Kalamazoo Business Attorneys

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At Veritas Law Group, we focus our practice in the areas of Business Litigation, Business Corporate and Contract law, Estate Planning and Probate and Trust Administration, Real Estate, Banking and Finance, Guardianship and Conservatorship law, Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

When you choose Veritas, you cut away the pretense, the off-putting formalities, the unnecessary overhead and the authoritarian, lawyer-client relationship of the past.

Our firm culture emphasizes streamlined services, teamwork and technology to provide the highest quality, the best value and the greatest service our clients deserve. Staff and attorneys are encouraged and rewarded for performing efficiently and monitoring the quality of the client’s service and experience.

Contact an Attorney at Veritas Law Group today at (269) 270-3500

Banking & Finance

Whether you are raising capital to fund your new business venture or seeking additional investment in your existing business, Veritas can assist you. We can work with you to identify and form the appropriate investment vehicle, whether that be a joint venture limited liability company, a limited partnership, a limited liability company with the characteristics of a limited partnership or some other organizational structure. We can also assist you with the preparation of an offering memorandum, investor questionnaire, and other securities documentation to ensure that you accept investments with the confidence that you are complying with applicable securities laws and regulations. We understand that you cannot focus all of your time on raising capital. Instead, you need to focus how to deploy that additional capital and on the execution of your business plan.

Corporate and Regulatory Bank Work

Veritas provides our lender clients with general corporate, executive compensation, securities, litigation and other services similar to those provided to our non-bank corporate clients. In addition, we can help you with the unique regulatory compliance work associated with State and Federally chartered banking institutions and credit unions.

Loan Documentation, Workout and Collection

Whether you’re a borrower or a lender, Veritas can help with the structuring, negotiation, drafting and closing of your loan transaction.  Veritas can also help you in the event the loan goes into default, negotiating acceptable workout settlements to ensure the best possible outcome when things do not go as planned. When amicable arrangements cannot be made, we work with our clients to ensure that their rights are fully enforced and protected through the collection process.

Business & Contract Law

Whether you are forming a new business, or are an existing closely-held corporation, a partnership, a joint venture, or an alliance of enterprises of any kind – Veritas offers services to suit your needs. We can assist you with such elemental issues as identifying the proper legal form for your business and the formation of that entity. We will work with you as you go through your business life.

Our best client relations are just that – relationships.  By consistently communicating with you rather than simply waiting for your call, we can stay apprised of your business. It has been said that “an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure” and in your business you know from experience that handling matters proactively takes less time and costs less money than when you wait and things develop into bigger issues.

We will act as your outsourced, in-house counsel. As such, we will look after your interests and seek to counsel you far beyond simply answering your questions as you identify them. We also recognize that our time is best spent in areas of practice where we can provide you with efficient and high-quality work. Where your issues go outside our best developed areas of expertise, we will identify outside counsel and manage that relationship for you. Our goal is that your needs are met properly and efficiently.

You can look to Veritas to advise your businesses regarding such matters as:

• Mergers, acquisitions and business sales
• Joint ventures and other strategic alliances
• Leveraged buyouts (LBO’s)
• Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP’s)
• Executive / owner compensation issues
• Employee benefits issues
• Acquisitions of assets from bankruptcy estates
• Corporate recapitalizations and reorganizations
• Initial public offerings and securities
• Private equity and venture capital investments
• Going private transactions
• Tax planning
• Vendor contracts
• Supplier contracts
• Intellectual property licensing
• Business risk management
• Equipment leasing arrangements

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

You have a life that you want to lead. You have a business you want to run and make profitable. Disputes rob you of precious time, energy and, importantly, financial resources. The litigation attorneys of Veritas Law Group are personally invested in your success.  Our investment in your matter means that we are sensitive to the cost of litigation as well as the toll that prolonged litigation can take on a business or an individual.

We pursue the most favorable outcome as quickly as possible at a reasonable price.  This includes alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration.  But sometimes you have no choice but to fight. When an amicable resolution cannot be achieved, we will aggressively pursue your position in Court. We are trial attorneys. And we play to win. We do not just go through the motions; we win by being proactive rather than defensive, by planning a winning strategy, by executing on that plan, and by outworking the other side – beginning to end.

While some firms “litigate,” secretly hoping that the case settles, we plan for trial. Your opponent will know that we are unafraid to proceed to Court if your goals cannot be otherwise achieved. Our attorneys represent our clients in litigation matters in all Michigan and Illinois State and Federal Courts and throughout the United States.

Representative matters include:

• Appeals
• Borrower / lender work-out and collections matters
• Contract disputes
• Employment disputes
• Probate litigation, will contests and undue influence
• Real estate title, zoning and ownership disputes
• Shareholder disputes
• Minority oppression
• Mediation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Our experience representing our clients in disputes has equipped us to assist you with the resolution of your dispute as an outside mediator.

Local Counsel

Veritas lawyers are familiar with the State and Federal Courts and Judges throughout Southwest Michigan. If you represent a client who is involved in litigation locally, we can facilitate your representation by working with you to attend hearings on your behalf and to assist you with developing a strategy in light of local Court culture and custom.

Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts

Every person needs a well-drafted estate plan to ensure that their wishes will be followed in the event of their disability and at the time of their death.  The need for such planning is particularly acute for couples with young children and for high-net worth individuals.  The attorneys of Veritas Law Group ensure your piece of mind in this area with comprehensive estate planning services.

We represent clients ranging from wealthy individuals with significant estate tax and charitable concerns to young families with modest assets beginning their lives together.  In every case, our attorneys provide the highest level of expertise and individualized service at a reasonable price.

Every potential client will receive a thorough, complimentary, initial consultation.  At this meeting, an estate planning attorney will review your assets, discuss your wishes, and develop a personalized plan based on your individual needs.  We will prepare drafts of your documents for your review.  And, at a subsequent meeting (or meetings), you will receive full explanations of your documents and have all of your questions answered to ensure that your plan meets with your intentions.

We take all of the guess work out of your planning.  Our comprehensive approach makes us the premier estate planning attorneys in West Michigan, but our reasonable prices reflect our commitment to keeping overhead low and focusing on providing you with excellent legal services at reasonable prices.

After making a thorough assessment of your needs and intentions, we will prepare any or all of the following documents:

• Simple Last Will & Testament
• Revocable Living Trust
• Credit Shelter (A-B Trusts) for federal estate tax minimization
• General durable power of attorney (financial)
• Medical power of attorney for health care and Living Will

High-Net Worth Clients

High-net worth individuals face significant tax exposure if they have not implemented a proper estate plan.  We will work with your trusted advisors (C.P.A., Financial Advisor, and Insurance Agent) to identify all such issues and develop a plan to ensure that your wealth passes to your families and not the federal and state government.

All of our estate planning attorneys already possess certificates from Michigan’s Institute for Continuing Legal Education Probate and Estate Planning Institute.

Our estate planning attorneys are experienced in implementing all of the following for our high net-worth clients:

• Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILIT)
• Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)
• Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRAT)
• Charitable Trusts
• Annual gifting programs
• Business Succession Plans.

Guardianships & Conservatorships

The supervision of the probate court may sometimes be required to administer the affairs of a living, but disabled, person.  If a person becomes disabled and does not have valid financial and medical powers of attorney, the probate court may grant a loved one the legal authority to make decisions on behalf of the disabled individual.  These proceedings are called guardianships and conservatorships.

The attorneys of Veritas Law Group are experienced in the establishment of guardianships and conservatorships in all local probate courts.  Contact us now to schedule a complimentary consulation or conversation with one of our experienced probate attorneys.

Mediation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Our experience representing our clients in disputes has equipped us to assist you with the resolution of your dispute as an outside mediator.

Residential and Commercial Real Estate

What distinguishes Veritas lawyers from others is that we offer a comprehensive solution to your real estate needs. Whether you are a residential or commercial developer, a commercial real estate management company, a multi-family property manager or an individual buyer or seller, we can assist you with the full spectrum of your real estate needs.

We can assist you in identifying, negotiating and forming the best business entity for holding your real estate interest, whether it be a trust, a simple single-purpose, bankruptcy-remote entity or a joint venture limited liability company. We can also help you explore and pursue optimal financing opportunities, whether through traditional commercial finance, tax increment financing (TIF), private financing or any combination thereof. As you proceed through the project, we can help you with due diligence, zoning and planning matters, title issues and other issues that commonly arise.

Veritas attorneys have experience with the full gamut of real estate issues, including:

• Great Lakes and inland lake issues
• Planning and zoning compliance
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality “critical dune” issues
• 1031 (like kind) exchanges
• Reverse exchanges
• Representation of property management companies
• Title issues
• Commercial and residential purchases and sales
• Leasing
• Commercial, retail, mixed-use development
• Residential condominium development
• Hotel condominium development
• Platting
• Planned Unit Development (PUD) strategies
• Tenancy in Common (TIC) structures
• Riparian issues
• Boundary line disputes
• Right of first refusal and option structuring
• Drafting of design build and construction agreements
• Tax advantaged development strategies

Pricing

Pricing is flexible and fair. Clients’ matters are reviewed case-by-case to consider the intricacies of their specific needs. Pricing is customized– depending on the demands of the work involved. In addition to traditional pricing models, we employ fixed-fee models, contingency fee models, & success-based pricing.

Using the latest technology allows us to stay connected and available to clients. Clients receive regular updates and their questions, concerns and calls are happily returned in a timely manner. Maintaining valued relationships with clients is our personal motivation; Demonstrating excellence in the law defines our professional success; Our clients’ satisfaction leading to referrals tells us that we’re on the right track.

Hyatt Legal Plan

Veritas Law Group is proud to be part of the panel of participating Hyatt Legal Plan attorneys.  Hyatt Legal Plan is the nation’s largest provider of group legal plans.  Hyatt participants choose Veritas because of our commitment to providing the highest level of expertise and timely service to our clients.

We serve Hyatt participants in areas of law that are our fundamental practice areas.  You will meet with attorneys who focus their practices in the areas of your particular needs.  This ensures that your matter is handled by a competent attorney who will bring their expertise to bear on your matter.

Veritas attorneys have drafted Wills and Trusts for nearly one hundred families in recent years.  Our reputation among plan participants is unparalleled due to our professionalism and timely service.

Participants also appreciate our convenient location and free covered parking.

Contact Veritas Law Group today to speak with an attorney related to your Hyatt Legal Plan membership.