also can't say enough about how much their firm puts my business first. They really care about making sure I do what's in my best interest and at the right time and they don't seem worried about anything else but making sure I'm doing the right thing for my company. I have a lot of confidence in recommending this group, both for their great advice and because I feel like it comes from a really good place."  Ben L. 

"Emily helped our LLC in crafting an international sales agency agreement. She took the time to listen and learn about our business as well as ask about our short and long terms goals. She has a deep understanding of business contract law and was able to explain things to us clearly without being overly legalese. We would recommend SLN Law without hesitation!" Michael M.

Read more on our reviews page ​​

Read more about these business and employment law topics on the slnlaw blog:

• What every business owner and employee needs to know about the Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law.
• What to do if your employer does not pay you on time
• Understand the difference between a W2 employee and a 1099 independent contractor in Massachusetts.​​

About slnlaw

We are a Massachusetts law firm focused on business law, employment law, and estate planning. Our team includes attorneys with large law firm experience, public service experience, experience working with small businesses on a wide variety of matters, an attorney with an advanced degree (LLM), and a former clerk to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.  Attorney and founder Emily Smith-Lee has been named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list every year since 2013, and was recently named a 2018 Lawyer of the Year by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.  Our lead estate planning attorney Jenna Ordway has been recognized as a top estate planning attorney, and has published a book about estate planning in Massachusetts.
 
What We Do

Employment Law: We advise both businesses and individuals about Massachusetts and federal employment laws, and represent them as needed in litigation if a lawsuit cannot be avoided. 

Business Law: In addition to providing advice on employment matters and defense of employee lawsuits, we can help you set up your new business, review your agreements with vendors and customers, resolve or litigate business disputes, and much more. 

​Estate Planning: We provide customized plans for individuals and families to help minimize your estate tax liability, protect and preserve your assets, and ensure that the people in your life are taken care of the way that you want.  We can help you with wills and trusts, planning for a child with special needs, planning for the cost of long term care, and more.

We also have an extensive network of other professionals, some lawyers in other practice areas and others who are non-lawyer professionals who offer services that our clients frequently need.  If the problem you need solved is not one that we handle, we are happy to provide a referral to someone we know you can trust.