Case Studies

Home

Approach & Strategy

Intellectual Property Law

Small Business Law

Estate & Succession Planning

Everyone loves a success story.

Carrie Creed

“Janelle was truly instrumental in helping to ensure that my new business was setup correctly. I was unsure of which types of agreements I would need to setup the financial side of my business, but she took the time to explain the options to me. She walked me through every part of the process and had no issue answering my questions. She guided me in the right direction, but never pushed me to make a certain choice.

Janelle is talented with both drafting agreements and working with people – not every attorney is adept at explaining things in an “everyday” way, but this is one of Janelle’s strengths. Our lawyer-client relationship is a positive one that formed quickly, and that is hard to find. I feel 100% confident working with her as well as recommending her to others.”

CASE STUDY: LEANING INTO YOUR NEW VENTURE

For some people, events in their lives align themselves in such a way as to make them consider starting their own business or practice. With the COVID pandemic came great changes in the expectations placed on traditional employee-employment, it opened up new opportunities for working remotely, and it provided us as individuals additional time for reflection. Consequently, our team has been receiving an increased amount of requests for help in new business startup and creation, planning, and assessment. We recognize that starting a new business is a major life event, usually stemming from a desire to help others – and we applaud and celebrate your decision. [Welcome to the club.]

There are, of course, many things to consider when starting a new business. There is the aspect of personal finances, family and child care, and confidence in the leap of faith it takes to launch a new product or service. And then there are the start-up costs, the hours of effort and strategy, time creating relationships with vendors and potential new clients, and making sure the legal matters are in order.

Sometimes, a seemingly easy task (form the entity, choose the name, etc.) suddenly becomes an overwhelming chore. When this moment presents itself, our team of compassionate, understanding, and highly experienced [human beings] are ready to help you. This is the difference between our firm and any other, and we see it time and time again. You will start asking “will I be most successful as a Limited Liability Company or if I Incorporate; should I form in Delaware or Pennsylvania; can I use the name I dreamt of, or will it infringe on someone’s else’s product or service; do I need a website with terms and conditions; what about opening a business bank account; do I need a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) and how do I find that?”

Don’t worry. We have helped hundreds of new business owners successfully navigate through these decisions. This is our teams’ specialty, and no business’s journey is the same.

Lindsey Kokosh

“As I was in the process of starting my business I had many questions and some reservations. Janelle took the time to really listen to my questions and answer them. It meant a world of difference and made me confident to work with her.”

CASE STUDY: BRAND & TRADEMARK PROTECTION

Your business is a collection of your ideas. But did you know that tour ideas are worth more when protected? Your comapany’s name, website, branding, marketing materials, standard operating procedures, customer service methods – all of it designed for a purpose. Also known as “intellectual property,” these ideas and experience culminate into what makes your business unique. No one else has your customer list, your company values, your services, your products… and they never will if you protect them properly.

This is our favorite part of business. Our team works closely with yours to pinpoint your intellectual property. Together, we design a plan to protect it, based on your priorities, goals, and budget; using a variety of tools ranging from trade secrets — to confidentiality agreements — to trademarks and copyrights. Our team knows how to increase the value of your company with intellectual property assets.

Jeneen Callahan Sperratore

“My whole family is a longtime client of Snyder Law for both our business and personal matters. Janelle worked with us through the process of estate planning and executing an estate, showing compassion and understanding while also expediting our family’s needs. She has been great to work with and easily accessible whenever I need her. Janelle’s attention to details that may seem unimportant at the time but are crucial later on is one thing that makes her stand out. I’ve known Janelle and worked with her for so long, it’s almost as if she’s part of our family.”

CASE STUDY: THE BUSINESS OF FAMILY

Family businesses are a special type of business, each with their own particular needs and challenges. Just like our individual personalities make up our family units, family owned businesses are defined by the core values of the family that it supports.

Sometimes family-owned businesses face their own challenges, with family members coming into and out of the business, the transition of the business to the next generation, preparing the business to support the owners in retirement, and how to keep the business performing for the family’s finances given economic fluctuations.

Family businesses are one-part personality and one-part business, and creative and understanding solutions are required to keep both the business and the family running smoothly. A level of grace and mediation is necessary to bring all parties amicably to the table, and most law firms are not designed to do this. Our team has found that open communication based on logical but heartfelt understanding is key to guiding families through times of transition; and having a clear, goal-oriented decision process makes the journey much more relaxed and comfortable.

Lori DeMartinis

“I am very happy with Janelle and how her professionalism with my company (Elite Audio) was handled.”

CASE STUDY: PARTNERS & PARTNERSHIPS

Many business ventures are a success, but even the successful partnerships sometimes run their course. In the life of a business, there are of course times of growth and times of plateaus. If a partner, owner, stakeholder or joint venturer is keeping your company from making it to the next level, it might be time to move on from that relationship.

Breaking ties with a former partner is a delicate matter, one that requires both a clever solution and a compassionate guide. The ultimate goal must be to find a solution that compensates the ousted partner appropriately, allows the business to move forward without too many stipulations, and leaves the remaining parties with a sense of fairness.

Our team works to achieve the right solution for the individual situation, with the ultimate goal of keeping all parties far from the thought of litigation.