Dedicated to making legal representation and counsel accessible and affordable for small business owners.
We know that running a small business is hard work, and our goal is to help make it a little easier.
The Small Business Law Center
The Small Business Law Center is a different kind of law firm, tailored to the needs of small business owners. Here are a few of the differences that our clients appreciate:
- Practical Advice. Attorney Steve Coffin has not only practiced business law for over 30 years, he has also managed and owned small businesses himself. His experience as a small business owner adds a practical perspective to his work as a small business lawyer.
- Personal Service. Every matter is personally supervised by Attorney Steve Coffin, who communicates closely with each client on the status of the work. You won’t be left to wonder what’s going on with your project.
- Affordable. Small businesses run on tight budgets. The Small Business Law Center uses technology to keep overhead low, and passes the savings on to our clients. You won’t pay for a lot of bricks and mortar with our firm.
- Flat Fees. Small businesses need to control their costs and manage their cash. Almost all of our work is done on a flat fee basis, so that our clients know what it will cost and can budget for it. We don’t nickel and dime our clients by billing for each phone call, letter, and email.
- Free Initial Consultation. Many small business owners are afraid to consult with an attorney because of the cost. We encourage our clients to spend some time with us, at no charge, so we can assess their needs and determine how we can help.
Contact Information
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Stephen D. Coffin, JD, MBA
2705 St. Peters-Howell Rd, Suite A
St. Peters, MO 63376
Phone: (636) 244-5252
Fax: (636) 486-1788
Serving St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Counties
Office Hours By Appointment
Our Mission
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Our mission is to provide affordable legal representation and counsel, combined with practical business sense and exceptional customer service, to small businesses and their owners.
The Small Business Law Center –
A Business Friendly Law Firm
Try The Small Business Law Center, and you’ll appreciate the difference. To learn more about how we can help your small business, please explore our website, then give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
Business Startup
The choice of your business structure is an important decision and can have significant liability and tax consequences.
We can explain the different options available and help you make an informed decision to protect your personal assets, as well as assisting you with all of the legal details of starting a business. If a Limited Liability Company is most appropriate for you, we can form the LLC and prepare the Operating Agreement required for you and your partners, as well as handle necessary tax filings, license requirements, and so on. With the help of The Small Business Law Center, you can focus on the most important challenge for startups – getting clients and making sales – and leave the legal details to us.
Asset Protection
Small businesses never plan to fail, so they seldom plan for failure.
Unfortunately for small businesses, failure is all too often an option. With that in mind, The Small Business Law Center can advise you on measures that you should take to protect the personal assets of you and your spouse in case the worst occurs and your business is forced to close. With proper planning, the failure of a small business need not be a financial train wreck for the owners.
Employment Claims
Employees are usually the most valuable assets of a small business, but also the most challenging.
Having employees brings with it hiring and firing issues, benefit programs, unemployment claims, payroll taxes, family leave issues, and a host of other potential problems. Whether you need to defend a claim from a former employee, or you want a noncompete for the new salesman you are hiring, The Small Business Law Center can help you manage your growing work force.
Collections
With the prolonged recession, many small businesses have found it harder to collect the money owed to them.
Having employees brings with it hiring and firing issues, benefit programs, unemployment claims, payroll taxes, family leave issues, and a host of other potential problems. Whether you need to defend a claim from a former employee, or you want a noncompete for the new salesman you are hiring, The Small Business Law Center can help you manage your growing work force.
Debt Renegotiation
In this economy, many small businesses are struggling with debt and falling behind on their payments.
Sales are down, cash is scarce, and unpaid bills are piling up. Increasing creditor calls distract you from getting your business back on track. We can help get you the time you need to survive and turn your business around. The Small Business Law Center has extensive experience in dealing with creditors. We will help you prioritize your debt and conserve cash. We will intercede with your creditors to stop the harassing calls and negotiate a reduction in debt and/or a repayment schedule that is realistic. Since our fees can usually be paid out of the savings realized, debt renegotiation is an affordable solution for a struggling business.
Business Closure
Over 4.3 million small businesses closed their doors in the last year.
If your business is in danger of joining that group, we can help you either turn the business around (see Debt Renegotiation above) or plan an orderly wind down to satisfy statutory requirements and minimize the risk to your personal assets. The closure of a small business is painful enough for everyone involved. With the help of The Small Business Law Center, you can put the pain behind you as quickly as possible and get on with your life.