Practice area
Business law
Meridian Law advises Nashville and Middle Tennessee businesses on formation, contracts, disputes and day-to-day legal questions. From our Franklin office, you work with a seasoned attorney who will answer your calls.
Business law overview
What does a Nashville business lawyer do?
A Nashville business lawyer helps a company make sound decisions before problems start and protects it when they do. At Meridian, that work generally falls into five areas:
- Business formation: choosing an entity, preparing operating or partnership agreements and setting up ownership.
- Business contracts: drafting, reviewing and negotiating the agreements you sign with customers, vendors and partners. See our contracts practice.
- General counsel advisory services: an outside attorney you can call with questions as they come up.
- Business torts: claims such as fraud or interference with a company's contracts or business relationships.
- Business litigation: disputes between owners, companies and competitors, handled with our litigation attorneys.
Starting, running or selling a Tennessee business
The right structure and paperwork at the start often prevent the most expensive disputes later. Most Tennessee businesses are organized as LLCs or corporations, registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State, and governed by an operating agreement or bylaws that say who owns what, who decides, and what happens if an owner leaves.
As the business grows, we work alongside our employment and labor attorneys on hiring and workplace questions, help protect confidential information through our trade secret practice, and keep owners informed about federal rules such as the Corporate Transparency Act. When it is time to sell, buy out a partner or bring in investors, we document the deal and the terms that protect you after closing.
General counsel without a full-time hire
Many growing companies need regular legal advice but not an in-house lawyer. Our general counsel advisory services give you an attorney who knows your business and can help as questions come up, from a new lease to a customer dispute. Meridian's business model is built around providing superior customer service and sound legal advice at a fair cost, and we use a lean staffing model and available technology to handle matters efficiently. Often the most useful thing we do is review a contract or plan before you commit to it, when a change is still easy to make.
To talk through what your business needs, call or email our Franklin office.
FAQs
Business law: common questions
How do you start an LLC in Tennessee?
You form a Tennessee LLC by filing articles of organization with the Tennessee Secretary of State and paying the filing fee. You also need a registered agent with a Tennessee address, and you should register for the state and local taxes that apply to your business.
The filing creates the company, but the operating agreement does the real work: it sets ownership, voting, how profits are shared and what happens if a member leaves. It is worth getting that document right from the start.
How do you dissolve an LLC in Tennessee?
Dissolving an LLC generally means the members approve it under the operating agreement, the company winds up its affairs by collecting what it is owed, paying or providing for its debts and distributing what remains, and the required dissolution filings are made with the Tennessee Secretary of State.
State tax accounts usually need to be closed out as part of the process. Skipping steps can leave owners exposed to claims later.
Do I need a lawyer to sell my business?
The law does not require one, but most sellers benefit from having a lawyer. A sale involves choices with lasting consequences: whether to sell assets or ownership interests, what promises you make about the business, how and when you get paid, and whether you agree to a non-compete.
A lawyer can draft or review the purchase agreement and closing documents so the terms you negotiated are the terms you get.
What is a business tort?
A business tort is a wrongful act, other than a simple breach of contract, that causes financial harm to a business. Common examples include fraud or misrepresentation and interference with a company's contracts or business relationships.
Whether you are bringing or defending one of these claims, the facts and filing deadlines matter, so it is worth speaking with an attorney early.
Contact Meridian today
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