Includes bibliographical references and index

Preface -- About the author -- Table of cases -- 1. Introduction to agency and business organizations -- Introduction -- 1.1. Agency concepts and definitions -- 1.2. Agency existence and creation -- 1.3. Agency relationship -- 1.4. Principals' liability to third parties -- 1.5. Agent's liability to third parties -- 1.6. Termination of agency -- 1.7. Agency and business organizations -- 1.8. The paralegal's role -- 1.9. Resources -- Summary -- 2. Sole proprietorships -- Introduction -- 2.2. Sole proprietorship defined -- 2.2. Sole proprietorships in the United States -- 2.3. Advantages of doing business as a sole proprietor -- 2.4. Disadvantages of doing business as a sole proprietor -- 2.5. Formation and operation of the sole proprietorship -- 2.6. The paralegal's role -- 2.7. Resources -- Summary -- 3. General partnerships -- Introduction -- 3.1. An introduction to general partnerships -- 3.2. The relationship between partners and others -- 3.3. The relationship among partners and between partners and the partnership -- 3.4. Advantages of doing business as a general partnership -- 3.5. Disadvantages of doing business as a partnership -- 3.6. Organization and management of a general partnership -- 3.7. Financial structure of a partnership -- 3.8. Dissolution, dissociation, winding up, and termination of the partnership -- 3.9. Other types of partnerships -- 3.10. The paralegal's role -- 3.11. Resources -- Summary --

4. Limited partnerships -- Introduction -- 4.1. An introduction to limited partnerships -- 4.2. Partners' rights and responsibilities -- 4.3. Advantages of doing business as a limited partnership -- 4.4. Disadvantages of doing business as a limited partnership -- 4.5. Organization and management of a limited partnership -- 4.6. Changes in partnership -- 4.7. Financial structure of a limited partnership -- 4.8. Dissolution, winding up, and termination of the limited partnership -- 4.9. Derivative actions -- 4.10. Family limited partnerships -- 4.11. The paralegal's role -- 4.12. Resources -- Summary -- 5. Limited liability partnerships and limited liability limited partnerships -- Introduction -- 5.1. Introduction to limited liability partnerships -- 5.2. Limitations on liability -- 5.3. Formation and operation of the limited liability partnership -- 5.4. Advantages and disadvantages of doing business as a limited liability partnership -- 5.5. Introduction to limited liability limited partnerships -- 5.6. General partner liability-- 5.7. Limited partner liability -- 5.8. Formation and operation of the limited liability limited partnership -- 5.9. Advantages and disadvantages of doing business as a limited liability partnership -- 5.10. The paralegal's role -- 5.11. Resources -- Summary --

6. Limited liability companies -- 6.1. An introduction to limited liability companies -- 6.2. Limited liability companies in the United States -- 6.3. Law governing limited liability companies -- 6.4. Advantages of doing business as a limited liability company -- 6.5. Disadvantages of doing business as a limited liability company -- 6.6. Limited liability company rights and powers -- 6.7. Members' rights and responsibilities -- 6.8. Organization and management of a limited liability company -- 6.9. Financial structure of a limited liability company -- 6.10. Limited liability company lawsuits -- 6.11. Dissolution of the limited liability company -- 6.12. Transacting business as a foreign limited liability company -- 6.13. The paralegal's role -- 6.14. Resources -- Summary -- 7. Corporations -- Introduction -- 7.1. An introduction to corporations -- 7.2. Corporations in the United States -- 7.3. Corporate rights and powers -- 7.4. Advantages of doing business as a corporation -- 7.5. Disadvantages of doing business as a corporation -- 7.6. Piercing the corporate veil -- 7.7. Types and classifications of corporations -- 7.8. The paralegal's role -- 7.9. Resources -- Summary --

8. Incorporations -- Introduction -- 8.1. Preincorporation matters -- 8.2. Incorporators -- 8.3. Corporate name -- 8.4. Articles of incorporation -- 8.5. Organizational meetings -- 8.6. Bylaws -- 8.7. Formation of special types of corporations -- 8.8. The paralegal' role -- 8.9. Resources -- Summary -- 9. The corporate organization -- Introduction -- 9.1. Authority and duties of directors -- 9.2. Personal liability of directors -- 9.3. Compensation and indemnification of directors -- 9.4. Election and term of directors -- 9.5. Board of directors meetings and resolutions -- 9.6. Corporate officers -- 9.7. White collar crime and corporate compliance programs -- 9.8. Shareholders' rights and responsibilities -- 9.9. Shareholder meetings -- 9.10. Restrictions on transfer of shares of corporate stock -- 9.11. Shareholder actions -- 9.12. The paralegal's role -- 9.13. Resources -- Summary -- 10. The corporate financial structure -- Introduction -- 10.1. Capitalization of the corporation -- 10.2. Equity financing -- 10.3. Par value -- 10.4. Consideration for shares of stock -- 10.5. Issuance of stock -- 10.6. Redemption of equity shares -- 10.7. Dividends -- 10.8. Stock splits -- 10.9. Debt financing -- 10.10. Equity capital v. debt capital -- 10.11. The paralegal's role -- 10.12. Resources -- Summary --

11. Public corporations and securities regulations -- Introduction -- 11.1. The public corporation -- 11.2. Securities and securities markets -- 11.3. The Securities and Exchange Commission -- 11.4. Federal regulation of securities offerings under the Securities Act of 1933 -- 11.5. Exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 -- 11.6. Antifraud provisions of the Securities Act -- 11.7. Federal regulations imposed on public corporations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 -- 11.8. Antifraud provisions under the Exchange Act -- 11.9. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 -- 11.10. State securities regulation, blue sky laws -- 11.11. State regulation of stock offerings -- 11.12. State securities regulation, antifraud provisions -- 11.13. The paralegal's role -- 11.14. Resources -- Summary -- 12. Mergers, acquisitions, and other changes to the corporate structure -- Introduction -- 12.1. Mergers and acquisitions in the United States -- 12.2. Statutory mergers and share exchanges -- 12.3. Statutory merger and share exchange procedures -- 12.4. Asset and stock acquisitions -- 12.5. Asset and stock acquisition procedures -- 12.6. Entity conversions -- 12.7. Amendments to articles of incorporation -- 12.8. Reorganizations -- 12.9. The paralegal's role -- 12.10. Resources -- Summary --

13. Foreign corporation qualification -- Introduction -- 13.1. Determining when foreign corporation qualification is necessary -- 13.2. Rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a foreign corporation -- 13.3. Qualification requirements -- 13.4. Amending the certificate of authority -- 13.5. Maintaining the good standing of the foreign corporation -- 13.6. Withdrawing from doing business as a foreign corporation -- 13.7. Registration of a corporate name -- 13.8. The paralegal's role -- 13.9. Resources -- Summary -- 14. Corporate dissolution -- Introduction -- 14.1. Voluntary dissolution -- 14.2. Involuntary dissolution -- 14.3. Corporate dissolution and bankruptcies -- 14.4. The paralegal's role -- 14.5. Resources -- Summary -- 15. Employee benefit plans and employment agreements -- Introduction -- 15.1. Executive compensation -- 15.2. Employee benefits -- 15.3. Qualified plans -- 15.4. Qualified pension plans -- 15.5. Nonqualified pension plans-- 15.6. Employee welfare benefit plans -- 15.7. Employment agreements -- 15.8. Drafting the employment agreement -- 15.9. Sample employment agreement -- 15.10. The paralegal's role -- 15.11. Resources -- Summary --

Appendix A. Secretary of State directory -- Appendix B. Online resources for the corporate paralegal -- Appendix C. Ethics for corporate paralegals -- Appendix D. Workplace scenario data -- Appendix E. Uniform Partnership Act -- Appendix F. Uniform Partnership Act (1997) -- Appendix G. Uniform Limited Partnership Act (1976) with 1985 Amendments -- Appendix H. Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2001) -- Appendix I. Uniform Limited Liability Company Act -- Appendix J. Excerpts from the Model Business Corporation Act -- Appendix K. Forms -- Glossary -- Index