PROSCENIUM COUNSEL
On Monday 1 February 2010, the Stevenson Law Group officially launches our new program. The program is called Proscenium Counsel. The goal of the Proscenium Counsel program is to provide general counsel services that are unprecedented and unsurpassed to individuals, medium and small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines “Proscenium” as the front of the building providing the background for a dramatic performance. As a member of Proscenium Counsel independent contractors (like Real Estate Agents) nonprofit organizations and businesses can be comfortable that when those businesses make its striking or dramatic growth the members of The Stevenson Law Group will be there to provide the background and support you need. The prime focus of our service is the Proscenium Counsel member. Our goal is to be a critical member of your management team, someone who knows our client’s business and can anticipate their need for legal advice. We want to be the attorney down the hall. We are not lawyers who speak to our clients once a year for compliance documents.
During the years of experience in both the military and at a large professional services firm, the founder of the Proscenium Counsel Program and The Stevenson Law Group identified a large gap in services between large established businesses and those who qualify for legal aid. The businesses, nonprofit organizations and independent contractors in this gap found that they earned too much to qualify for subsidized legal services and earned too little to afford legal services of the big firms. These businesses and individuals put off necessary legal, operational and financial tasks associated with their business because of the perception that having an attorney on retainer or a General Counsel was too expensive. As a result, they were sometimes hit with large tax burdens from the Internal Revenue Service or held liable for something that their corporation should have protected them against.
As an example, one client had a $500,000 tax debt assessed against their business and them personally by the Internal Revenue Service and the Franchise Tax Board. There were tax liens on the business and personal credit reports, garnishments on their wages, and levies sent to their clients. This caused a substantial disruption in business and ability to make a living. Unfortunately this business owner did not take advantage of the Proscenium Counsel Program. As a member of Proscenium Counsel, the client would have been able to avoid this tax burden through one of the free half-hour consultations, included annual resolution document, and a simple contract, all a benefit of the annual flat fee. This client spent tens of thousands of dollars to rectify the situation with the state and federal taxing authorities. So instead of paying thousands in representation fees having to sell the business to pay the taxes due, they could have paid the flat annual fee and still remained a profitable business.
Members of Proscenium Counsel get the following services:*
• Annual Corporate Compliance Documents: Board and Member/Shareholder Minutes
• Required Meeting Notices
• Statement of Information
• Free half-hour legal consultation, by telephone, with your attorney or agent as appropriate
• IRS/EDD/FTB Audit Protection
• Act as Agent for Service of Process in California
• A 20% discount on legal fees for hourly work and flat fee work.
• Account Receivable Collections
• Contract and Document Review
We are excited to launch this new program and look forward to the new and exciting challenges that will face our clients in 2010.
If you are interested in becoming a member of Proscenium Counsel please contact our office at info@stevensonlawgroup.com or 619-330-9409.
*Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Proscenium Counsel Program statement of duties and limitations.