Outside Chief Legal

Business law firm for Gulf Coast companies. Outside General Counsel & Fractional CLO. Protecting and growing businesses from Mobile, AL.

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Florida's minimum wage hits $15.00/hr on Sept 30. The tipped cash wage rises to $11.98/hr.

It's the last voter-approved raise. Inflation adjustments follow.

Before then, check payroll, POS, and wage notices.
General information only. Not legal advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

The federal rule requiring many small businesses to report beneficial ownership to FinCEN is gone for good, not paused, effective August 14, 2026.

Certain foreign reporting companies may still have to report.

General information, not legal advice.
#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

A customer stops paying. It happens to almost every business eventually.

A clear contract, consistent records, and a follow-up process your team uses protect your position, and give you more options if it drags on.

General information, not legal advice.
#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Most business owners read a lease once, sign it, and never open it again.

Co-tenancy terms, relocation rights, personal guaranties, subletting limits sit quiet until a renewal, expansion, or sale forces it.

General information only. Not legal advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Alabama law generally begins with the position that a non-compete is void.

An agreement may be enforceable only if it fits a statutory exception, protects a legitimate business interest, and is reasonable in scope.

Full post:
https://t.co/D5TyVeKd4H

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

When a vendor experiences a data breach, the vendor generally notifies your business. Your business may then have to notify affected customers.

Do not wait for a breach to find out what your vendor contract requires.

Full post here: https://t.co/o4hFBhhswG

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

A hard decision gets easier once the worst realistic outcome is named.

Ask: if it happened, could the business absorb it? If not, slow down.

Risk-Free Strategy Session: https://t.co/FvhMdzc3G0

General information only. Not legal advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Florida's annual report deadline can be easy to miss.

For 2026, the statutory cutoff for Florida LLCs and corporations is 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, September 18. Administrative dissolution may occur the following Friday, September 25.

Full Blog Here: https://t.co/hXOAF7ia2F

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

The first year with outside counsel is rarely one dramatic result.

More often: contracts, hiring and compliance get attention before they turn urgent.

Risk-Free Strategy Session: [booking link]

General information only. Not legal advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

A multi-million-dollar company may still be a "small business" to the SBA.

The standard is set by industry, by receipts or by headcount.

General information only. Not legal, tax, lending, or government-contracting advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

New in Alabama Sept 1: credit card transaction fees are no longer subject to state sales or use tax.

Two older rules are easy to miss, too. Worth checking your POS setup.

https://t.co/d7X1Stv1iv

General information only. Not legal or tax advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Alabama's Personal Data Protection Act may apply if you process data on more than 25,000 Alabama consumers or get over 25% of gross revenue from selling data. Exemptions apply. Effective May 1, 2027.

General information only. Not legal advice.

#OCL #ProtectAndPromote

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

AI rarely gives an obviously wrong answer. It gives a plausible one, confidently. Plausible isn't the same as correct. Know which of your AI-assisted answers are actually worth double-checking.

#OutsideChiefLegal #GulfCoastBusiness

[Bradley Flowers @Bradleyflowers]

@hedgequote @outsidechieflgl

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Some questions need a CPA. Some need a lawyer. The costly ones need both, and most owners only call one.
Not sure which call to make first? Book a Risk-Free Strategy Session and find out.

#OutsideChiefLegal #GulfCoastBusiness

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Many business decisions that feel too risky to make aren't as risky as they seem. They have just never been named specifically.

Jordan ran that test on himself before starting the firm.

New episode with All Things Mobile: https://t.co/TEtJY9NUQn

#OutsideChiefLegal

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Two Outside Chief Legal attorneys were named to the 33rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. William R. Lancaster and Jordan W. Gerheim, recognized by their peers. @BestLawyers

#OutsideChiefLegal #BestLawyers #GulfCoastBusiness #LegalSupport #BusinessOwners

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Your first hire is also your first legal exposure.

Offer letter. Withholding registration. Workers comp. I-9. Written policy.

Most owners focus on the person, not the paperwork that protects them.

What do you wish you'd had ready before your first hire?

#AlabamaBusiness

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Your LLC isn't your business license. In Mobile, AL you need 3: a state, a county, and a separate City of Mobile license. Missing one is the most common mistake we see.

Book a Strategy Session: https://t.co/yC1BKUjbbL

#AlabamaBusiness #MobileAL

[Outside Chief Legal @outsidechieflgl]

Jordan spoke to the Mobile Legal Professional Association today on AI in the legal profession: where it helps, where it creates risk, and what firms need before using it.

https://t.co/U8KI520h4c

#LegalAI #LegalTech