Upsize is a magazine with a single mission: to help Minnesota's small-business owners build bigger and more profitable companies, and to connect CEOs with the people, products and ideas they need to grow.
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/66695
LAW FIRM Company profile: WINTHROP & WEINSTINE, P.A. Client-focused approach keeps entrepreneurial spirit alive at Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. D espite its position as one of the largest law firms in Minnesota, Winthrop & Wein- stine, P.A., maintains an entrepreneurial spirit and a welcoming environment that has long attracted new business owners and emerg- ing growth companies, along with Fortune 500 clients. Since its inception in 1979, the firm has been dedicated to advancing the goals of the busi- nesses and organizations it serves and prides itself in helping fuel the growth of many suc- cessful companies across the Upper Midwest and throughout the country. Its Emerging Business group has been a steadily growing area of practice for many years. Fifteen attorneys in the practice serve entrepre- neurs and high-growth private and public com- panies, providing legal and business counsel; management and owner coaching; manage- ment recruitment and board talent; and venture capital, "angel," broker-dealer, mezzanine and other financing. "We're very approachable, and we're very practical and efficient in our approach to the law," notes Michele Vaillancourt, chair of the practice group and a senior shareholder who also practices in Corporate Finance & Securities, General Corporate, and Mergers & Acquisitions. "We make sure we understand the entire business deal, not just the legal aspects. We give guidance on the issues that matter to a business owner, alleviate their concerns and find solutions to the problems that arise in every stage of their business." The firm's clientele covers a broad range of in- dustries, from service and manufacturing to en- ergy, entertainment, healthcare, transportation, defense contractors and construction. Many of the clients served by the Emerging Business group are smaller, publicly held companies that are on a path for rapid growth. www.upsizemag.com Michele Vaillancourt Defined by its core value, "put clients first," Vaillancourt says the firm is focused on meeting the particular needs of each client no matter what stage they are at in their development, and it offers expertise in a wide range of prac- tice areas. Winthrop & Weinstine is well known for its top practices in Litigation and Business & Com- mercial Law. It also has a strong history with commercial banking and lending, and serves businesses' legal needs in construction law, corporate finance and securities, employment, energy, environmental and land use, estate planning and business succession, franchise, general corporate, insurance and financial services, intellectual property, legislative and regulatory, mergers and acquisitions, patents, public finance, real estate, tax, and telecommu- nications, among others. Contact: Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. Capella Tower | Suite 3500 225 South Sixth Street Minneapolis, MN 55402-4629 Telephone: 612.604.6681 Contact: Michele Vaillancourt advertisement THE GROWTH GUIDE 2012 UPSIZE ONLINE 27 TIPS FOR BUSINESS BUILDING Protect your name and your marks. If the Secretary of State lets you use your name, this doesn't mean that it's protected against infringement or that you're not infringing on some other trademark. There are measures you can take to protect your marks and your right to use them. If you want to do so, consult a trademark lawyer. Make sure you have a succession plan. Succession plans aren't only for big companies. For small business own- ers, the succession plan should mesh with the owners' estate plan and any buy-sell/shareholder agreement. mvaillancourt@winthrop.com When preparing agreements, make sure the consequences of termination are clear. It's better to negotiate termination provisions in the "honeymoon" stage up front rather than arguing about them when you want to end the agreement. Michele Vaillancourt, shareholder mvaillancourt@winthrop.com