Summit Business Law, LLC

Summit Business Law, LLC is a Des Moines law firm that provides legal services to small businesses and startups  in central Iowa.  I provide legal services ranging from business formation to contract review and drafting to more complex risk management services. I also offer Fractional General Counsel plans for businesses with more advanced legal needs.  

I started this firm to deliver an "in-house legal experience" to small businesses and startups who want more personalized legal services at a fair price.  I believe that a firm understanding of your business  and your goals allows me to be a better legal advisor to you.  

Some reasons your small business or startup  needs a Fractional General Counsel include:

1. You receive personalized legal services at an affordable price.
2. You can focus on your day-to-day business matters to grow your business instead of dealing with legal issues.
3. You choose a Fractional General Counsel Agreement (General Retainer) tailored to the needs of your business and your budget. 
4. You enjoy the benefits of a dedicated, experienced in-house  lawyer working for your company who knows your business without the cost of hiring your own in-house lawyer or going to a more traditional law firm with hourly billing requirements.
5. You get a level of legal service that can change with your business as it grows.

Hiring in house counsel can be too costly for a small business or startup. However, the benefit of in-house counsel is they provide sound legal advice over a broad range of legal matters on demand. A Fractional General Counsel plan can provide many of those same benefits at a much more affordable cost.  And unlike many attorneys who offer fractional legal services, I've actually worked as an in-house lawyer and am experienced in navigating the complex interplay between legal and business issues.  

I try to meet clients where they are in their company's life cycle.  Some clients may only need occasional project legal services, such a yearly  lease renewal, and I can do that work for a predetermined flat fee that is paid when the work is  complete.  In each, case we meet to determine your expectations and a fee for that project.

Other clients may need more frequent legal work done or need to consult with an attorney on a regular basis.  In that case, I offer subscription plans where clients can effectively reserve my time and resources to work on their legal needs for a predetermined monthly rate.  

Some clients may have even more frequent or more complex legal needs. These businesses can gain priority access to me as their Fractional General Counsel on an ongoing, "as needed" basis through a general retainer agreement. In each case, clients can generally choose the level of legal support they need. 

As a veteran-business owner,  I understand the military experience can set veterans and their families apart from others. That experience gives us a different perspective with regard to our "mission" and how to achieve our objectives.  I want to use my own background and experience, in the military and in civilian life, to better assist veterans and their families operate their own business.  And I can also help navigate some of the government red tape for certain veteran-related programs that may be of interest.  

Iowa Secretary of State:  https://sos.iowa.gov

Iowa Dept. of Revenue (Business): https://tax.iowa.gov/businesses

Internal Revenue Service (Small Business and Self Employed) : https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed

Small Business Administration (Main Site): https://www.sba.gov/

Small Business Administration (Veteran Owned Small Businesses): https://veterans.certify.sba.gov

Technology Association of Iowa:  https://www.technologyiowa.org

InnovationIOWA: https://innovationia.com

Bunker Labs- Des Moines: https://bunkerlabs.org/des-moines/

Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Veteran Entrepreneur Portal): https://www.va.gov/osdbu/entrepreneur/

Veterans Business Outreach of NE and IA (Part of SBA): https://nebbiz.org/vboc

Warrior Rising (Assists Veterans starting their own businesses): https://www.warriorrising.org