Ask a Business Lawyer: What to Look for Before You Sign

Event description

Before signing a loan, contract, or agreement, there are a lot of key things to look for and questions you should ask as a business owner. This session is designed to help you make informed decisions before committing to anything that could impact your business long-term. Structured as a guided FAQ, the presentation will walk through five key questions every business owner should consider before signing, including: what you’re actually agreeing to, what you may be personally risking, what terms can be negotiated, common red flags, and when to involve a lawyer. The goal is not to provide legal advice, but to give you a clear framework to assess risk and protect your business.

Following the presentation, there will be time for general Q&A. While specific contracts cannot be reviewed in a group setting, attendees will have the opportunity to ask broader questions and better understand how to approach legal decisions with confidence.

You'll learn:

• How to identify key terms and obligations in contracts and agreements
• What personal risk you may be taking on, even with an LLC
• Which terms are often negotiable and how to approach them
• Common red flags that signal potential issues
• When it’s advisable to involve a lawyer before signing

This session is ideal for business owners preparing to apply for financing, enter agreements, or make important decisions that impact their business’s future.

This event is part of Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.