Frequently asked questions

We advise privately held companies, startups, investors, business owners and executives. We also help individuals with commercial matters such as contracts, business disputes and ownership arrangements.

Corporate and business law, commercial contracts, startup and venture capital, employment and workplace law for employers, intellectual property and technology, and commercial disputes and litigation. We do not handle criminal, family, immigration or personal injury matters.

You do not need to. Choose the closest practice area on the consultation form and our intake team will route your inquiry to the right attorney. If you already know who you would like to speak with, mention them.

Yes. Many clients work with us remotely. Our attorneys advise on matters governed by the law of states where they are admitted, and we work with local counsel elsewhere.

Consultations are available in English, Spanish, German and Yoruba, subject to attorney availability. Mention your preference when you get in touch.

Complete the consultation request form or call our office. We review each inquiry and reply within two business days.

A short summary of the matter, the names of the other parties involved (for our conflict check), any deadlines, and the key documents. Please do not send documents until we ask for them.

A short introductory call to understand your matter is free of charge. If a longer advisory consultation is needed, we confirm any fee in writing before it is scheduled.

Yes. Consultations can take place by video call, by phone or in person at our Chicago office.

Introductory calls usually take around 20 to 30 minutes. Advisory consultations are typically scheduled for an hour.

Depending on the matter, we work on hourly rates, fixed fees for defined projects, or monthly arrangements for ongoing counsel. We explain the basis before any work begins.

Yes, for work with a predictable scope, such as company formation, founder agreement packages, standard contract reviews and handbook updates.

Yes. Every engagement is confirmed in a written engagement letter setting out the scope of work, the fees and the terms of our relationship.

Only once we have completed our conflict check, agreed to act for you and both parties have signed an engagement letter. Submitting an inquiry or attending an introductory call does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.

Yes. We provide a fee estimate or fixed quote based on the scope we agree, and tell you promptly if circumstances change it.

Inquiry information is accessible only to the staff and attorneys handling intake. We treat information from prospective clients in line with our professional obligations, even if we do not end up acting for you.

Professional rules prevent us from acting where we have a conflicting duty to another client. We check the names of all parties involved before we can discuss the details of your matter.

No. Please share only a brief summary at first. Once the conflict check is complete, we will tell you how to send documents securely.

Sometimes. Under the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (820 ILCS 90), a non-compete is void for an employee earning $75,000 a year or less, and a non-solicitation covenant is void for an employee earning $45,000 or less, with both thresholds rising in 2027. Above those levels the covenant must protect a legitimate business interest, be reasonable in scope and be supported by adequate consideration, and the employer must advise the employee in writing to consult a lawyer and allow at least 14 calendar days to review it.

Not automatically. Under the Copyright Act, a contractor generally owns the copyright in what they create unless the work falls within one of nine statutory work-made-for-hire categories and a signed agreement says so, or the contractor signs a written assignment (17 U.S.C. 101, 201(b) and 204(a)). For software, design and most content, a present written assignment in the contractor agreement is the reliable route.

Generally ten years from the breach for a written contract (735 ILCS 5/13-206) and five years for an oral contract (735 ILCS 5/13-205). Contracts for the sale of goods usually have a four-year period under the Uniform Commercial Code (810 ILCS 5/2-725), and some contracts shorten the period themselves, so check the agreement and speak to a lawyer early.

Not always. A short mutual NDA for an early conversation is often fine to sign after a careful read. Ask for review when the NDA is one-sided, has no end date, restricts hiring or competition, or covers information that is central to your business, because those terms can limit what you can do long after the conversation ends.

Outside general counsel is an arrangement in which a law firm acts as a company's ongoing legal department, usually through a named attorney who knows the business, for an agreed scope and a monthly or project-based fee. It suits growing companies that need regular legal input on contracts, governance and employment but do not yet need a full-time in-house lawyer.