Grow With a Lawyer®

GROW WITH A LAWYER®

The exclusive “Grow With A Lawyer® Program” is a process whereby the Kokolakis Law Firm actively helps micro and small businesses comply with the law and face their daily challenges so they can focus on growing their business. It’s unique in a number of ways on of which being that it provides our business clients the opportunity to experience having the equivalent of a team of knowledgeable in house attorneys at lower and fixed costs. In our over 18 years of experience we’ve realized that most attorney client relationships are reactive by nature and consists primarily of one off transactions such as drafting a contract or a shareholder agreement or writing a letter.


Most small businesses experience attorneys through these one off transactions. One off transactions however are flawed in that they generally limit the business relationship resulting in the business not taking advantage of what an experienced attorney has to offer. Businesses that retain an attorney for one off transactions are generally taking a reactive approach as opposed to being proactive. Many micro and small businesses benefit from our Grow With A Lawyer® program by having us help them before a solid legal foundation before things go wrong ensuring that each business focuses on what is important to their growth. Schedule a consultation today to discover more about the Grow With A Lawyer® Program in Queens, NY and Astoria, NY.

General Information:

  • WHAT IS YOUR GROWTH WITH A LAWYER® PROGRAM?

    Our Grow With a Lawyer® program is how we proactively help micro and small businesses comply with the law and face their daily challenges so they can focus on growing their business. Essentially, it is a fixed monthly fee membership that provides micro to small businesses with all the benefits of having a trusted strategic and legal advisor on their team without the expense of hiring in-house general counsel. Our business clients love the opportunity to experience having the equivalent of a team of in house knowledgeable attorneys at significantly lower fixed costs.


    Why Does A Company Need The Grow With A Lawyer® Program??


    In our over 18 years of experience we have realized that most attorney client relationships are reactive by nature and consist primarily of one-off transactions such as drafting a contract or a shareholder agreement or writing a letter. Most small businesses experience attorneys through these one-off transactions. One-off transactions, however, are flawed in that they generally limit the business relationship resulting in the business not taking advantage of what an experienced attorney has to offer.


    Businesses who retain an attorney for One-off transactions are generally taking a reactive approach as opposed to being proactive. In other words, they are generally hiring an attorney to help them fix something that has already happened. They are hiring an attorney to draft various documents as opposed to hiring a strategic legal partner who can make sure that proper contracts are in place and reviewed and revised as the need arises or having an attorney who can spot legal issues before they become a problem as the attorney proactively monitors the activities of their business on a monthly, quarterly or bi-annual basis. Many micro and small businesses benefit from our Grow With a Lawyer program by having us help them build a solid legal foundation before things go wrong ensuring that each business focuses on what’s important; their growth.


    Can You Tell Me In Detail About each Of The Three Levels Of This Program?


    Businesses generally have different needs depending on their stage of growth and their budget. Understanding that a one size fits all plan isn’t practical we designed our Grow With A Lawyer program with three main levels of services: Essentials Business Level; Growth Business Level; and Established Business Level. When the need arises we further tailor each level to meet our client’s specific needs.


    All levels are designed to provide our business clients the necessary contracts and agreements, brings their business into compliance and gives them ongoing access to a team of experienced business attorneys and support staff that understands their business and so much more. Being a member of our Grow With a Lawyer program means that:


    • You will be able to make unlimited quick questions via telephone or emails without being worried of how much it will cost;
    • You will have periodic conference calls with a proactive lawyer who is familiar with your business and its issues;
    • You will have a certain amount of advocacy letters written on your behalf concerning pertinent business matters;
    • You will receive a monthly newsletter addressing relevant business issues;
    • Your legal needs will take priority order over non program members;
    • Your contracts drafted, reviewed and revised as needed;
    • You will have contracts reviewed by your attorney before you sign them;
    • We review your commercial leases and advise of any concerns;
    • Your website disclaimers, terms and conditions will be up to date;
    • Your contracts are monitored by our team and you are proactively notified of important deadlines and renewals;
    • Your employee manual/handbook will be drafted or revised and maintained as needed;
    • Your employee hiring package is up to date and conforming to State & Federal law;
    • We will assist with your annual corporate meeting minutes;
    • We will assist with corporate resolutions;
    • We draft/review your shareholder or operating agreements;
    • We help reduce your accounts receivables by sending our series of collection letters on your behalf;
    • We research legal issues and advise accordingly as the need arises;
    • We oversee matters with other professionals such as other attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, etc.
    • You will have an annual Growth planning session with your attorney each year to ensure proper legal, insurance and financials are in place as we make sure you are on the right path as you grow your business;
    • We will have monthly face to face accountability meetings where we proactively discuss legal and business growth topics;
    • We accompany you on those important business meetings; and

    You can say “I will have my lawyer review it and get back to you” and mean it!


    For more information on Grow With A Lawyer Program®, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (718) 444-1000 today.

  • WHAT DOES THE GROW WITH A LAWYER® PROGRAM ADD TO MY COMPANY OTHER THAN LEGAL BENEFITS?

    In addition to handling and managing the legal issues we pull from our experience with other important aspects of a business as well. Our members, for instance, also benefit by having us work with them and advise on their insurance, financial issues and strategy development with an emphasis on metrics. We find that many businesses don’t know their numbers and we work with them to make sure they have their important metric reports in place.


    What Is The Value Of Being Able To Access Your Firm’s Knowledge Of Business Law?


    That is an excellent question. One that can best be answered by any one of our clients as only they can attest to the true value they receive. I will say, however, that we know business. We know it at each stage of growth. Members of Grow With a Lawyer have direct access to a proactive legal and business advisor who doesn’t just prepare legal documents or handle disputes reactively but that advises members on the growth and success of their business.


    What Is The Value Of Having Access To A Business And Strategic Advisor?


    Businesses are increasingly realising the need to forge a relationship with a trusted legal and strategic advisor. They acknowledge the significant benefits of proactively working with a legal expert who knows how to implement strategies and whom they can trust with their sensitive business information.


    Walking into a lawyer’s office to have them review a commercial lease may get a business to sign the lease and on its face everything may look fine. On the other hand, working with a trusted legal and strategic advisor may have the business realize that the space size or location isn’t a right fit for the business or that the business may be facing a dangerous cash crunch by committing themselves to paying the money demanded under the lease. With this knowledge, the legal and strategic advisor would know to either advise against the lease or make sure to negotiate language that will permit the business to relocate if needed. In the above example, both lawyers did their job but which one better served their business client? The point is that the legal and strategic advisor relationship dives deeper than just drafting or reviewing the commercial lease but rather it allows the legal and strategic advisor to make sure the Lease runs in line with the businesses’ short term and long term goals. This is accomplished by working with someone on a continuous basis as they get to know their business clients very well.


    Is This An On Demand Service Where I Can Pick Up The Phone And Reach Someone?


    Yes, not only can you reach someone on demand, your legal and business needs will take priority over non-program members.


    Who Will Be Working On And Monitoring My Progress In The Program?


    Our members have not one individual but a trained team on their side that not only handle their legal issues but proactively assist to solve problems, provide solutions and help swiftly capture their opportunities


    How Do I Get Started In The Grow With A Lawyer Program?


    We are selective about the clients we work with as we prefer to work with businesses that share our mission. We ensure that each client receives personalized attention and is assigned at least one attorney and support member as part of their membership team.


    We suggest that Entrepreneurs, micro and small businesses that are interested in becoming Grow With a Lawyer members, start by calling our office at 718-444-1000 and inquire about our Grow With a Lawyer program where we will schedule a mutually agreeable time to meet directly with one of our legal advisors. Our initial growth session is designed to help us briefly understand where your business is now, where it’s going in the future and what the gaps are that could keep you from getting there. If we are a fit, we then welcome you as a new member of our program and start our deep analysis of your business, create a plan to fill the gaps in your business so your time, energy and money stop leaking out and then proactively manage your business legal affairs for the growth of your business.


    Give us a call today at 718-444-1000 and let’s get started!!


    For more information on Value Of Grow With A Lawyer Program, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (718) 444-1000 today.

  • HOW CAN I KNOW IF THIS PROGRAM IS BENEFITING MY COMPANY?

    Our Grow With a Lawyer program is designed to first lay a proper and solid legal foundation and then work on continually improving our client’s business by directing our attention to insurance, finance and business strategy. In doing so, we look at where our client is at the onset of our relationship to establish a baseline. We then evaluate our client’s vision and set goals that are aligned with this vision focusing on necessary improvements. We then devise a plan breaking down what needs to be done to reach their goals making sure to track success against the baseline. This process helps grow the business while also showing the benefits and value offered by our Grow With a Lawyer program.


    To the extent that this is not already clear, this cannot be accomplished through one-off transactions. Think about it for a moment. A business is not about a one off transaction but rather it is about continuous improvement and growth. Our Grow With a Lawyer program is aligned with the dynamics of the business.


    Is This A One Time Fee Or A Monthly Fee?


    Being a business owner I have been faced with attorney’s billing by the hour and I, myself, have also billed by the hour and in both instances I didn’t like how it felt. I didn’t like worrying about how much a phone call or email would cost as opposed to concentrating my attention on achieving results. Flat fees tend to work in certain instances but I have found great results with the subscription based model.


    In order to succeed, any good relationship must be based on trust. The attorney client relationship is no different as both attorney and client must trust each other as they work toward the same goals. With hourly billing, the incentives don’t properly align. The cost of legal services should be based on the value received, not the number of hours it took.


    And that’s where subscription billing comes in. Nothing is more predictable than subscription pricing. Subscription based billing provides the predictability that clients are looking for, and it aligns both sides’ incentives in the relationship.


    Can My Company Even Afford This Program? What If I Want To Work On An As Needed Basis?


    One might make the argument that a business can’t not afford our program as the value and benefits far surpass the investment.


    We have, however, with our levels of membership taken into consideration the available budget of businesses with different tiers of investment based on their stage of growth or particular needs and are flexible in further customizing plans as needed.


    The premise is to avoid working with us on an as needed basis because we have found that doing so negates the overall impact that we can provide to a business but yes, clients are welcome to work with us on an as needed basis.


    What Involvement Do I Need To Have In Order To Make This Program Successful In My Company?


    The song “It takes two” by Rob Base just started playing in my head and with good reason. It should come by no surprise that it takes effort to grow and improve at anything you want to do. Our relationship is no exception. The success of our Grow With a Lawyer relationship depends on each of us doing what we need to do as we keep the lines of communication open and focus on the mutual goal of growing your business.


    What Does Being A Member Of Grow With A Lawyer Program Mean?


    The best way to describe what it means would be to read a testimony from one of our clients which I am going to do. “I have known and worked with John since I started my company. His services and advice was top notch, but it was his passion that got my business. One day I called him about an internal dispute. We were able to resolve the issue, but upon inspecting my final document, he brought to my attention that the whole mess could have been avoided if only I had taken a few simple steps. I knew my business affairs weren’t optimal, but I didn’t want to spend the money to get my things into order. As much as I enjoyed working with John, I was always trying to avoid costs as I grew my business. One day John proposed his Grow With a Lawyer Program.


    He explained that the program was a way to solve my problems and get my business into compliance at a fixed monthly fee. This sounded great as it prevented the unknown and let me budget accordingly. The best part is that now I have a roadmap to grow my business and access to John and his staff whenever I want. I can discuss matters with them without fear of additional costs.” That is a testimonial that was written and sent to me by a client of mine named Alex, who has a boutique gym in New York City, and is doing great. It is exploding, and he is as happy as can be. He is now in line with the premise of our Grow With A Lawyer program, focusing not just on the legal aspects, but one of the biggest wins for him, was getting his metrics in place. He really knew where he was, and knew where he wanted to be, and we were able to track that together.


    For more information on Benefit Of Grow With A Lawyer Program, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (718) 444-1000 today.

  • CONTRACT DRAFTING & REVIEW

    A contract is basically an agreement between two or more people which creates an obligation to do, or not do, something. The agreement creates a legal relationship of rights and duties. If one side fails to live up to his or her part of the bargain, there’s a “breach” and the law provides certain remedies for solving the differences.


    A contract can take several forms, it can be written on a piece of paper and in certain circumstances it can even be oral.


    There are three factors necessary to create a contract: 1) an offer, 2) acceptance, and 3) consideration. One party makes an offer, the second party must accept the offer and there must be consideration exchanged. Consideration has to be something of value.


    For a contract to be valid, each party must have the capacity to enter into it. Most people and companies have sufficient legal competency. A drugged or mentally-impaired person has impaired capacity and chances are a court may not hold that person to the contract. Generally, minors cannot enter into a binding contract without parental consent, unless it is for the necessities of life, such as food, clothing, or for student loan contracts. For a contract to be legally enforceable, not only do all the parties to the contract have to have the capacity to enter into it but there must be consideration if all parties are to be held to the contract. No side can have a free way out or the ability to obtain something of value without providing something in exchange. Examples of compensation are Money, property, giving up a right or valid claim, making a promise to do or not to do something, or anything of value.


    Contract law is the law that governs contracts. Specifically, it covers the legal implications of a contract. For instance, contract law determines what is and is not consideration, whether a contract was actually intended, if the parties making the contract were legally competent, whether there was fraud or duress involved, or how a contract is terminated.


    Contract lawyers provide legal representation to draft contracts including purchase and sale agreements, business forms, licensing agreements, employment agreements, and other contracts. In addition, contract lawyers assist clients in litigation commonly associated with contracts including breach of contract suits, suits to enforce an agreement, and fraudulent contracts.


    Contracts and contract suits can be complicated and involve different parties with different interests. The Kokolakis Law Firm, PLLC. can help to eliminate stress by working directly with you to represent YOUR best interests. John Kokolakis exhaustively covers all legal and contractual issues to ensure maximum recovery. He understands that excellence requires focus and dedication.


    John Kokolakis is qualified to discuss, draft and review your contract. If necessary, even initiate a law suit in the event of a breach. If you wish to consult with an attorney when considering a contract, John Kokolakis and his support staff at The Kokolakis Law Firm, PLLC. are readily available to meet with you to discuss your particular concerns, needs and desires.

  • SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

    COMING SOON!

  • BUYING A BUSINESS

    COMING SOON!

  • COMMERCIAL LEASES

    COMING SOON!

Share by: