San Antonio Business Law Attorneys

Business Law, Corporate Formations, Contracts, & Transactions for Small and Mid-Sized San Antonio Businesses

At Hendershot Cowart P.C., our goal is to protect your small and medium-sized San Antonio business from expensive lawsuits. We understand the unique landscape of doing business in the Alamo City, from navigating regulations affecting medical device companies in the South Texas Medical Center to helping military contractors comply with federal requirements, and supporting the growing number of startups in San Antonio's innovation districts.

We've seen what happens when a business relationship goes bad; we've been litigating such disputes for more than 35 years. As a result, our team of business attorneys serving San Antonio can advise business owners and executives against risks and exposures they may not have considered, particularly those specific to San Antonio's key industries.

What Our San Antonio Business Lawyers Can Do for You:

• Business Formation: Including choice of entity, entity formation, buy/sell agreements, employment agreements, compliance plans, partnership and shareholder agreements, intellectual property, and trade secret protection. We help San Antonio entrepreneurs choose the right business structure for Texas operations.
• Business Transactions: Including corporate restructuring; mergers and acquisitions; acquisition of key assets, equipment, or real estate; independent contractor agreements; and more. 
• IP and Trade Secret Protection: Including licensing or technology development agreements, non-compete or non-solicitation agreements, confidentiality agreements or NDAs, trademarks and copyrights and work-for-hire agreements. This is particularly important for San Antonio's growing biotech and cybersecurity sectors.
• Business Litigation: Including breach of contracts or contract disputes, partnership or shareholder disputes, shareholder oppression, theft of trade secrets, fraud and misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, dissolution of a business, hostile takeovers or buyouts, temporary restraining orders and injunctions, patent infringement defense, and defense against deceptive trade practices claims.
• General Counsel Services: Including business formation, contracts and agreements, business transactions, and regulatory compliance. Our San Antonio business lawyers can help your small business spot potential liabilities and exposures that could lead to disputes or litigation if not properly addressed.
• Construction Law and Arbitration: San Antonio's booming construction market, fueled by population growth and major developments like the expansion of the Medical Center and downtown revitalization projects, requires experienced legal counsel. We handle construction contracts, subcontractor agreements, joint bid agreements, architect contracts, supply contracts, breach of contract claims, OSHA defense, and enforcing or challenging mechanics' liens.
• Oil and Gas Law: While San Antonio isn't in the heart of Texas oil country, many energy companies maintain operations here. We handle exploration agreements, production agreements, participation agreements, farm-out agreements, oil field service agreements, equipment contracts, manufacturing contracts, work-over contracts, and oil and gas law.
• Administrative Law: San Antonio's massive healthcare sector, anchored by institutions like the UT Health Science Center and major hospital systems, requires specialized compliance support. Hendershot Cowart P.C. has a thriving healthcare practice that is well versed in the unique needs of healthcare businesses, including state and federal compliance issues, licensure defense, and healthcare fraud protection and defense.

Contact Our Team of Business Lawyers Serving the San Antonio Area Today

Understanding San Antonio's Business Landscape

San Antonio's economy presents unique opportunities for small to mid-sized businesses. As the seventh-largest city in the United States and home to major military installations like Joint Base San Antonio, the city offers a stable economic foundation. Key industries driving growth include:

Healthcare and Biosciences: The South Texas Medical Center is one of the largest medical complexes in the world, creating opportunities for medical device companies, biotech startups, and healthcare service providers.

Military and Cybersecurity: With significant military presence, San Antonio has become a hub for defense contractors and cybersecurity companies, particularly around areas like Port San Antonio.

Tourism and Hospitality: The River Walk, Historic Market Square, and attractions like the Alamo generate significant business opportunities in hospitality, retail, and service industries.

Manufacturing and Logistics: San Antonio's central location and transportation infrastructure make it attractive for manufacturing and distribution operations.

Prevent Disputes with Enforceable Contracts and Agreements

Running a business in San Antonio is exciting, but it shouldn't be stressful due to legal uncertainties. Our San Antonio business contract lawyers draft, review, implement, and enforce an array of contracts and agreements designed to help prevent disputes or litigation from arising in the first place.

Contracts, agreements, and transactions our San Antonio business lawyers regularly handle include:

• Non-disclosure agreements
• LLC or company operating agreements
• Confidentiality agreements
• Shareholder agreements
• Non-compete agreements (carefully structured to comply with Texas law)
• Partnership agreements
• Employment agreements
• Buy-sell agreements
• Independent contractor agreements
• Restriction and separation agreements
• Arbitration or mediation
• Licensing agreements
• Restructuring agreements
• Mergers and acquisitions

When Should San Antonio Business Owners Hire an Attorney?

It can be tempting to sidestep hiring an attorney, especially for startups and small businesses watching every dollar. Legal issues may not seem serious enough to justify retaining professional counsel or paying associated costs—after all, you manage your business expenses carefully. However, leaving nagging legal concerns unattended too long could cost you tenfold more should they develop into litigation down the road.

For San Antonio businesses, this is particularly important given the city's competitive market and rapid growth. Whether you're a medical device startup in the Medical Center, a hospitality business on the River Walk, or a tech company in one of San Antonio's innovation hubs, experienced attorneys can provide vital support for nearly every aspect of your business.

So when is it time to hire a business attorney in San Antonio? Simply put: before you need one.

How Attorneys Help Small- to Mid-Sized, Closely Held Businesses in San Antonio:

1. Business Lawyers Draft Sound, Enforceable Agreements and Structure Compliant Businesses

The old adage that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is abundantly true when it comes to enlisting the help of a San Antonio business lawyer. By the time you've been sued or hit with major legal issues, the preventable damage has already been done. A one-hour consultation with an attorney now can help you better grasp the legal risks and considerations you face as a business owner in San Antonio's dynamic market.

Whether you are mulling over a specific matter—such as a simmering dispute—or concerned with mitigating business risks in general, our attorneys understand the unique challenges facing San Antonio businesses, from navigating city regulations to understanding industry-specific compliance requirements.

2. Our San Antonio Business Attorneys Can Help You Make Informed Decisions, Serving as Your General Counsel

There is little doubt that the initial expense of hiring an attorney before problems arise is far more cost-effective than hiring one when it's too late. This is especially true in San Antonio's fast-growing market, where opportunities and risks can emerge quickly.

As Managing Partner Trey Hendershot notes: "Litigation is not cheap. It's a lot easier to make informed business decisions on the front end than have to fix things on the back end. Consider trade secrets: An attorney can help you protect your trade secrets with enforceable non-compete, non-solicitation, confidentiality agreements. This is a lot more economical than having five of your key employees leave and set up competition against you after a few years in your employment."

This is particularly relevant for San Antonio's growing tech and biotech sectors, where protecting intellectual property and trade secrets is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage.

3. De-Escalate Disputes: San Antonio Business Attorneys Have Tools to Help Keep Disagreements From Turning Into Litigation

Though no one is eager to involve attorneys when minor disagreements arise, failing to consult counsel in a timely manner can allow even the smallest disagreements to blossom into major disputes that threaten a company's ability to operate in San Antonio's competitive market.

Having an attorney on retainer or hiring one as soon as possible when problems arise can help you put a lid on legal issues that could become larger problems—such as a regulatory investigation with potential for criminal prosecution or an infringement claim that could lock you into costly litigation.

Hendershot Cowart P.C. Business Lawyers – Serving San Antonio Since 1987

While partnering with an experienced San Antonio business attorney may sound prohibitively expensive or low on a business owner's priority list, it's all about preventing problems and minimizing risks. At Hendershot Cowart P.C., our attorneys have devoted decades to representing clients throughout Texas, including many successful San Antonio businesses across all major industries.

We understand the unique opportunities and challenges of doing business in San Antonio—from the regulatory environment affecting healthcare companies to the competitive dynamics in the tourism sector, from the opportunities presented by military contracting to the challenges facing startups in emerging tech sectors.

If you have questions about a start-up, established business, or pressing legal matter affecting your San Antonio company, our award-winning lawyers are here to help. Call (713) 804-7896 or contact us online to request a consultation with our San Antonio business law team.

Serving San Antonio businesses from downtown to Stone Oak, the Medical Center to Southtown, and throughout Bexar County. Hendershot Cowart P.C. - Your trusted partner for San Antonio business law.