757-671-6000

Business, Estates, and Litigation Attorney in Virginia Beach

Business Lawyer, Estate, and Litigation Lawyers in Virginia Beach

If you’re starting or running a business, our business lawyer can help. We concentrate on business formation, business organization, contracts, leases, and the many other challenges that a business can face. Solid legal advice on your issues can help protect you and all that you’ve worked for. We’ve assisted clients with businesses of all sizes, and we’ve provided them with legal advice they can rely on.

Litigation and Defense. We provide representation for all aspects of civil and business litigation, whether filing suit or defending against one. Our lawyers have experience with litigation related to breaches of contract, lease disputes, insurance claims and coverage issues, employment-related claims, breaches of fiduciary duty, and estate and trust administration disputes.

Employment law is central to any business. We provide legal advice and representation to employers and employees. Our experienced lawyers have advised a wide variety of organizations and their employees about their rights and their legal options. Whether you’re working through an employment contract, structuring a non-compete agreement, or trying to resolve workplace claims, we can help.

Employment-based immigration is an important tool for businesses, but it can be overwhelming. Businesses sometimes need specialized talent they can only get from another country. However, the visa application and approval process can be exhausting. Errors can cause delays that cost businesses and their employees money. Immigrants and employers both want to get the process right. We can help.

We focus on wills, trusts, and estates. Our lawyers know how to create an estate plan that will work for you and those you wish to take care of. Many people don’t plan ahead. As a result, their estates are often drained of resources and time. Planning your estate is planning for those you love. It’s that simple.

Regardless of the issue – business law, employment law, employment-based immigration, wills, trusts, estates, professional negligence – our lawyers have the knowledge and resources to help you. Contact us now for a consultation about your matter.

We help families dealing with incapacity. When a loved one loses the ability to care for themselves or manage their finances several legal tools can provide the assistance they need.  We know how to help these families in the least restrictive way with Powers of Attorney and Advance Medical Directives.  We can also provide specialized legal representation when an adult requires the appointment of a guardian or a conservator.  We also provide experienced adult Guardian ad Litem services in a caring and dignified manner.

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Business Law Attorney

Small businesses and corporations are becoming increasingly difficult to start and run. A successful business may deal with a wide range of challenges that are difficult to face alone.

If you’re starting or running a business, it’s a good idea to seek legal advice at the outset. This can help immediately and it can help fend off more serious problems in the future. At Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C., we provide a broad variety of corporate and business law services. From legal advice on corporate formation to representing you in court – we have you covered.

We provide services on every aspect of business law:

Business & Estate

Corporate formation

The formation of a business is an important stage. The choice of business structure can have long-lasting effects on tax rates and an organization’s exposure to liability. Knowledgeable advice could save you time and money down the road.

Drafting and reviewing business contracts

A business is founded on contracts: sales contracts, purchase contracts, supplier agreements, and many others. It’s important for you to understand your rights and obligations under these agreements. Our lawyers can help.

Assistance with commercial real estate transactions

A business and its employees need the right place to work. Unfortunately, commercial real estate transactions can leave purchasers with unknown and uncovered liabilities. We can help protect you.

Commercial leases

If your business needs space to grow, a commercial lease could be the solution. We’ll work with you and the other side to make sure that your lease protects you and your interests.

Advice and assistance buying, investing in or selling a business.

Buying or selling or investing in an existing business can have important legal and financial consequences. Before you make a decision, it’s important to understand what those consequences can be. Our experienced lawyers have helped organizations and individuals from all backgrounds deal with the risks and benefits of buying and selling.

If you need legal advice for yourself or your business, contact us today.

Employment Law

At Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. we believe that everyone deserves to be treated fairly. Our team of experienced lawyers represents both employers and employees when disagreement or discrimination occurs in the workplace. We can help businesses and their employees in discussions, mediation, a settlement, or a lawsuit if needed.

Employment claims can be difficult to deal with correctly. Policies and procedures, personal relationships, and expectations can all lead to employer-employee conflict. Our experienced lawyers are ready to help resolve workplace issues. Our lawyers know how to handle employment law issues and correct any ongoing problems. If you have employment law questions, we’re ready to help you.

Our practice areas include:

  • Overtime pay and minimum wage claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  •  Sexual harassment claims and hostile work environments
  • USERRA claims
  • Medical leave claims
  • Unemployment compensation
  • Civil Rights (Title VII) claims for discrimination on the basis race, sex, or religion

  • Age discrimination (ADEA)
  • Disability discrimination and reasonable accommodations (ADA)
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) matters
  • Discrimination on the basis of age, disability, race, sex, or religion
  • Employment policy disputes
  • Compliance with federal and state employment laws
  • Noncompete agreements

When you’re dealing with an employment law question, it’s important to know your rights. Our experienced lawyers can advise businesses and individuals on the law and how it may impact them. If you have questions, contact us today for a free consultation.

Employment-Based Immigration

Employment-based immigration provides many benefits, but it can also cause problems for both employers and employees. Our goal at Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. is to help businesses who need workers, and to help immigrants who have come here to work.

It’s easy for both businesses and immigrants to make mistakes as they wind through the complex and confusing immigration process. For businesses, the process of requesting and obtaining work visa and other authorizations can be a bureaucratic maze. For immigrants, serious issues can arise when there are mistakes with visas and other immigration documentation. In both cases, the immigration process can be confusing and can lead to long delays in getting much needed workers in place.

When dealing with employment-based immigration, it’s important to get everything right the first time. Our lawyers can help clients complete all steps of the employment-based immigration process including visa applications, proving education, and demonstrating need. Errors on immigration forms can cause delays, and delays can cost everyone money. We’ll work with you to make sure your forms and procedures are correct from the start.

Our lawyers can review immigration documents and help clients complete them. These documents may include:

L-1 visa for intracompany transfers

O-1 visa for necessary, talented workers with a high level of education

H-1B visa for specialty occupation workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher

Employment-based immigration can be confusing. Our lawyers can help you get it right the first time.

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Wills, Trusts & Estates

When someone dies, they deserve to have their property transferred to whomever they choose. This may include close family members, friends, charitable organizations, and many others. Some people prepare estate plans and leave clear instructions on what they want to happen. Many others do not.

Estate planning may protect you and your loved ones. Our lawyers work with clients to create comprehensive and official estate plans designed to save time, effort, and money for everyone involved. These plans help ensure the client’s possessions are efficiently distributed as the client wishes.

A plan may include:

  • A power of attorney to allow a loved one or representative to make important decisions about your life. Don’t leave this up to chance. If you need to draft a power of attorney, contact us for a free consultation.
  • Medical directives to tell emergency responders and others what your wishes are. Medical directives will guide decisions about your life and health when you’re not able to make them yourself. Our lawyers can draft your medical directive so that even when you’re not able to speak, you still have a voice.
  • A will to allow you to designate how your possessions will be distributed. Without one, your possessions may be distributed according to formulas set by state law. These defaults may not match your wishes. If you have specific items that you want to give to specific people, it’s important to have a will in place. A lawyer can help you draft your will, update it, and make sure it is recognized by a court.
  • Trusts, which can be powerful ways to make sure your possessions go to those you love. They can help you reduce taxes while keeping important resources safe for those you love. A lawyer can help you structure trusts to protect your assets and those whom you love.

Estate Administration

Administering an estate can be intimidating for someone who has not done it before.  If you’ve been designated as the executor of someone’s will, or if a loved one has died without a will and needs someone to handle the estate, we can help.  We can guide you through all aspects of the probate process, including locating assets, dealing with banks and insurance companies, paying creditors, handling tax issues, complying with the requirements of the commissioner of accounts, and resolving any disputes among the beneficiaries.

Also, if someone you loved died and left the property to you, you might have questions about what their will means.  We can help you understand what your rights are under a will that names you as a beneficiary.

Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship

Knowing what to do when someone seems to be losing the ability to take care of themselves is extremely difficult.  It can also be challenging to keep up with the requirements of being appointed as an adult’s guardian or conservator.  We can help figure out how to proceed and we can help you with every part of the process of planning in advance for incapacity and with a court-appointed guardianship or conservatorship.

Maybe you have been accused of needing more help than you actually do or you have received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia or other condition, but you want to maintain your control, rights, and dignity.  We can help defend you.

Let Our Business & Estate Attorneys in Virginia Beach Help You

Our lawyers have decades of experience representing clients just like you. Whether you’re building a business now or planning for your future, we can help. We can advise you on the next steps and how the law may affect you. When you need legal advice, you can count on us.

Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. has represented organizations, businesses, and individuals in Virginia Beach and throughout the Tidewater area for over 30 years. If you need advice and representation for yourself or your business, contact us today. We’ll advocate for you.