Is your Massachusetts LLC or Corporation in Good Standing?

It is vital that a Massachusetts corporation or partnership remain in good standing with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Good standing exists when a Massachusetts entity registers itself with the state; files all necessary documents; and pays all applicable fees and taxes to both the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue. 

When in good standing with Massachusetts, an entity may request a certificate indicating its good standing and compliance.  Such certificate can be necessary when an entity enters into an asset purchase agreement; contract to purchase a commercial building or land; lease of equipment or business fixtures; or where an individual or entity seeks bank financing or capital.  The certificate of good standing is one of many common conditions to close the aforementioned transactions. 

To remain in good standing with the Secretary of State, annual reports must be filed with the applicable fee/tax paid (depending on entity type.)  A corporation will pay the filing fee with the Secretary’s office and then pay taxes to the Department of Revenue. A partnership will pay $500 to the Secretary’s office when filing the annual report.  An entity will not be issued a certificate of good standing if it’s fallen behind on filing annual reports with the Secretary of State. An entity may file annual reports for previous years so as to place the entity in good standing and avoid dissolution of the entity by the Secretary of State. The entity is responsible for the past due filing fees, and a reinstatement fee if the entity has been dissolved.

 A Certificate of Good Standing (issued by the Secretary of State) provides the following information:

1. Name of the entity;

2. Date the entity was formed;

3. Confirmation that the entity has filed all annual reports and paid all related fees;

4. Confirmation that there are no proceedings pending for dissolution of the entity;

5. That no articles of dissolution have been filed by the corporation; and,

6. That according to the records of the state secretary the entity appears to be in good standing.

 The Certificate of Good Standing does not provide an opinion nor make any warranties regarding:

1. The financial health of the entity’s business;

2. Whether there are pending lawsuits or judgments against the entity;

3. Whether the entity is subject to a bankruptcy proceeding; and,

4. Any number of the countless conditions that often affect a business (such as market conditions.)

To remain in good standing with the Department of Revenue, an entity must timely meet all tax obligations, including corporation taxes (excise, use and sales); room occupancy taxes (if applicable); meal taxes (if applicable), and withholding taxes . The Certificate provides no representation concerning unemployment insurance obligations and other taxes provided by statute. Nor does the certificate make any opinion or representation on the financial health of the business, or any other condition not related to taxes owed.  The Department of Revenue may issue a Certificate of Good Standing and/or Tax Compliance upon request by a corporation, LLC, LLP or other entity.  

If you have questions about your business entity, or how to revive a dissolved entity, or a related issue, feel free to contact one of our Massachusetts business and corporate lawyers at 781-463-6063. 

Be Careful When Selecting Your New Company Name

Starting a new business venture is not easy.  Selection of entity, agreements with founders, fundraising and investments, finding office space, purchasing equipment, materials, and supplies,  creating a new web-site, and attracting customers or other relationships is difficult work.  Entrepreneurs and new business owners sometimes find the most onerous task in selecting a new organization name.  While it is important to select a business name that not only relates and identifies your business, most marketing experts would recommend that you select a name that you can build a brand around.  Eventually, as your business grows, you will build a reputation, loyal customer base, as well as a name and logo that uniquely identifies your business.  These intangible assets, or "goodwill," become valuable when you consider a sale or buyout of your business or interests. 

In addition to the creative and artistic challenges of selecting an entity name, what types of legal issues can arise during entity name selection?

First, and foremost, it may be that an entity with the same name already legal exists in Massachusetts.  If the name of your organization, and the organizational type (LLC, Inc., Corp., etc.) has already been selected by another organization, and it remains an active, valid entity, you will not be able to use that name. The Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will not permit entities operated and owned by different parties to use the same legal organization name. (You can use the same trade name as another organization so long as your organization type is different. Example: You are an LLC, and the other entity is a Corporation). In this instance, your name selection may be limited by another organization's prior use and registration of that name.  

Second, your ability to obtain a domain name, for the purposes of identifying your Internet resources (computers, web-site, email server, etc.), may also be limited.  In all likelihood, unless you have selected a unique or obscure name, the domain name and extension will not be available for the original top level domains, including .com; .org; and .net.  You may have to select a name and extension at a generic top level domain, such as .attorney or .financial.  Or you will have to use a variant of your actual entity name, or adopt a trade name (D/B/A). 

Finally, and most importantly, selecting the "wrong" trade name can expose your business to a trade mark or service mark infringement cease and desist letter, or infringement action. There are both state common law trade mark laws across the United States, including Massachusetts, as well as Federal trade mark laws, The Lanham Act.  These laws and acts make it unlawful for a business that provides similar products or services to use the same or similar name and/or logo of another business that has already secured rights to that name and/or logo.  In other words,  you cannot profit from the exact use or variation of another entity's name and/or logo.  The test for Federal trade mark infringement is whether your use of the trade mark of another can cause confusion to potential customers. If you are opening a fast food hamburger restaurant, you could not use the name "McDowell's" and use a yellow "M" in an Arial font to identify your business without infringing upon one of the most recognizable service marks world-wide. 

As described above, selection of a new organization name is not an easy task, and there are some potential intellectual property legal issues that should be evaluated by a qualified business lawyer.  If your business needs business startup or business formation services, please contact Attorney Stefan Cencarik at 617-669-9780. 

Closely Held Corporation Can Cause Legal Issues and Headaches

Closely held Massachusetts corporations (or often referred to as closely held business) are typically entities that are controlled and owned by a small, limited number of persons.  Closely held corporations are often associated with a family business (a/k/a family owned business) and the concept has expanded to include small groups of partners who were at one point friends, colleagues, or co-workers. A typical closely held business is controlled by a select group of persons who play a significant role on the board of directors and as key manager of the company. The affairs of a closely held business are private, and ownership interests are not publicly traded.

The downside of closely held businesses is that they very frequently entail disputes among the owners. One recent example of the severe issues that a closely held business can face is the recent dispute in 2014 involving Market Basket.  This popular supermarket chain operates approximately 75 stores in New England, and was primarily owned by two cousins. An internal dispute arose among the primary shareholders and key board of director members that led to a very public dispute regarding control and ownership of the entity.

This is one example of where disputes can arise when shareholders disagree on the control, discretion and decisions of the board members and officers. Shareholders can also be dissatisfied with the amount of profits earned by the company, as well as question the decisions of the Board and officer that caused the company’s poor financial performance.  Or in other situations, if a company is being sold or liquidated, the shareholders may have concerns about the valuation of the company and how shareholders will be treated.  And finally, significant issues can arise when an owner wants to exit the business and decides to sell his or her stock.

The Law Office of Stefan Cencarik, PLLC handles various business litigation and disputes, and provides related consulting services, mostly involving closely held businesses. Rather filing a lawsuit, it is best to initially explore various dispute resolution alternatives, such as informal negotiation and mediation. If you are experiencing issues with a closely held business, please contact an experienced and skilled business lawyer at 617-669-9780. 

Your Business Definitely Needs a Standard Form Contract

Most, if not all, successful businesses that provide services and products to other businesses or consumers have a standard form contract. This contact essentially spells out the terms of any deal with a client or customer, as well as includes protections and contingency planning for your business.  A well-drafted business contract by a skilled business lawyer can provide substantial benefits to your organization, particularly when something "goes wrong" and a dispute arises.  I had litigated numerous cases where a business owner has justified their disregard for a contract by stating that "I have never had any issues before so why should I expect one in the future?" This is a short sighted approach to the reality that operating a business involves a substantial amount of legal liability.  Almost every business during its life cycle will encounter a legal issue, and when it does arise, a well-drafted contact will become a worthy investment and help protect your business if you end up in litigation. 

The words "standard form contract" is really a flexible term, and it is highly likely that each contact will be tailored to a particular deal or customer. The "standard" component will incorporate a contract structure, essential terms and conditions, as well as a deal structure. This contract will become part of your business best practices and will help your managers and employees enter into agreements that will not cause you additional legal headaches. Some of the "standard" components of a business contract include: 

 - Specific Services / Products  

- Pricing and Payment 

- Representations / Warranties / Limitation of Liability  

- Dispute resolution - Arbitration, preliminary injunction, and other rights. 

-Choice of Law / Venue 

These are just a few areas that should be addressed by any "standard" form business contract. If you have not yet invested in a business contract, please contact the Law Office of Stefan Cencarik, PLLC, business and contract lawyers that works closely with closely held businesses.  Or if you would like to ensure that your existing business contract meets your business and legal needs, please contact our contract lawyers at 617-669-9780 for a free consultation. 

Choosing Your Next (or First) Business Purchase

It may be that you are bored with working for someone else, or you have a new source of capital that you want to reap financial rewards. Or you have just sold your business, have taken some time off, and are ready to re-enter the business and entrepreneur world.  The first decision that will inevitably need to be made is whether to: (1) Start up a new business and build it up from the ground level; or (2) Acquire an existing business  and try to operate it for a profit.   If an entrepreneur or small business owner is at this stage that person already has some semblance of the type of business and market that he/she would like to enter.  Then comes the next question: what do I do next? 

If you want to start a new business, the first step is to form a legal entity, such as a corporation or LLC, and consult with a small business lawyer to determine how to structure operations and ownership of your new company.  It is also important at this stage to determine the rights, responsibilities, and ownership structure if you are forming a new organization with partners.  It is very important to set out the terms of the partnership from the outset so as to avoid any confusion or dispute about profit and loss sharing, amount of capital contributions, or buyouts of other members when that time comes. Then you can set up entity bank accounts, pay all witholdings and taxes, and enter into legally binding relations in the name of the company, such as real estate lease agreements, equipment leases, bank lines of credit, mortgages, and other types of business contracts.  Then, in some cases, a new business can engage in various types of fundraising through private or institutional investors.  Finally, the next step depends on the needs for your type of business. You may require supplies, inventory, equipment, office or production space to further the goals of your business.  This is an oversimplified summary of the steps on how to start a business, and if you have questions on how to start a business it best to consult a qualified small business lawyer, certified public accountant, and/or a business consultant. 

If you decide that you would rather avoid the start up headaches and growing pains of a new organization, it may be better to purchase an existing business.  There are numerous business brokers and business to business (B2B) sale web-sites that are listing numerous business for sale.  When you buy an existing business you are buying an existing revenue stream, customers, goodwill, relationships, and, in some cases, inventory, equipment, employees, managers, commercial real estate leases, licenses and permits, and other valuable assets.  In this case, it is very important to verify with the broker what portions of the business are being sold, and you should contact a business lawyer to ensure that you receive the benefit of your bargain. After you gain an understanding of what you are purchasing, you should retain the services of a small business lawyer, accountant/ CPA, and other business consultants to assist you with your due diligence. This may sound like a daunting and expensive task, but the counsel and expert advice that you will receive will help you avoid significant financial and legal problems and ensure that you successfully operate your business.  The purchase of an existing business can be nothing short of a mine field of financial and legal liability, and it is best to err on the side of caution before you sign a letter of intent.  

Letter of Intent – What Benefits Can This Agreement Provide My Business?

A carefully drafted letter of intent is typically the “agreement in principal” entered into between two parties entering into a business transaction.  A letter of intent (“LOI”), or sometimes referred to as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU”) or Term Sheet, is a document used to memorialize some of the basic terms of a prospective transaction, as well as express the parties’ commitment to entering into a formal purchase and sales agreement.  A letter of intent is typically used for asset and business purchases, stock or membership interest purchase and sales, equipment purchase and sales, as well as company mergers. The letter of intent is an effective tool of making a seller more comfortable in dealing with the buyer, and will encourage the seller to discontinue any efforts to market and sell the asset.

The most traditional feature of a letter of intent is that the agreement is non-binding. In other words, the parties are not yet entering into a valid and enforceable contract that commits both sides to the deal.  Typically, a letter of intent will outline certain conditions and contingencies that will allow the parties to walk away from a potential deal without any liability.  These conditions and contingencies can range from financing to inspection of the books and records to other due diligence issues.  The letter of intent should have a firm deadline, with conditions for extensions, for entering into a formal purchase and sale agreement.

If the letter of intent, or memorandum of understanding, is non-binding for both parties, then what benefits does this document provide to your business? 

A letter of intent can assist a Buyer by agreeing to an exclusivity period that will preclude the Seller from negotiating another deal with third party buyer or competitor.  The longer and more restrictive the exclusivity covenant, the Seller is more likely to demand more refined deal terms, and resolve some significant issues early on in the negotiation process.  The Buyer and Sellers can both obtain the benefits of setting the essential deal terms, such as: the deal structure, payment or consideration, non-disclosure/confidentiality, exclusivity period, indemnification, hold backs and adjustments, retention of management or key employees, as well as the timeframe for signing the purchase and sale agreement, due diligence and closing. The letter of intent provides both parties the opportunity to resolve substantial deal issues and obtain an ethical commitment from each party to those terms. So, the Letter of Intent will serve as the framework for the ultimate transaction. 

The Law Office of Stefan Cencarik, PLLC specializes in assisting business owners with all aspects of business and asset purchase and sales, or often termed buy-sell agreements. If you are in the negotiation stage, and have questions about a Letter of Intent, please contact Attorneys Stefan Cencarik at 617-669-9780.  

Don't Forget Your Annual Report Deadlines

In Massachusetts, all organized and registered entities are required to file an annual report with the Massachusetts Secretary of State, Corporations Division, and pay the applicable annual fee. Depending on the type of entity that you operate, the deadlines for filing annual reports vary. Make sure to mark your calendar and stay on top of these deadlines so that you can maintain the legal status of your entity. 

Domestic (Massachusetts) and Foreign Corporation - File 2.5 months from the end of the fiscal year.  For most corporations ending the fiscal year on December 31st, this means the annual report must be filed no later than March 15th. 

Domestic and Foreign Non-Profit Corporations - File by November 1st.  This excludes churches, hospitals, religious organizations, schools, universities and colleges, and some library institutions. 

Domestic and Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) - File by the anniversary date of the LLC.  This means that the date that the entity was organized in Massachusetts, which will vary for each LLC. 

Recall from past blog entries that filing the annual report for your business is crucial for a number of reasons.  The most important reason is that if you do not file your annual reports and pay the application fee to the Secretary of State in Boston, he will administratively dissolve your entity. Upon dissolution, you are no longer a legal entity and have no authority to conduct business, such as entering into contracts, filing a lawsuit on behalf of the entity, etc. Based on past experience, it sometimes takes several years of unfiled annual reports and fees to accumulate before this occurs, however, there are reported instances where dissolution can occur after a number of months. It really depends on how quickly the Secretary of State Office discovers that your reports and fees are delinquent. It is an all too common occurrence that many businesses discover after several months (and sometime years) that the entity was dissolved, which leaves business owners scratching their heads as to what types of new issues may present themselves as a result of dissolution.  It is, therefore, recommended to stay on top of the annual report and fee deadlines and requirements, or contact a business lawyer if your business lies in a state of dissolution.