The Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce's Legal Council comprises lawyers and judges who provide legal advice and assistance to AMBCC members on various issues related to small business like contracts, mediation, and procurement. The Legal Council offers programs and services to help members start businesses legally, employ workers properly, form joint ventures and licensing agreements, and acquire other businesses. The Legal Council consists of attorneys from various practice areas who work to support AMBCC's members' legal needs.

1. Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce’s
Legal Council

2. AMBCC Legal Council
The Legal Council is comprised of lawyers and
judges representing various specializations in
the field of law. The Council advises and assists
the AMBCC with issues related to small
business, contracts, mediation, procurement,
civil, criminal, and others matters affecting
AMBCC members and its targeted population.

3. Stakeholders of Legal Practitioners
The AMBCC Legal Counsel utilize attorneys representing
various specializations and organizations. Their expertise
Private cover a broad range of categories and practice types:
Practice
(7) Private Practice: Attorneys that work alone or with
Legal Aid
Judges partners in a firm to provide legal services to clients
(individuals or corporations); some specialize in one or
more practice areas while others engage in general
practice.
GATE City
Tax Attorneys Bar Public Interest Law: Attorneys that work with
AMBCC
Association economically challenged populations, non-profits and
Legal Counsel social causes; practitioners support the work of
advocacy groups, legal aid clinics and other
organizations with the goal of advancing an interest of
Georgia
Association of
the public.
Worker
Black Women
Compensation
Attorneys Government Counsel: Attorney/Lobbyist sought for
legal advice and representation; directly employed by the
Gwinnett government and may work for ministries, government
Lobbyist Minority Bar agencies and major corporations.
Association
Corporate Counsel: In-house attorneys/counsel that
advises on legal matters related to business activities.

4. Legal Services
PROJECTS

5. Power Start- Small Business Start Up
Program
Legally in Business
Your business/organization needs to meet all the laws for operating a
business legally in your state, county, city and/or country. The AMBCC
Legal Counsel helps ensure members are compliant in every state in
which you do business.
Start Up Check List
1. Choose & Register a Business Name
2. Decide on the Legal Form for the Business
3. Write a Business Plan
4. Set Up a Relationship with a Banker
5. Set Up Other Professional Relationships
6. Set Up a Relationship with an Attorney
7. Meet Legal Requirements for Operating a Business
8. Get Licenses and Permits
9. Set the Price for Your Product or Service
10. Determine the Financing You Will Need and How You Will
Get It
11. Obtain Office Space, Equipment and Suppliers
12. Plan for Risk & Insurance
13. Set up Recordkeeping Systems
14. Set up a Financial Management System
15. Develop a Marketing Plan
16. Hire Employees
17. Develop a Day-to-Day Managerial Plan

6. Protecting Your Assets- Human Resources
Legally Employed
The AMBCC Legal Council of Human Resource attorneys help the
human resource department of small businesses deal with personnel
matters such as hiring, training, discipline, and firing. Some HR legal
issues involve labor relations, privacy in the workplace, employee
leave and benefits and discrimination. Each are often governed by
federal and state statutes.
Important Labor Acts
Labor Management Relations Act
Fair Labor Standards Act
Family and Medical Leave Act
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Americans with Disabilities Act
Age Discrimination in Employment Act

7. Collaborative Power- Joint Venture Networks
Take your business to new heights!
The AMBCC Legal Counsel assists members in forming Joint
Ventures (JV). Joint ventures are forged for different purposes.
Small companies band together to take on the large corporations
in their industry. Big companies form alliances with smaller
companies. The parties involve agree to form a separate entity for the
stated purpose of forming a said entity. It is determined between the
parties the share of equity, expenses, and profits, and a determination
is also made as to the control of said entity. The venture can be for one
specific project only, or a continuing business relationship.
Why Enter into a Joint Venture?
•Develop new products
•Expand into new markets
•Improve productivity
•Share expenses
•Gain lead time
•Improve your credibility
•Share or gain expertise
•Expand sales forces
•Expand your distribution channel
•Forge a strategic alliance

8. Protect Your Ideas-Licensing Agreements
The AMBCC Legal Counsel assists members in protecting their
Intellectual property.
Intellectual property (IP) is intangible property that is created in
someone's mind. Categories include art, literary works, music,
inventions, designs, processes and trademarks.
A license allows an intellectual property rights holder (the licensor) to
make money from an invention or creative work by charging a user
(the licensee) for product use. Licenses protect proprietary rights in
things such as software and other computer products, for example.
Use a license to give someone permission to do a certain activity or to
use your property.
Types of Property Rights
Be familiar with the different types of property rights before you create
a licensing agreement. It's also key to know the scope of your rights,
such as exclusive property rights. While the law often changes in
this area, the best protection is to register for any or all rights that apply
to your situation:
•Copyrights - original works of authorship fixed in any tangible
expression form
•Patents – inventions
•Trademarks - words, names or symbols identifying goods made or
sold, distinguishing them from others
Source Lawyers.com

9. Corporate Partnerships- Franchise Agreements
Duplicate your Success
Once our members have established a successful business,
expanding operations is the next logical step. We strongly encourage
our members to consider franchising their operation. The AMBCC
Legal Council assists members with the licensing and franchise their
business model.
Franchising allows you to grow your business quickly, as several units
can be opened simultaneously. When you franchise your business
you, the franchisor, sell the rights to open a new location to another
entrepreneur, the franchisee. The franchisee agrees to follow your
business model and pay you an initial fee as well as royalties on an
ongoing basis, typically a percentage of gross sales.

10. Acquisitions- Commercial Investments
It’s time to acquire a business
In the small business realm, mergers and acquisitions have become a
popular way for a business to gain entry into a new market. Rather
than go through the trouble of creating and financing a new business,
it's sometimes better to buy an existing one.
The terms "mergers" and "acquisitions" are usually used
interchangeably to describe how one business takes over or buys out
another, they aren't the same things.
If you're thinking of taking over an existing enterprise, you need to
know some of the business basics of mergers and acquisitions.
The AMBCC Legal Council’s experienced business law attorneys help
members navigate through complex matters, federal requirements
,particularly of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the
Department of Justice (DOJ).

11. Practitioners Areas of Specialization (15)
The law impacts our lives in numerous ways. The AMBCC is seeking legal professionals who provide services in the various
fields and specializations listed below.
Administrative: public lawyers to deal with the relationships Immigration: mitigates federal laws that control the entry of non-citizens into the
between individuals and the government; regulates the power of country; assist clients in applying for entry, residing in the country and becoming
governmental administrative agencies and ensures fair citizens.
implementation and administration of laws.
Intellectual Property: deals with the intellectual property (IP) ownership rights to
Civil Litigation: civil attorneys to deal with lawsuit resulting from certain kinds of creative endeavors; protects member ideas/concepts through
a dispute between private parties (individuals or corporations); civil copyrights, patents, trademarks and industrial design registrations.
litigation concerns with matters such as breach of contract, debt
collection, malpractice and personal injury. International: governs the interactions and relationships between nations; negotiate
with national governments and international organizations, or work in the private sector
Constitutional: public attorneys to dealing with federal focusing on the interpretation of treaties and related laws.
government matters and the division of powers between the federal
and provincial governments; handle issues such as equality rights, Labor and Employment: defines the rights and obligations of employers, workers
freedom of expression, security and democratic governance. and union members; advise management, labor or government on issues such as
employment standards, workplace health and safety, and industrial relations.
Corporate and Commercial: deals with the formation and
maintenance of businesses; corporate and commercial contracts, Real Estate: deals with the purchase, sale, financing and development of land and
liability, mergers, structured financings and other business matters. buildings; assist developers, tenants, investors, banks or corporations on matters
relating to residential or commercial real estate.
Criminal: mitigate crimes against the public and members of the
public and civil litigation dealing with private disputes. Securities: regulates the purchase and sale of securities (financial instruments such
as stocks and bonds); securities lawyers typically work in law firms providing services
Environmental: mitigate legislation and regulations relating to the to corporations and financial institutions or for governmental commissions focusing on
interaction of humans with the environment; deal with matters such regulatory compliance.
as air pollution, wilderness preservation and waste disposal.
Tax: deals with the taxes levied by different levels of government; tax lawyers may
Family: mitigate relationships between family members; including advise corporations on tax strategies and implications of business transactions, or
marriage contracts, divorce, child custody, adoption, wills and estate counsel individuals on matters such as legal wills and estate planning.
planning.
Other Areas: in addition to the practice areas list above, there are many other fields
of specialization offer by our legal profession (antitrust, entertainment, health,
municipal, sports, etc.).

12. 90 Day Planner-Activities
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Day
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter
/Theme
9:30am Legal Briefing Legal Briefing Legal Briefing Legal Briefing
with… with… with… with
AM
Accelerated Growth
Legally Starting Up Taxation with Strategies through
Protecting Your Assets
Activity
11:30am (Non & For Profits) Representation Joints Ventures and
Acquisitions
Accelerated Growth
Taxation with Strategies through
1:30am Legally Starting Up Protecting Your Assets
Representation Activity Activity
Joints Ventures and
Acquisitions
PM
Open Open Open Open
6:30am

13. Chairperson
Atlanta Metropolitan Black
Chamber of Commerce
AMBCC Legal Council
PROJECTS
(770) 374-6226
legal@ambcc.org
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