FAQ

You can submit a request via email at info@ryanreiffert.com, or you can also request more information, including a fee quote, on the Contact page. You are also welcome to call or write.

Choosing a lawyer or law firm to represent you is an incredibly important decision. I can deliver the personal attention and expertise to help solve your business issues. If your issue falls into one of my Practice Areas, let’s talk. Sometimes, I can’t help. In those cases, I’m happy to make a referral to an expert attorney in another field, a low-cost or pro bono legal service provider, or other resources. Either way, your initial consultation is free. Contact us.

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No. You’ve heard the phrase “jack of all trades, but master of none” haven’t you? That isn’t me. I am happy to take a secondary or consulting role on one of these types of matters for my existing clients, but I generally do not practice in these fields.

Not necessarily. While it is often preferable for you to come into the office for a first meeting, we can also arrange a virtual meeting, a video conference or a meeting at another location (such as a co-working space).

We charge a fee of $100 for the initial consultation. If you decide to move forward with us, the amount paid will be applied to your retainer or to any fees incurred.

Ryan keeps a deliberately focused practice in two closely related areas of law. On the business side: entity formation, contracts, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. On the estate side: wills, trusts, asset protection, tax planning, business succession, and probate. He represents business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, and their families, and often handles both the company and the estate plan, because for most owners the business is the centerpiece of the estate.

No. Ryan limits his practice to business and corporate law and to estate planning and probate. He does not handle criminal, family, personal-injury, bankruptcy, immigration, employment or labor, Social Security or disability, or patent-prosecution matters, and he appears in litigation matters only in rare, selected circumstances (generally for existing clients under unique or emergency circumstances). If your matter falls outside his focus, he has a very strong network and is glad to refer you to a qualified attorney who handles it.

Because for most business owners the two are inseparable — and because they share many characteristics there is some overlap. The business is often the largest asset in the estate, and decisions about entity structure, ownership, and buy-sell agreements are at the same time corporate decisions and estate-planning decisions. Using the same attorney for your company and your succession plan means nothing falls through the cracks between a “business lawyer” and an “estate lawyer” who never speak to each other. Being well-versed in both is the value that Ryan brings to the table.

I have represented many companies in many different industries, including: technology, banking, oil & gas, real estate, medical & nursing, investments & finance, holistic medicine, gyms & trainers, advertising & media, and many more.

Maybe. Sometimes it’s too early (or too late) for an attorney to get involved, and other times it’s the exact right time. It depends very much on your particular facts and circumstances. We can explore this in your initial consultation. I would much rather establish a trusting, long-term business relationship with you than try to “sell you” on some legal services you don’t really need for a short-term profit.

Corporate law (despite the name) is not just about corporations! Corporate attorneys practice business law and represent business entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, joint ventures, and other entities. Some corporate law issues that I regularly deal with include: formations, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, securities and investments, financings and debt, regulatory compliance, general contractual issues, and many more. My past work includes a spectrum experience from Wall Street blue-chip multibillion-dollar deals to small two-person businesses signing their first office lease. Click here for more information.

Above all, you should choose someone you trust. When evaluating corporate lawyers or business lawyers, education and experience are also highly important, since this field of law involves a large degree of planning and forthought

Estate Planning Law is a body of law that encompasses several different but inter-related goals. Fundamentally, it is about ordering one’s property and holdings in a certain way to accomplish those goals, including:

• asset protection
• providing for family after death
• charitable donations
• reducing taxes
• streamlining the transfer of property upon death
• … and more

The short answer is the same as choosing a corporate attorney. Above all, you should choose someone you trust. Education and experience are also very relevant to estate planning. However, it is of particular importance in estate planning to select an attorney who can get along with (or, at the very least, relate to) many diverse family members and bridge any potential conflicts among them.

An in-house general counsel (or GC) is an attorney who works inside of an organization and serves as the “quarterback” for various legal issues – providing additional insight on the risk involved to management and sometimes handling them directly, or other times managing an outside specialist. The main benefit of this arrangement is that involving a competent attorney sooner in the process can keep costs down. However, a full-time in-house GC can be expensive, and the cost is not always justified for a smaller business. In those situations, I am happy to be the “Outside GC” you keep on speed dial and “quarterback” or “triage” an uncertain issue for you. Click here for more information.

Small businesses and startups often face many similar legal issues. It can be a tremendous benefit to you to have someone on your side who has “been there, done that” and can assist you with navigating the waters. I was previously General Counsel (for about 3 years) of a tech startup that raised over $10M and successfully launched a novel product on a worldwide basis. Click here for more information.