goodcounsel

For the vibrant ecosystem of entrepreneurs and burgeoning startups across Illinois, navigating the legal landscape can often feel like a formidable challenge. This is where goodcounsel, a distinctive legal practice based in the heart of Chicago, steps in. Founded by Ken Obel, an attorney who understands the entrepreneurial journey firsthand, goodcounsel was established with a clear vision: to deliver legal services that truly resonate with the needs of growing businesses. Unlike traditional law firms, goodcounsel prides itself on balancing the inherent risk-taking spirit of entrepreneurship with the essential risk management that legal counsel provides.

goodcounsel serves privately-held ventures of all sizes, from the earliest stages of ideation to established, profitable businesses. They are innovators themselves, continuously seeking ways to offer efficient, inventive, and technology-enabled legal services. This commitment to modern legal practice means cutting through unnecessary jargon and streamlining legal processes, making vital legal support accessible and understandable for business founders. If you're an entrepreneur in Illinois looking for a legal partner who speaks your language and understands your unique challenges, goodcounsel offers a refreshing approach to legal services. As one satisfied client noted, goodcounsel is "Professional and helpful all around, highly recommended!"

goodcounsel is strategically located in one of Chicago’s most prominent and accessible areas, at 1 S Dearborn St 20th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603. This prime address in the city's bustling Central Loop makes it incredibly convenient for clients across Illinois to connect with their team. Situated in a modern office building, the firm benefits from excellent transport links, ensuring that both local Chicagoans and those traveling from greater Illinois can easily reach their downtown premises.

The office building at One South Dearborn is a hub of connectivity. For public transportation users, the 'L' train system offers multiple nearby stations. The Monroe Station, serving the Blue Line, is just a stone's throw away on the southwest corner of the plaza, offering direct access to O'Hare International Airport and various western neighborhoods. The Red Line's Monroe and Washington Stations are also conveniently located just one block southeast along State Street, connecting to diverse areas across the city. Additionally, the Madison Station, a mere two blocks east at Madison Avenue and Wabash Avenue, provides access to the Orange, Purple, Green, Pink, and Brown lines, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the Chicago metropolitan area.

For those commuting from beyond the city, several Metra commuter rail stations are within walking distance, making it an ideal location for clients coming from surrounding counties like Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, McHenry, and Kane. Numerous Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus routes also have stops within a few blocks of the office, offering broad accessibility. The central downtown location also means that taxis and rideshares are readily available, further simplifying travel to and from goodcounsel's office. This exceptional accessibility underlines goodcounsel's commitment to being a convenient and approachable legal resource for the Illinois entrepreneurial community.

goodcounsel specializes in providing comprehensive legal services tailored to the unique needs of early-stage companies, startups, and growing businesses. Their approach is designed to be efficient, technology-enabled, and client-value focused.

• Startup Formation & Governance: Assisting new ventures with legal entity formation, drafting governing documents for co-founders, and establishing sound corporate governance structures.

• Outside General Counsel Services: Acting as an integrated legal partner, serving as the primary point of contact for all legal needs, and coordinating with a network of subject matter specialists when required. This is offered through their "Counsel-as-a-ServiceSM" subscription packages.

• Venture Capital & Funding: Providing legal counsel for startups seeking to raise venture capital investment, including convertible notes, SAFE agreements, equity rounds, and other financing structures.

• Commercial Contracts: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements essential for business operations, including vendor agreements, customer contracts, licensing agreements, and terms of service.

• Intellectual Property: Advising on the protection of intellectual property, including trademarks and copyrights, and developing strategies to safeguard innovation.

• Employment Law: Offering guidance on employment matters, from drafting employment agreements and independent contractor agreements to advising on HR policies and compliance.

• Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): Assisting with the legal aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions for growing businesses.

goodcounsel stands out in the legal landscape due to several distinctive features and highlights that directly benefit its entrepreneurial clients in Illinois.

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: The firm was founded by an attorney with direct experience in starting and growing a business. This firsthand understanding translates into legal advice that is practical, business-savvy, and attuned to the risk-reward dynamic inherent in entrepreneurship.

• Value-Focused Billing: Breaking away from the traditional billable hour model, goodcounsel emphasizes client value. They offer a range of service plans, including fixed-fee projects and success-based fees, alongside traditional hourly billing. This flexibility allows clients to manage their legal budgets effectively and provides cost predictability.

• Technology-Enabled Efficiency: goodcounsel leverages technology to maximize efficiency and convenience for its clients. This approach helps to streamline legal processes, reduce overhead, and ultimately contribute to more accessible rates compared to many traditional law firms.

• Simplicity and Clarity: A core tenet of goodcounsel is to cut through legal jargon and simplify legal documents. This commitment ensures that entrepreneurs, who may not have extensive legal backgrounds, can fully understand their legal positions and make informed business decisions.

• Dedicated Team: The firm's attorneys are drawn from diverse backgrounds, often leaving comfortable positions at prestigious law firms because of a shared desire to serve entrepreneurs in an innovative and accessible way. This creates a cohesive team dedicated to their founding vision.

• "Professional and helpful all around, highly recommended!": This direct feedback from a real customer underscores the firm's commitment to excellent service and client satisfaction, showcasing their practical effectiveness and positive client relationships.

• Outside General Counsel Model: By serving as the central hub of a network of talented subject matter specialists, goodcounsel effectively acts as an outside general counsel, providing a single point of contact and accountability for all legal needs, without clients having to manage multiple law firms.

As a professional services firm catering to businesses, goodcounsel doesn't typically offer traditional "promotions" in the way a retail store might. However, their entire operational model is built around providing cost-effective and value-driven legal solutions, which can be seen as an ongoing "special offer" for entrepreneurs and startups in Illinois.

Their commitment to value is demonstrated through several key aspects:

• Flexible Billing Structures: goodcounsel provides a range of billing options beyond the standard hourly rate. This includes fixed-fee projects, which offer predictability and transparency for specific legal tasks, and success-based fees in certain situations, aligning their interests even more closely with their clients' achievements.

• "Counsel-as-a-ServiceSM" Subscription Packages: These ongoing packages offer a predictable monthly cost for general legal counsel, allowing early-stage companies to access consistent legal support without the burden of high upfront costs or unpredictable billing. This model effectively makes high-caliber legal advice more accessible and manageable for evolving businesses.

• Efficiency Through Technology: By leveraging cutting-edge technology, goodcounsel minimizes overhead and streamlines legal processes. This operational efficiency translates directly into lower costs for clients, providing a competitive advantage over firms with more traditional, less efficient structures.

These approaches reflect goodcounsel's core philosophy of providing impactful legal services that are both high in quality and economically sensible for the entrepreneurial community. They aim to be a long-term legal partner, offering consistent value rather than short-term discounts.

Connecting with goodcounsel is straightforward for anyone in the Illinois region looking for specialized legal support for their business.

• Address: 1 S Dearborn St 20th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

• Phone: (312) 380-9406

• Mobile Phone: +1 312-380-9406

Their central Chicago location ensures that they are easily reachable, whether you prefer to visit their office or communicate remotely. They are set up to provide seamless legal support to clients throughout the state.

For entrepreneurs, innovators, and growing businesses throughout Illinois, goodcounsel is more than just a law firm; it's a strategic partner perfectly suited to the local landscape. The firm's deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by early-stage companies is a significant advantage. Unlike general practice firms, goodcounsel's specialized focus means their legal advice is not only sound but also highly relevant and actionable for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. They speak the language of startups, understand the dynamics of venture capital, and appreciate the need for agile, practical solutions.

Their location in the heart of downtown Chicago further solidifies their suitability for locals. With unmatched accessibility via various public transportation networks, goodcounsel is within easy reach for founders based in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, or even those traveling from farther afield within Illinois. This convenience ensures that valuable time isn't wasted on commuting, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best: building their businesses.

Furthermore, goodcounsel's innovative approach to legal services, including flexible billing models like fixed fees and subscription packages, directly addresses a common pain point for startups: managing legal costs. This commitment to transparency and value, combined with their use of technology to enhance efficiency, makes high-quality legal counsel more attainable for emerging companies that might otherwise find traditional legal fees prohibitive. The glowing customer review, highlighting their professionalism and helpfulness, serves as a testament to their dedication. For any Illinois local embarking on or growing a business venture, goodcounsel provides the expert, accessible, and entrepreneur-friendly legal support necessary to navigate the path to success.