A Complicated Environment
Any entrepreneurial enterprise is going to have its own difficulties. Getting past them requires being willing to put up with a lot of setbacks, and continuously strive to push through them. Where there is a demand for services which can easily be met, there will likely be some legal area replete with unexpected restrictions.
Consider, as an example, running a theme park. There is usually a high demand for such clean, fun entertainment; but providing it in accordance with local laws will require having safety protocols in place, safety inspections, and in some cases (like bungee jumping) release forms.
When you push past entertainment that can be enjoyed by all, and begin working in areas that include liquor and other adult forms of entertainment, the difficulties compound.
Taxes
There are differing tax laws which will apply to certain businesses, and violating them could ultimately require criminal defense from an attorney. If you’re operating an establishment that sells alcohol, you can expect IRS audits. If you’re operating a business that has a sexual orientation, expect additional fees.
Insurance
With the theme park example, there is definitely a great deal of insurance coverage that will necessarily be required. When it comes to alcohol, there is also quite a bit of insurance law which can’t be ruled out. Sexually oriented businesses are definitely not immune.
Permitting and Licensing
Operating a business in accordance with the law requires working in congruence to permitting and licensing requirements local to your area. In Texas, this can be very complicated. If you’re charged with an infraction, or there is a protest filed against your business, it can end up undermining operations to the point that regular business quickly becomes impossible.
Issues like this tend to snowball, and if left unchecked can be very damaging. There are protections for such operations, however, and you may be able to fight certain legal restrictions with the right kind of legal representation.
Because “TABC code and local ordinances strictly govern sexually oriented or ‘adults only’ businesses,” according to Monshaugan and Van Huff attorneys, a Houston sexually oriented business licensing lawyer is essential to business.
Services To Look For
If you’re operating a business that has a sexually oriented nature, or may deal with what is considered by some legal authorities to be “vice” (as in the case of alcohol), then you’re going to need legal assistance in all these areas. When you’re on the hunt for solid representation, there are several legalities worth looking into closely.
You’re going to want liquor licensing and beverage code compliance to fully follow the law’s requirements, and need an attorney who can assure as much. Even obtaining a liquor license will likely require an administrative hearing. You can also expect there to be protest hearings involved, and you’ll need defense; especially if things don’t go your way in court. Your attorney should be familiar with the appeals process.
Getting legal assistance early on is one of the best ways to ensure that the formation of your “business entity” is solidly supported in a legal sense, and perfectly in compliance with all local laws. When you’re buying or selling a business, this is just as integral.
If the business you’re buying or selling has to do with sexually oriented services, because of the surrounding controversy which silhouettes this subject, going at it without legal counsel is a great way to waste time and ultimately fail at accomplishing that which you set out to do. The best way to go about it is to think of proper legal counsel as overhead, and proceed from there.
