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Your business is only as strong as the agreements it runs on. Contracts define who owns what, who owes what, who’s responsible when something breaks, and what happens when a relationship ends. When they’re missing — or copied from a template that doesn’t fit — the gaps don’t show up until the worst moment: a partner walks, a customer refuses to pay, an employee leaves with your client list.
Compass Legal, PLLC helps North Texas businesses build a complete set of enforceable agreements, matched to their stage and their risks. We serve owners across Dallas, Denton, Collin, and Tarrant counties from our office in Carrollton. If you’re not sure where your gaps are, book a consultation — that’s exactly the question we answer.
It depends on your stage — and the best way to think about it is as a contract stack that grows with your business:
You don’t need everything on day one. You do need the right pieces before the situations they govern actually arise — because a contract you put in place after the dispute starts is too late.
The people who work for you need agreements that match their actual status. Employment agreements set compensation, duties, confidentiality obligations, and termination terms.
Independent-contractor agreements document the relationship correctly — misclassifying workers is one of the most common and expensive mistakes small businesses make, with tax and liability consequences.
For both, the quiet workhorses are the protective clauses: confidentiality, ownership of work product, and — where appropriate — non-solicitation of your clients and staff.
Your service agreement or master service agreement (MSA) is the contract that gets signed most often, so small flaws compound. A well-drafted customer agreement covers:
If you’re still working from a template you found online, a one-time professional rewrite of your core customer agreement is among the highest-leverage legal investments a service business can make.
On the buy side, you’re usually signing the other side’s paper — leases, software terms, supplier contracts, equipment agreements. These deserve real review before signature, because they’re drafted to protect the vendor, not you. Watch for auto-renewals, one-sided termination rights, and indemnification clauses that shift their risks onto you. Our contract preparation, review, and negotiation service covers exactly this process.
NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) protect confidential information — pricing, client lists, processes, plans — when you share it with employees, contractors, vendors, or potential buyers. They’re simple, inexpensive, and should be routine.
Non-competes are different. In Texas, they’re governed by Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 15.50, and they’re enforceable only if they’re ancillary to an otherwise enforceable agreement and reasonable in time, geography, and scope of activity. A non-compete that overreaches — unlimited duration, statewide geography for a local role, or a scope broader than the interest it protects — invites a court fight over its terms. The practical lesson: a carefully tailored non-compete protects you; a copied-and-pasted aggressive one may not. Non-solicitation agreements (covering clients and employees) are analyzed under the same framework and are often the more practical tool.
A valid Texas contract requires an offer, acceptance, mutual assent, and consideration (something of value exchanged by both sides), made by parties with capacity to agree, for a lawful purpose. Most contracts don’t legally have to be in writing — but some do, and all of them should be.
The Texas statute of frauds requires certain agreements to be in writing and signed to be enforceable, including:
Even where the law allows an oral deal, unwritten agreements turn into memory contests when relationships sour. Putting it in writing isn’t distrust; it’s clarity — and clarity is what keeps business relationships intact.
If your business has more than one owner, two documents matter more than all the rest combined.
The company agreement governs how your LLC actually works: ownership percentages, voting rights, profit distributions, who can bind the company, and how owners exit. Without one, the Texas Business Organizations Code’s default rules apply — and they rarely match what the owners assumed. Most owner disputes we see trace back to a missing or generic company agreement.
A buy-sell agreement answers the question every co-owned business eventually faces: what happens to an owner’s interest when they die, divorce, become disabled, retire, or simply want out? It sets the triggers, the valuation method, and the payment terms in advance — when everyone is still on good terms. Without one, those questions get answered in a dispute, often alongside a family law matter when divorce puts a business interest in play.
We’ll start with where your business is today: what agreements you have, what’s missing, and which gaps carry real risk. Then we’ll build or fix the documents in priority order, in plain English (or Spanish!), drafted for your business rather than adapted from someone else’s.
Many clients keep their stack current through ongoing general legal counsel support We don’t just draft documents. We help people move forward.
Often yes, but with two big problems. First, the Texas statute of frauds requires certain contracts — including real estate sales, agreements that can’t be performed within one year, and promises to pay another’s debt — to be in writing and signed. Second, even enforceable oral agreements are hard to prove when memories conflict. Any agreement that matters to your business should be in writing.
Yes, but only within limits set by Texas Business & Commerce Code § 15.50. A non-compete must be ancillary to an otherwise enforceable agreement and contain reasonable limits on time, geography, and the scope of restricted activity. Overbroad non-competes invite court battles over their terms. We draft non-competes and non-solicits tailored to the legitimate interest being protected, which is what makes them hold up.
A company agreement governs day-to-day ownership and operations of an LLC percentages, voting, distributions, and management authority. A buy-sell agreement governs ownership transitions: what happens to an owner’s interest upon death, disability, divorce, retirement, or voluntary exit, including how it’s valued and paid for. Multi-owner businesses generally need both, and they need to work together.
Yes, if the relationship involves meaningful money or risk. A clear service agreement defines scope, payment terms, liability limits, and how the relationship ends — which protects your revenue and prevents most disputes before they start. For repeat clients, a master service agreement with simple statements of work keeps each new project fast while the protections stay constant.
You can, but templates are written for nobody in particular, often for another state’s law, and they can’t tell you what’s missing for your situation. The expensive problems we see usually aren’t bad clauses — they’re absent ones. A practical middle path: have an attorney build your core agreements once, correctly, and reuse them with confidence.
It’s a written agreement documenting that a worker is an independent contractor rather than an employee — covering scope, payment, control, and ownership of work product.
Classification matters because misclassifying employees as contractors can trigger tax liability, penalties, and wage claims. The agreement should reflect the actual working relationship, and we help you structure both correctly.
Angela is an outstanding family law attorney. Not only does she really know the law inside out, she is compassionate and gets to know her clients intimately, to better be able to serve them. She is ethical and works diligently to achieve the best possible outcome for those she represents. I am grateful for Angela’s professionalism, swift responses, attention to details and being proactive in always communicating next steps in a clear and concise manner. She made a very stressful divorce process less daunting. She was collaborative, efficient and kinds throughout the process and her communication was stellar. Angela was a great recourse on questions pertaining not only to the divorce at hand, but the process as a whole. She took the time to explain the logistics of navigating the judicial system, in detail. This is a rare gift that eliminates stress, money waste and guess work. Angela did a fabulous job of understanding what my own priorities were and helping me find the best way to patiently work through the process to achieve those goals. I feel that with Angela as my attorney, I received excellent legal representation. Her professionalism is remarkable, along with her knowledge and execution of the law. This was an extremely sensitive and emotional time in my life and Angela handled this case from beginning to end with grace and professionalism in every aspect. I feel that when people are faced with the fear of the unknown and are then given a sense of peace throughout this unfamiliar legal process, then they have found the correct Legal Representation. I definitely found just that in Angela and for that I’m grateful. I’m moving forward with my new life on a very positive note, knowing that I was represented by the most professional and well-rounded attorney that anyone could ever ask for. You can take comfort in knowing that if you retain Angela for your legal needs, you have hired THE VERY BEST !! Angela projects a calm confidence in every situation and that’s clearly a result of the dedication, preparation, and experience that she put into representing her clients. She guided me through an extremely difficult and foreign process. She did not flinch when it was time to give me tough feedback and her advice and support has been right on the money. I feel blessed to be working with Angela as she had my back from day one. I would recommend Angela to people ready to be honest to themselves and to do what’s best for their families. Conscientious, smart, excellent trial lawyer. Ethical, honest and knowledgeable, Outstanding. Great advice. Informative, patient and transparent and keep me up to date on the process. Makes the process as stress-free and straightforward as possible. Thoughtful and detailed
Angela represented me in a very difficult and uncommon family case involving complex out-of-state issues. It was an emotionally challenging situation with many moving parts, and I truly appreciate the professionalism, dedication, and steady guidance she brought to the process. My case was not typical, and there were layers of complexity that I imagine are not encountered every day, yet she handled it with experience, composure, and persistence. I know that both Angela and Ashtyn worked extremely hard behind the scenes on my behalf. Their effort, preparation, and attention to detail did not go unnoticed, especially given how stressful and high-stakes the situation was for me and my family. Navigating a case like this requires not only legal skill but also patience and resilience, and I am grateful for the work they put in throughout the process. I was ultimately able to achieve the outcome I had hoped for, which meant a great deal to me. Having strong representation during such a vulnerable time made an important difference. Ashtyn was also an invaluable part of the team. This case was very emotionally taxing, and her support helped keep communication calm, organized, and manageable when things felt overwhelming. She was responsive, reassuring, and helped maintain a sense of stability during a very uncertain period. While no legal process is ever easy, I appreciate the professionalism, time, and effort both Angela and Ashtyn invested in my case. I am thankful for their work and the role they played in helping me move forward.
I highly recommend Angela for legal services. I’ve consulted with her on both family legal concerns and business-related matters, and each experience has strengthened my confidence in her professionalism and legal expertise. What stands out most about Angela is her honest, straightforward communication and practical approach. She takes the time to walk through realistic scenarios and potential outcomes so you fully understand your options before moving forward. That level of transparency earned my trust and appreciation for how she approaches her work. Angela strongly advocates for her clients’ best interests. She provides thoughtful, well-informed guidance and is responsive when questions arise, always following up with clear explanations and practical recommendations. If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, professional, and trustworthy attorney who communicates clearly and focuses on practical solutions, I confidently recommend Angela.
Angela at Compass Legal is not only an excellent attorney but also someone who genuinely cares about the people she serves. She listened carefully, and answered all my questions patiently. Her integrity and dedication truly stand out. I’m so grateful for her guidance and would trust her again without hesitation.
Magali has my full trust, and I wouldn’t want anyone else on my team. Her dedication and attention to detail in my case have gone far beyond my expectations. She took the time to walk me through every step of the process and has always been straightforward and honest.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing her in the courtroom, and all I can say is I’m grateful she’s on my side. She helped me set court ordered boundaries that keep my family safe and healthy, and she truly cares about the best interests of my daughter.
If you are thinking whether Compass Legal is the right fit for you, all I can say is they gave me peace of mind during one of the most difficult times in my life.
Angela is an amazing lawyer and has helped me with many legal matters. I trust her judgment and advice. She is easy to talk to and I always feel like she has my best interest at heart. I would recommend her to anyone that needs a great lawyer!!
Angela has proven to be very dedicated to her craft. She is knowledgeable and relates well with those she represents. I’d highly recommend her for her honesty and skillful representation.
Schedule a confidential consultation with Compass Legal, PLLC to discuss your family or business law matter and receive clear, strategic guidance tailored to your goals, challenges, and next steps.
(972) 292-8151