Small Business
Chicagoland Small Business Lawyers
Small business owners are faced with a staggering array of legal issues, from routine, everyday questions to pivotal, life-altering challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately, small business owners have few options for affordable legal counsel.
Madden Law LLC’s mission is to provide reliable, cost-efficient legal services to small businesses throughout Chicago and suburbs for every stage of the business life cycle, from concept through formation, management, growth, and exit.
We look forward to speaking with you about how we can help you overcome your challenges, harness your opportunities, and take your business to the next level.
Did You Know...?
Corporations have enjoyed many of the same Constitutional protections as individuals since the early years of the United States. The opening section of the United States Code, which contains the permanent statutes of the United States, states that the word “person” includes corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals. 1 U.S. Code § 1.
Business Formation
Are you considering starting a business entity such as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, professional corporation, sole proprietorship, or something else?
The attorneys of Madden Law LLC help business owners navigate the business start-up process, including business planning, choosing the proper form of business entity, registering the entity with local, state, and federal authorities, and drafting start-up documentation.
Ownership Agreements
One thing is inevitable: You will not operate your business forever. Your involvement with your business will end at some point, whether by retirement or sale, or for financial or health reasons.
Many business owners neglect to properly plan for the end of their involvement with their business, often leading to ugly disputes with business partners when one partner is ready to wind up the business but the other isn’t, or the partners have a major dispute about how to operate the business. Such “business divorces” among business owners can be extremely costly and keep the litigation practices of many law firms busy. Fortunately, such disputes are usually preventable with proper planning. A well-crafted agreement among a business’s owners can avoid expensive and wasteful litigation by determining in advance how to resolve commonly-anticipated business situations such as retirement, death, disability or incapacity, the need to raise additional capital or incur debt, proposed sales or acquisitions of interests in the business, major decisions, and major disputes.
Depending on your type of business, these agreements among business owners are commonly called Buy-Sell Agreements, Shareholder Agreements, LLC Operating Agreements, Partnership Agreements, or Management Agreements.
Business Operations
Madden Law LLC can help business owners with many types of business operational matters, including negotiating and drafting leases of real estate and equipment, agreements with vendors and customers, loan documentation, hiring and discharging employees, and other business documentation.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Are you acquiring another business, selling your business, or merging with another company? Are you bringing on a new co-owner or executive? The attorneys of Madden Law LLC are experienced in helping small business owners with mergers and acquisitions.
Illinois’ New Paid Leave Law Explained
If you run a small business in Illinois, there’s a relatively new employment law you’ll need to be well-versed on: the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, which officially went into effect on January 1, 2024. Whether you’re managing a tight-knit team or just starting to hire employees, this law brings important changes to how paid time off is handled across the state. If you need help managing these new changes, or if you have questions that need answered, Madden Law LLC can provide that much-needed support. We’ve worked with countless entrepreneurs who’ve built their business from the ground up. We know how fast things move and how easy it is for new legal changes to slip through the cracks, and we’re here to help you adjust.
Attorney David Madden brings over two decades of litigation and business law experience to the table, helping clients make smart, proactive decisions that avoid bigger problems later. We provide services throughout Cook and DuPage County, offering valuable legal counsel for those in need. Below, we’ve provided some insight into Illinois’ new law so small business owners can stay on top of these changes.
Abiding By The New Law
Under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, nearly all Illinois employees—regardless of whether they’re full-time, part-time, or temporary—are entitled to earn and use up to 40 hours of paid leave per year. This means that small business owners may need to revise their time-off policies, payroll tracking systems, and employee handbooks to stay in line with the new requirements.
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act applies to most employers in Illinois, with only a few exceptions. If your business is already covered under a municipal paid leave law (like in Chicago or Cook County), those rules will still apply. But if you operate outside of those jurisdictions—or if your current policies don’t meet the state minimum—you’ll need to update. And this isn’t just a box to check. The Illinois Department of Labor has the authority to investigate complaints and impose penalties. For small business employers with limited administrative staff, staying compliant can be a challenge. That’s why we offer legal advice for small businesses, which are designed to be practical, efficient, and easy to implement.
For new businesses especially, these changes can feel like a lot. That’s where our startup legal services come in handy. We work with entrepreneurs from day one, helping them get their policies and procedures in place before problems pop up. For small business owners working to implement these new changes, make sure you:
Review your current PTO policies
Update your employee handbook
Talk to your payroll provider about tracking earned leave
Train managers on how and when leave can be used
Make sure any changes are clearly communicated to your team
Connect With A Professional
Whether you’re updating policies or launching something new, our experienced attorney can help you interpret the Paid Leave for All Workers Act and apply it in a way that fits your operations. We offer small business support that’s thoughtful, thorough, and tailored to where you are right now. Reach out to us at Madden Law LLC today. Let’s make sure your team is covered—and your business is ready for what’s next.