Tamarac General Counsel

The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team works with Tamarac business owners, investors, and family companies that want a litigator on call before problems turn into lawsuits, and serves clients across Broward County, Palm Beach County, and the rest of South Florida. Our outside Tamarac general counsel program gives a company ongoing access to a lawyer who knows its contracts, its owners, and its history, without the salary and overhead of an in-house attorney.

Most small and mid-sized companies in and around Tamarac do not need a full-time lawyer. They need someone to read the commercial lease before it is signed, tighten the operating agreement before co-owners disagree, answer the vendor who is threatening to sue, and keep the company in good standing with the state. When that lawyer is also a trial lawyer, the advice tends to be different. Documents are written with an eye toward how a judge would read them two years from now, and disputes are handled with a realistic sense of where they could end up.

Our general counsel clients get that perspective from the first conversation. We also act as the company’s registered agent, so the legal notices and service of process that arrive for the business reach a lawyer who knows what to do with them, rather than sitting in a drawer.

What Outside General Counsel Looks Like Month to Month

The work is rarely dramatic, and that is the point. A typical relationship starts with a review of the company’s foundation: how it is organized, who owns what, what the operating agreement or shareholder agreement actually says, and whether the way the business runs matches the paperwork. Gaps found here are far cheaper to fix than gaps found in the middle of a dispute. A buyout formula that was never written down, a manager with unclear authority, or a capital contribution that was promised but never documented can each become the centerpiece of a lawsuit later.

From there, the rhythm is mostly questions as they arise. Can we terminate this vendor? What happens if the landlord will not renew? Is this clause in the purchase agreement as one-sided as it looks? How should we respond to this demand letter? Because the same team handles your questions over time, we do not have to relearn your business each time you call. Everyone working on a matter knows the file, and we hold ourselves to a strict 24 hour return call policy when we are in court or unavailable.

Cases that start as advice sometimes become disputes, and when that happens the transition is smooth. The lawyers who know your contracts are the same ones who can enforce them, whether that means negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or a courtroom. Our attorneys are experienced in each. We look for the resolution that fits the client’s goals and budget rather than stretching a case out for its own sake.

Why Choose the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team for Tamarac Business Counsel

The Andrew M. Andrew M. Schwartz, the firm’s founder, was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989 and has spent 37 years in litigation, with a career built around complex contract disputes, business divorces, and conflicts among partners, LLC members, and shareholders. He earned his undergraduate degree at Emory University in 1986 and his law degree at the University of Miami in 1989. Senior Counsel Sundeep Nath, a Northwestern-trained litigator, brings years of experience in business and real estate cases in both state and federal courts.

That litigation background is what separates outside counsel from this firm from a generic compliance service. The firm practices as a true legal team, so clients are not dependent on a single lawyer’s calendar, and scheduled conference calls are set at times that work for everyone involved. Andrew’s own view, stated plainly, is that clients usually think they want the most aggressive lawyer available but really want one who acts as the situation requires and uses finesse when finesse will do, at a cost that makes sense.

The firm’s trial record backs that up. After a 5-day bench trial in Broward County Circuit Court, the court issued a 32-page final judgment awarding our client specific performance of a commercial real estate contract. For a company relying on us for contract advice, that matters: the people reviewing your agreements are the same people who have had to prove what agreements mean in front of a judge. A significant part of our practice also comes from referrals by other attorneys, including out of state lawyers whose clients have Florida disputes, which says something about how colleagues see the work.

Areas a Tamarac General Counsel Relationship Typically Covers

• Operating Agreements and Shareholder Agreements: Drafting and revising the documents that govern ownership, management authority, distributions, transfers, and exits. Provisions such as buyout formulas and deadlock sale mechanisms can control what happens if owners later split, and Florida’s LLC and corporation statutes give them real effect.
• Commercial Contracts and Vendor Disputes: Reviewing purchase agreements, service contracts, supply arrangements, and loan documents before signing, and responding when a counterparty claims breach or demands payment.
• Commercial Leases: Negotiating lease terms for retail, office, and industrial space across Broward County and neighboring Palm Beach County, and handling defaults, renewals, and landlord and tenant disputes.
• Registered Agent Services: Receiving legal notices and service of process for the company, so a lawsuit or government notice is never missed because it went to the wrong place.
• Owner Disputes Before They Escalate: Early involvement when partners or LLC members disagree about money, authority, or direction, often resolving the issue before it becomes a deadlock or a dissolution proceeding.
• Family and Closely Held Business Governance: Structuring ownership and decision-making for siblings, parents and children, spouses, and in-laws who share a company, with discretion for the relationships involved.
• Real Estate Held Through the Business: Purchase and sale contracts, title questions, co-ownership arrangements, and partition or quiet title issues when business property is shared among investors.
• Compliance and Day-to-Day Operations: The recurring contract, compliance, and operational questions that come up in running a company, answered by someone who already knows the business.

How Preventive Counsel Plays Out When a Dispute Arrives

Having counsel in place changes how a dispute unfolds, because the groundwork is already laid. Florida law sets out specific grounds on which a court may dissolve an LLC at the request of a member or manager, including deadlock among managers or members that threatens irreparable injury, misappropriated or wasted company assets, and situations where it is no longer reasonably practicable to operate under the operating agreement. In those proceedings, a court can appoint a receiver or custodian after a hearing, or order a purchase of the petitioning member’s interest. For corporations, shareholders have a parallel path, and the corporation or other shareholders can often avoid dissolution by electing to buy out the petitioner at fair value. If the parties agree on value and terms within 60 days after the first election is filed, the court enters an order directing that purchase.

Operating agreements and shareholder agreements can supply their own exit tools, and a deadlock sale provision that was properly initiated before the court finds grounds for deadlock can take the place of a judicial dissolution order. That is a strong reason to have these provisions drafted carefully, and reviewed periodically, before anyone is angry. A buyout clause that nobody can interpret is not much better than no clause at all.

Timing also matters for any company with a contract problem. A claim founded on a written contract generally must be filed within five years, while claims on oral or implied contracts have four. A fraud claim runs four years from discovery, subject to an outer limit of 12 years, and an action seeking specific performance carries a one-year period. Negligence claims were shortened to two years for causes of action that accrued after March 2023. Part of a general counsel’s job is to notice these clocks early, which is hard to do when a company first calls a lawyer after the deadline has passed.

What to Do When a Business Problem Surfaces in Tamarac

If you are weighing whether your company needs outside counsel, or you already have a problem developing, start by gathering the foundational documents: the articles of organization or incorporation, the operating or shareholder agreement, any buy-sell terms, recent financial statements, and the key contracts and leases. Put the problem in writing for yourself, with dates, amounts, and who said what. Resist the urge to confront a partner or counterparty in writing before you have had advice, because emails sent in frustration tend to become exhibits.

If money may be leaving the business improperly, speed matters. Florida courts can grant temporary and permanent injunctions, including emergency relief, to stop assets from being moved or spent while a case is pending. Preserve account statements and company records now, and avoid changing access to systems in ways that could look like retaliation until you have talked to a lawyer.

Understand where a dispute would be heard. Broward County cases sit in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, whose circuit court sits in and for Broward County, and which maintains complex business divisions for matters such as business entity dissolutions and large business and construction litigation. Palm Beach County is the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. Claims above $50,000 belong in circuit court, while county court handles smaller disputes and small claims cover amounts up to $8,000. Federal court in the Southern District of Florida, which holds court in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach among other cities, becomes relevant when diversity of citizenship or a federal question is involved. A general counsel who knows which forum fits your dispute can shape strategy from day one.

Finally, call before you sign. Many of the worst business disputes begin with an agreement signed quickly, on a handshake or a form downloaded online. A short review costs far less than the litigation it can prevent.

Questions Tamarac Business Owners Ask About General Counsel

What does outside general counsel actually do for a small company?

Outside general counsel acts as the company’s lawyer on an ongoing basis. That includes drafting and reviewing contracts, answering operational and compliance questions, advising on owner relationships, handling demand letters, and stepping in when a dispute arises. Our program also includes serving as the company’s registered agent.

Is outside counsel cheaper than hiring an in-house attorney?

For most companies in the size range we serve, yes. An in-house lawyer carries salary, benefits, and overhead regardless of how much legal work exists. Outside counsel gives you access when you need it, and having a litigator involved early often keeps a disagreement from becoming a lawsuit.

Do we need a general counsel if we have never been sued?

Not being sued is often a sign that the contracts are working, but the time to strengthen them is before something fails. Owner agreements, leases, and vendor terms are easiest to fix when no one is in conflict. Companies that wait usually pay more to negotiate under pressure.

Can you handle both contract advice and litigation?

Yes. Contract enforcement and interpretation have been central to Andrew Schwartz’s practice throughout his career. If a matter turns adversarial, the same team that advised you can represent you in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or court.

What is a registered agent, and why does it matter?

A registered agent is the person or entity designated to receive legal notices and service of process for a company. If a lawsuit is served on a business and the notice is missed or ignored, the company can face a default. Having the firm serve in that role means the paperwork reaches a lawyer promptly.

How soon should a Tamarac business owner act on a contract problem?

As soon as the problem is recognized. Florida generally allows five years for claims founded on a written contract and four for oral or implied ones, but specific performance actions have a one-year period, and fraud and rescission claims carry their own limits. Evidence and leverage also fade faster than the statutes do.

If my partner and I disagree about the company’s direction, is it too early to call a lawyer?

No. Early advice is often the cheapest and most effective. Counsel can review what your agreement says about decision-making, buyouts, and exits, and help you negotiate a resolution while the relationship can still be salvaged.

Can a general counsel review an operating agreement before I sign it?

Yes, and it is one of the most valuable uses of the relationship. Florida law gives operating agreements significant force, including provisions on deadlock sales and buyouts. A review can identify terms that would leave you without remedies if the other owners act against your interests.

I live in New York or New Jersey but own a Tamarac business. Can you still act as our counsel?

Yes. We regularly represent clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut with business and real estate interests in South Florida. We handle the local court appearances and proceedings and keep out of state clients informed at every stage so they do not have to travel for each hearing.

What if our company is a family business?

Family companies raise different questions about control, compensation, succession, and fairness among relatives. We handle these with discretion while still protecting each client’s financial interests, and we often recommend putting governance expectations in writing before disagreements arise.

Do you take referrals from other lawyers?

Yes. A significant part of our practice comes from other attorneys, including out of state counsel whose clients have Florida matters and Florida lawyers who do not handle business litigation. We communicate with referring counsel throughout and respect their relationship with the client.

Will every dispute end up in court?

No. Many are resolved through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. Our attorneys are experienced in each, and we pursue whichever path is most likely to meet your goals efficiently.

Serving Business Clients From Tamarac Across South Florida

Our general counsel work begins with Tamarac and the surrounding Broward County communities. Companies in Tamarac regularly connect with neighbors in Lauderhill, Sunrise, Plantation, Coconut Creek, Margate, Coral Springs, Oakland Park, Lauderdale Lakes, and North Lauderdale, along with the larger business centers of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Hollywood, and Davie. We also represent clients across the rest of Broward County, wherever a company, a partner, or a piece of property happens to be.

Our reach continues north into Palm Beach County, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens. Many of our clients live outside Florida entirely, particularly in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and own businesses or real estate in these communities. Whether your company operates out of a Tamarac office park, holds investment property in Palm Beach County, or has partners scattered across several states, we are set up to serve as its lawyers here.

Talk With a Tamarac General Counsel Attorney Before the Dispute Starts

The best time to bring in a Tamarac general counsel attorney is while the company is healthy, the owners are getting along, and the contracts can still be written on your terms. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team offers outside counsel backed by decades of South Florida litigation, so the advice you receive reflects how disputes actually end. Call our team to discuss what your company needs, and we will tell you plainly whether an ongoing relationship makes sense.