251-217-9733
Business Law News, Insights and Updates
Plain-English answers to the legal questions Alabama business owners actually ask (written by the attorneys who get asked them).
How Much Does a Business Lawyer Cost in Alabama?
Business lawyer cost in Alabama is a question most owners can’t get a straight answer to, and it isn’t because lawyers are hiding something.
Do You Need a Trademark for Your Alabama Small Business?
A business name is often registered with the Alabama Secretary of State when an LLC is formed. Many Alabama small business owners stop there,…
What Happens If Your Alabama LLC Does Not Have an Operating Agreement?
An LLC operating agreement in Alabama is not legally required, which is exactly why so many businesses skip one.
Outside Chief Legal Attorneys Jordan Gerheim and William Lancaster Named to the 2027 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
Outside Chief Legal LLC announced today that CEO Jordan W Gerheim and attorney William R. Lancaster have been selected for inclusion in the 33rd…
What is a fractional general counsel and who actually needs one?
Many business owners have heard the term “general counsel,” usually in connection with a large company and an in-house legal department.
The QBI deduction is now permanent – what that means for your LLC
For years, the Qualified Business Income deduction came with an expiration date attached, which made it hard for LLC owners to plan ahead with much…
What business licenses do you actually need in Mobile, Alabama?
A surprising number of Mobile business owners assume that once they have formed an LLC and obtained an EIN, they are done with the paperwork side of…
How to protect your business before hiring a vendor or contractor
Hiring a vendor or bringing on a contractor usually happens fast. A project needs to move, a quote comes in that works, and the relationship starts…
Why Your Buy‑Sell Agreement Is one of Your Most Important Documents
The Role of a Buy‑Sell Agreement A buy-sell agreement is the document that controls what happens to your ownership share when you leave, die,…
Alabama 2026 legislative session ended. Here is what changed for your business
The Alabama Legislative session wrapped its 2026 regular session in April, and most of what happens there never reaches the average business owner’s…
How to Handle a Difficult Employee Situation Legally in Alabama
A difficult employee situation rarely announces itself clearly. It usually starts small: a missed deadline, a shift in attitude, or a complaint from…
Designing a Dispute Resolution Strategy Before There’s a Dispute
Dispute resolution usually only gets a second thought once a business is already in one. By then, the contract is what it is, and the parties are…
The OCL Subscription: What Gulf Coast Business Owners Actually Get for Their Monthly Fee
Most Gulf Coast business owners do not need a full‑time general counsel. They need someone who knows their business, picks up the phone, and handles…
AI in the workplace: what Alabama employers need a policy for right now
By the time most Alabama business owners get around to writing an AI policy, employees have already been using AI tools for months.
5 legal problems Alabama businesses ignore until they cannot
Most legal problems a business runs into are not sudden. They were sitting there, easy to ignore, for months or years before something forced the…
3 Legal Steps to Take Before You Bring On a Business Partner in Alabama
Most business partnerships in Alabama start with a handshake and a good working relationship, not a lawyer. That works fine until the business grows,…
5 Things Every Alabama Business Should Check Before August
More than half the year is behind you. You have a clearer picture of how the year is tracking. There are a handful of legal and compliance items that…
TIME OUT and Halftime: Using Mediation Breaks to Actually Move Your Case
It happens in every mediation. Sometimes for an hour or so, sometimes for less time, sometimes for days. You and “your room” have considered the…
Why It Matters That Your Lawyer Still Goes to Court
Over the past two weeks, this series has covered why Outside Chief Legal still litigates for clients when most proactive, subscription-style firms…
3 Things Courtroom Experience Teaches You About Risk
Risk assessment can sound like something you can learn from a checklist. In practice, a lawyer who has never argued a case in front of a judge is…
What Trial Experience Teaches You About Contract Drafting
The lawyer who drafts your contract and the lawyer who would argue it in front of a judge are often not the same person.
The OCL Partner Plans v. Hiring In-House – What the Numbers Actually Look Like
A full-time in-house general counsel runs, at a minimum, $250,000 to $350,000 per year in base salary for someone with meaningful experience, and…
We’re Litigators, Not Just Legal Advisors
A lot of lawyers can tell you what the law says. Fewer have stood in front of a judge and argued it. That difference can sound abstract until you…
4 Signs Your Alabama Business Has Outgrown Its Legal Setup
The legal setup that worked fine when a business had one employee and one client rarely still fits once that business has ten employees, six-figure…
LLC vs. S-Corp in Alabama: Which One Saves You More?
Every Alabama business owner with an LLC eventually asks the same question: should I be taxed as an S‑Corp instead?
What Happens to Your Company If You Die Without a Plan?
Most Gulf Coast business owners have thought about what happens to their business when they retire. Far fewer have thought about what happens if they…
Management Buyout, Family Transfer, or Sale? Legal Paths to Exit
At some point, every business owner thinks about what happens at the end. Not the end of the business itself, but the end of their role in running it.
When Your Business Gets Sued: What the First 30 Days Actually Look Like
Getting served with a lawsuit is one of the worst moments in a business owner’s year. The process server shows up. Someone sends a certified letter.…
What happens if you (business owner) can’t show up at work next month? (Succession and emergency planning).
Most business owners plan for growth. They plan for slow seasons, hiring decisions, and cash flow. Almost none of them plan for the month they cannot…
The Difference Between a One-Time Lawyer and an Ongoing Legal Partner
There are two ways to work with a lawyer. The first is the traditional model: something goes wrong, or a specific project comes up, you call a…
The Four P’s of Mediation: How to Make the Process Count
In more than 30 years of mediating cases – both as a party and as a mediator – I’ve noticed that successful mediation participants tend to share a…
7 Things to Have Before Your First Employee in Alabama
Bringing on your first employee is one of the most significant legal moments in the life of a small Alabama business. It is also one of the most…
Independent Contractor v. Employee: The Real Difference in Alabama
The question of whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee is one of the most consequential legal decisions a Gulf Coast business…
What Alabama Employers Must Have Before Letting Someone Go
Terminating an employee is one of the highest‑risk moments in employment law. Alabama is an at‑will state, which means an employer can end the…
Does your website need a privacy policy in Alabama now?
Alabama’s new Personal Data Protection Act changes the privacy-policy question for many Gulf Coast businesses. Before the law passed, whether you…
Why OCL Takes Cases to Court: The Litigation Advantage
Most outside general counsel services are staffed by lawyers who stopped litigating years ago. They review contracts, advise on compliance, and…
Best Law Firm Award: OCL Wins 2026 Best of Alabama
Mobile, Alabama – Outside Chief Legal LLC (“OCL”) has been selected by the readers and editors of Guide to Alabama as a 2026 Best of Alabama Award…
Do I actually need an LLC in Alabama? 5 Things to Know
Running a business along the Gulf Coast without an LLC is not automatically a problem. But depending on what your business does, who you work with,…
What Litigation Experience Actually Looks Like in a Contract Review
Two lawyers can review the same contract and see completely different things. The contract itself does not change. The clauses are identical. The…
5 contract mistakes Alabama business owners make
A handshake still means something along the Gulf Coast. But when a business relationship goes sideways, the handshake disappears and the contract is…
7 Steps To Comply With The New Privacy
Alabama’s Personal Data Protection Act was signed into law on April 17, 2026, and takes effect on May 1, 2027. Civil penalties for violations can…
Your Lawyer Should Be Helping to Build Your Business, Not Just Bailing It Out
Most business owners only call their lawyer when something has already gone wrong.
Your 3‑Year Legal Roadmap From Reactive to Proactive
Most business owners deal with legal issues only when they flare up: a contract dispute, a difficult employee situation, or a demand letter. That…
Alabama Personal Data Protection Act: 4 Essential Facts Every Owner Must Know
On April 17, 2026, Governor Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act into law, making Alabama the twenty‑first state in the country…
5 Legal Gaps That Quietly Cost Alabama Business Owners Money
A handshake deal works until it doesn’t. And when it stops working, you find out quickly that what you thought protected you and what actually…
If You Get Sued: The First 5 Calls to Make and What to Gather
If you get sued, the clock starts running immediately. A lawsuit can affect your cash flow, reputation, vendor relationships, team, and time, even…
Building a Long‑Term Legal Strategy for Your Business and Legacy
A long-term legal strategy is a clear plan for how legal decisions support what you want your business to become over the next 5, 10, or 20 years.
Business Succession Planning 101: What Every Owner Should Know
Business succession planning is a plan for what happens to your company when you step back, sell, become disabled, or pass away.
Why Did You Start Your Business?
Before contracts, disputes, and deals, there was your answer to a simple question: Why did you start your business?
Aligning Your Estate Plan with Your Business Succession Plan
As your business grows, your personal estate plan and your business succession plan either work together, or against each other.
Inside a Buy‑Sell Agreement: What It’s There to Do
A buy-sell agreement is your company’s written rules for what happens to an owner’s share when someone leaves, dies, divorces, becomes disabled, or…
Outside Chief Legal LLC Named to 2026 Inc. Regionals: Southeast List
Mobile, Alabama – Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders, today revealed that Outside Chief Legal LLC…
Customer Disputes: Legal Issue or Communication Problem?
Customer disputes are a fact of business life, but not every angry email is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Many flare ups come from poor expectations…
Why Your Entity Type Matters for Risk and Succession
Sole proprietorships and partnerships offer simplicity but no shield: your house and savings answer for business debts.
Proven 5 Ways Outside Counsel Acts as True Partners
A recent piece in Today’s Managing Partner, “How Law Firms Can Win More Outside Counsel Work,” makes a number of observations about what in‑house…
Before Filling Season: 8 Essential Items to Have Ready for Your CPA and Attorney
Tax filing season hits growing businesses hard. It is not only about getting numbers into your CPA’s software. It is also about the legal fine print…
5 Common Employment Law Mistakes Small Businesses Can Avoid
As a small business owner, you already wear enough hats without adding “accidental HR director” to the list. The truth is, most employment problems…
At-Will Employment & Employment Contracts: What Owners Often Miss
Most business owners hear “at-will employment” and think it means they can end employment anytime, the employee can leave anytime, as long as the…
The Billable Hour Is Clocking Out
Professional services, including law firms, have relied on hourly billing for decades. The model has also quietly monetized inefficiency: theirs and…
The Letter of Intent That Protects Your Deal & You
When buying or selling a business, most negotiations start with a Letter of Intent (LOI). This short document sets out the key terms before lawyers…
New USPS Postmark Rule: Hidden Deadline Trap for Mailed Documents
The U.S. Postal Service has (very) quietly changed the rules on postmarks effective December 24, 2025, and it creates a new trap for simply mailed…
Deal Structure Decoded: Asset Purchase vs. Stock Purchase for Growing Businesses
Buying or selling a business is not just about the price. How the deal is structured can dramatically change taxes, liabilities, complexity, and even…
The Cost of Ambiguity: How Unclear Contract Language Leads to Expensive Disputes
Ambiguous contract language looks harmless until both sides discover they have very different ideas about what a clause means.
Red Flags In Vendor Agreements
Vendor agreements can look routine, especially when presented as “standard terms.” Yet the details in these contracts often determine whether a…
The Anatomy of an Enforceable Business Contract: Essential Clauses You Cannot Afford to Overlook
Business contracts are the backbone of your relationships with customers, vendors, partners, and key employees. When they are clear and enforceable,…
Outside Chief Legal Attorney Named to 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers® List
Outside Chief Legal is proud to announce that Jordan W Gerheim has been named to the 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers® list, a highly respected…
Due Diligence Checklist for Buying a Small Business: Legal Issues That Can Make or Break Your Deal
Buying a small business can be a fast path to growth, but a shallow due diligence process can turn a promising deal into an expensive mistake.
When to Convert Your Business Structure: From LLC to Corporation
Many businesses begin as LLCs for simplicity, flexibility, and tax efficiency. But as your company grows, you may reach a point where converting to a…
10 Potentially Critical Legal Mistakes New Businesses Make & How to Avoid Them
Your first year in business is full of complex decisions. Many founders make preventable legal missteps that can threaten their company’s survival,…
Outside Chief Legal Recognized among the 2026 Best Law Firms®
We’re proud to announce that Outside Chief Legal has been named among the 2026 Best Law Firms®, earning recognition for our excellence, innovation,…
LLC VS. CORPORATION: The Right Choice For Long-Term Success
Choosing the right entity is one of the most significant decisions for any business owner. The two most common options, a Limited Liability Company…
Evaluating the True Cost of In-House Counsel: A Decision Framework for Growing Companies
There is a moment in every growing company’s life when someone in leadership asks the (potentially) obvious: “Do we need our own lawyer?
Ask Why, Think Contrarian: Smarter Decisions for Modern Businesses
As fractional Chief Legal Officers and outside general counsel serving businesses across multiple industries, we see a similar pattern repeated over…
Outside Chief Legal Attorneys Named to 2025 Best Lawyers® List
Outside Chief Legal is proud to announce that Jordan Gerheim and William Lancaster have been named to the 32nd edition of Best Lawyers®, one of the…
Outside Chief Legal Welcomes Robert J. Riccio as Chief Legal Officer
Outside Chief Legal is delighted to announce that Robert J. Riccio has joined the firm as our newest Outside Chief Legal Officer.
Honoring Outstanding Leadership: Bill Lancaster Receives Medallion for Exemplary Alabama State Bar Service
We are thrilled to announce that our very own Litigator and Outside Chief Legal Executive, William Lancaster, was recently presented with a medallion…
Unlocking Strategic Value: How Outside/Fractional Counsel Elevate the C-Suite and Business
The latest issue of Today’s General Counsel features a compelling article by Professor Robert Bird on how general counsel (GCs) can become engines of…
Voted Best of Alabama 2025!
We’re Honored! Outside Chief Legal Named “Best of Alabama” Regional Winner!
We Are Outside Chief Legal
We are Outside Chief Legal – your approachable, trusted partner in business and legal support.
Scaling Expertise
Today’s business landscape is dynamic. Companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to access top-tier talent while maintaining flexibility and…
Reading About a Problem You Actually Have?
Bring it to a Risk-Free Strategy Session. Send the contract, the letter, or the situation ahead and we will have read it before we speak.