Business Formations
At Trautmann & Garcia, we are committed to providing quality legal services to our private clients seeking to form their own business. Whether you are creating a limited liability corporation, partnership, or corporation, our members are ready to assist with the formation, structure, company agreements, filing forms, permits, and licenses. We also assist with essential company documents, such as employee handbooks and policy manuals, and are seasoned in providing training to employees and management on various employment matters. In addition, the rapidly evolving business environment often requires private sector businesses to make changes to their existing corporate structure or acquire other businesses in order to achieve consistent growth. We have years of experience in advising private entities in these and related matters and stand ready and eager to impart our knowledge to you.
Education Law
School governance matters are the foundation of most school-district-related legal advice. As accomplished school lawyers, both Mr. Trautmann and Mr. Garcia can easily work with any school board and district administrators on legal issues facing school districts. Many school board decisions must clear some legal hurdles. Sometimes, outside factors exacerbate these hurdles, like in the case of the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency school board meetings can be necessary to address infection outbreaks and other operational disruptions due to COVID-19. The members of the Firm have provided stability to many school districts across the state. For example, they have written board resolutions in order to address novel scenarios and move district operations forward and have assisted with developing COVID-19 protocols.
Additionally, every two years, the Texas Legislature meets to make changes to state laws, including the Texas Education Code. The Texas Education Code is the foundation for nearly all school board powers and duties. But changes to the law do not come only from the Legislature. Indeed, modifications to existing school laws can also come from the decisions of the state or federal courts or the Commissioner of Education. The Firm stays abreast of these changes and provides updates to our clients in a timely fashion.
Lastly, our members have assisted districts in many school board governance matters and legal questions relating to District operations, including matters related to human resources, open records, contracts and procurement, parents and students, and special education. The Firm is keen on providing training to school boards and administration so that goals are aligned and more easily accomplished.
Labor & Employment
The Firm’s members have nearly 16 years of combined experience representing public and private clients in a wide variety of administrative matters, including administrative hearings before the Commissioner of Education, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, State Office of Administrative Hearings, and Texas Workforce Commission. This includes preparing responses to TWC claims for unemployment and EEOC charges of discrimination. The Firm stands ready and eager to assist all their clients’ employment matters.
Personnel issues are sometimes founded in horrible circumstances. Our members know the importance of keeping a cool head and providing precise legal advice to guide clients through employee misconduct. In order to be protected from various personnel issues, we encourage our clients to have proper controls in place to protect the rights of their businesses. Some of these controls include an employee handbook, job descriptions, and proper documentation of employee misconduct. With proper controls in place, employer liability can be kept to a minimum.
Litigation Defense
The Firm’s members have handled the defense of dozens of lawsuits in state and federal district courts regarding a variety of legal matters. Some examples include motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, torts, disability discrimination, sexual harassment and sex discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, First Amendment violations, evictions, and breach of contract. Our commitment to you starts at the trial court level, but our Firm’s members have experience representing our clients’ interests all the way to the Supreme Court of Texas. We prepare each case like it’s going to trial, and our legal strategy involves zealous advocacy combined with cost-effectiveness to reach the best resolution for our clients.
Public Finance
The Firm’s members have vast experience in public finance, having served as both issuer’s counsel and underwriters’ counsel in dozens of transactions–both large and small–for school districts, colleges, cities, and counties. This includes serving as counsel for general obligation bonds, governmental revenue bonds, maintenance tax notes, special district financings, and other types of public activity bonds. Mr. Trautmann and Mr. Garcia have also rendered approving opinions as co-counsel as to the validity and tax-exempt status of bond obligations.
Real Estate
The Firm is ready to assist in any real estate matter in the state of Texas, including property sales, commercial and residential leases, hunting/agricultural leases, closings, landlord-tenant disputes, purchase and sale agreements, and real estate disputes. Our Firm’s expertise in real estate law allows us to speak the language of the industry, which will undoubtedly lead to increased efficiency of services. Whether it is working with clients on purchases or sales, lease agreements, construction, and financing, or property taxes, the Firm’s knowledge in these areas gives it a strong advantage over the competition. Our experience in high-stakes negotiations gives us the resolve to get to the finish line and meet our clients’ needs in an expeditious manner.
Appellate Law
Most decisions of the county, state, and federal district courts of Texas can be appealed by the losing party to higher courts, including the Supreme Court of Texas and the United States Supreme Court. The importance of preserving arguments for appeal cannot be understated. Our Firm is intricately familiar with the process of appeal, including appeals to state administrative agencies. Our team meticulously reviews the record on appeal, including the court reporter’s transcript and all trial exhibits, to assist in crafting winning arguments and writing persuasive appellate briefs. Our lawyers are also proficient oral advocates, and focused dialogue aids higher courts in understanding why our clients should prevail on appeal. Involving our Firm as early as possible in your case ensures the best chance of success at all levels.
Contract Law
Our Firm’s members have significant experience handling contractual matters affecting school operations and private clients, including drafting and reviewing various types of contracts and memorandums of understanding. Careful contracting keeps litigation at bay and when litigation does come, keeps legal costs lower. The Firm’s attorneys provide contract review services, in addition to contract drafting services, with an eye toward minimizing or eliminating contractual disputes before they arise. In fact, the Firm’s members have over 16 years of combined experience drafting and analyzing construction, employment, and vendor contracts and handling contract negotiations and disputes. This also includes drafting agreements with cities and counties, and interlocal agreements between political subdivisions for the provision of various services, including recreation, transportation, and health and safety. The Firm offers their clients legal analysis of any proposed contract in order to assess risks and potential legal issues. It is not uncommon for busy clients to quickly review a contract without identifying legal pitfalls, so legal review by our Firm is highly recommended.