A Business Law Firm
Outside General Counsel Services
A successful business is run by a team of owners and executives who know when to take the right risks in the right market. A smart business builds a team of advisors including accountants and lawyers to help protect its investments and maximize its returns. Business owners know their products, their people, and their processes, we know the law and how to apply it to implement sound strategies at the planning stage. Not all businesses are looking to hire an in-house lawyer, N. Becerra, APC wants to show you why you may never need to.
What Does Outside General Counsel (“OGC”) Mean?
As a business owner, you have questions, and sometimes those questions are best suited for an attorney. Inside General Counsel is nice, because as the business owner you can walk down the hall to your lawyer’s office and ask the question. Outside General Counsel services gives you the same benefit, just outside of your office. But hey, in today’s digital world, chances are you’re on the go anyways, so we’re just a call, text or email away. As your OGC the law is literally at your fingertips. As you encounter the typical challenges and discover new opportunities for your business, we’re here to help you.
We are a team of legal professionals who love business, so we dedicated ourselves to understanding your products, your people, and your processes. This way, you aren’t having to explain your situation to a new lawyer every time you have a question, we get it. Not only that, but we want to change your perception and disrupt the typical attorney/client relationship. Imagine a world where you not only feel good that you have an attorney, you actually can’t wait to call us! Instead of nickel and diming our clients, we encourage them to reach out to us if there ever appears to be a need. Our clients are not treated as transactions where we try to bill the maximum, we appreciate our relationships and we want to see your business thrive.
As your OGC we will dedicate ourselves to be on-call and provide you services as they arise. We use our combined business experience, our past handling of business law matters, and our own entrepreneurial experiences to provide our clients with proactive legal risk management and planning, helping them avoid problems before they arise. Eventually all businesses need a lawyer, as your outside general counsel, we’ll be here before, during and after each of your business goals.
How It Works
How you take advantage of having outside general counsel is entirely up to you and your business’ needs. We have clients who won’t sign a new phone and internet contract without us taking a quick look and others who mainly rely on us to assist in the drafting and negotiation of strategic alliances and customer contracts. Of course, we have a variety of clients who leverage us to audit their existing employment practices, work with their Management and Human Resources staff to develop new customized policies and procedures, and if we get there too late, we will also help defend our clients in employment disputes and business litigation.
There is no minimum hourly requirement, no required retainer, and our services are billed at our agreed upon hourly rates at the end of every month. We will work with you to determine and set aside a reasonable "Legal Budget" for you to commit to so that we always make sure to set aside enough time to meet your existing and potential legal needs, and we will consult with experts in certain fields to assist you in carrying out more complex matters that require a delicate touch. Who better to find you an Intellectual Property Litigator than your own General Counsel?
For every matter that you send our way, we will consult you on the facts and the work we believe needs to be done. We will estimate the time to complete each specific task and only move forward on your instruction. We know that everyone who hires a lawyer worries about the surprise billing statement, however we at N. Becerra, APC pride ourselves in a 100% A/R rate, and we attribute that to our fair billing practices and transparency; before, during, and after the work is completed. Again, we care more about the relationship than we do about billing you for that phone call to discuss a new prospect business idea!
What We Do
We provide OGC Services for a variety of clients in various industries. By focusing on our strengths, we look to bolster your operation with the legal resources you need at the prices they make sense for your business. Below are the areas that make up some of our OGC Services;
Business Law
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Contract Review
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Contract Drafting
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Contract Negotiation
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Business Planning & Analysis
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Entity Formation
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Website Terms of Use & Privacy Policies
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Investment Opportunity Review & Analysis
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Contract Dispute Resolution
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Business Litigation
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Industry Research & Analysis
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Compliance Review & Analysis
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Business Health Analysis & Review
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Trademark Registration & Protection
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Corporate governance, board and shareholder resolutions, consents, directors meetings, shareholder meetings, and minutes
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Real Estate Contracts
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Commercial Lease Review
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Partnership Dispute Resolution
Employment Law
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Human Resources Practices Audit & Analysis
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Employment Practices & Procedures
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Hiring Practices & Procedures
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Policy Drafting & Training
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Employee Handbook Development
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Employer Defense Litigation
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Wage & Hour Claim Audits
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Payroll Practices Policies & Procedures
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Wage & Hour Claim Dispute Resolution
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Harassment Audits & Investigations
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Harassment Policy Creation & Training
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Assistance with Day to Day Employee Matters
How Your Business Benefits
By engaging us as OGC, we learn your business on the front end and we develop long lasting relationships with you and your executive team. As you encounter legal needs in your business, we are able to get up to speed quickly and, like in-house counsel, develop an intimate knowledge of your internal systems and external relationships. You only pay us when you need us, so you don’t have to carry the burden of an expensive in house lawyer. You have a lawyer on your team when you need us, and you avoid dealing with a lawyer who can take advantage of your emergency situation. Best of all, we can help you PREVENT problems from ever happening and advise you on the best ways to continue to build your business with sound legal strategies.
With N. Becerra, APC serving as your OGC, you get affordable legal services from legal professionals who are invested in your success!