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LEGAL RESOURCES
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Business New Haven
10/9/1995
By: BNH
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Corporation Names
Naming your business may be a creative act; registering and protecting that name is an essential one. Contact the office of the Secretary of the State (203-566-8750), the U.S. Office of Patent and Trademark in Washington, D.C. (703-308-4358) or the Science Park Depository Library in New Haven (203-786-5447) to find out if you are entitled to the name you are choosing. These agencies check records to see if anyone else has reserved or registered your name or logo. If you're starting a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, you must register the name with the Secretary of State. You can reserve a company name for $30.
Incorporation Assistance
The state's Department of Economic Development's “One-Stop Business Registry” can provide quick information and referrals to businesses seeking licenses and permits. As part of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center Inc. (CERC), the Registry will generate a list of permits you need, along with the agencies to contact in order to apply for them. The Registry will soon be linked to computers in each state agency so that business owners can go to CERC and apply for all permits in one place. Call 800-392-2122.
Environmental Compliance
The first step to understanding environmental regulations that pertain to your business is to call the Department of Environmental Protection's ombudsman at 203-424-3003. The office can answer preliminary questions or refer you to the right source. The DEP also has a new User's Guide to Environmental Permits to help entrepreneurs through the permit process. To order a copy, call 203-424-3555. Other DEP offices can address specific questions: for hazardous waste disposal information call 203-424-3372; for questions related to indoor air quality, call 203-566-8167.
Businesses can also contact the Connecticut Technical Assistance Program(ConnTAP) for free, non-regulatory assistance with pollution prevention and waste reduction. Its engineers can visit your company's site and recommend alternatives to dispose of hazardous substances or other waste materials. ConnTAP's hotline is 203-244-0777.
Tax Matters
The state's Department of Revenue Services collects sales taxes, and you must obtain a state sales tax registration in order to pay them. The agency will provide information and fact sheets on tax liability, calendar and registration queries. Call 800-382-9463.
To find a good business accountant, call the state Board of Accountancy at 203-566-7835.
Labor Issues
The state's Department of Labor requires businesses employing workers to obtain a state unemployment tax number and to register with the department's Employment Security Division. Call 566-5160. For labor-related questions on overtime or hiring regulations, call the DOL's Wage and Workplace Standards Division at 566-3450.
If you're facing a workers compensation claim, you can call the Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission at 800-223-9675 for guidance.
Legal Guides and Other Publications
The Connecticut Small Business Development Center's Legal Guide for Connecticut Entrepreneurs is available by calling 486-4135. It covers a wide range of legal topics pertinent to the small business community.
The Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) publishes guides on practical labor issues such as employment laws and regulations, affirmative action and others human-resources subjects. Call 244-1900.
Legal Counseling
and Mediation
If you have a legal problem involving your business and choose not to hire a lawyer, the Quinnipiac College School of Law's Legal Clinic can provide legal representation and counseling if you meet their financial eligibility standards. Call 287-3238.
Another alternative is to bring your conflict to a mediator. If you check the Yellow Pages under Mediation Services there may be several mediators listed in your area. One reputable firm is Sta-Fed ADR Inc., which provides mediation, arbitration and early intervention services for disputes involving negligence, contracts, torts, civil rights, patents, bankruptcy, copyright and trademark, product liability and antitrust/unfair competition cases. Sta-Fed can be reached at 781-8070.
Finding a Lawyer
If you cannot get a reliable word-of-mouth referral, call the Connecticut Bar Association (721-0025) for the number of your local Lawyer Referral Service and licensed mediators. Another option is to visit your local library and consult the Martindale-Hubbell volume, a bar register listing all practicing attorneys in the U.S. and Canada, with notes on their specialty, legal training and professional background.
If you engaged a lawyer you believed to be scrupulous and competent but discovered otherwise, you may file a complaint at the Statewide Bar Counsel; complaint forms can be obtained by calling 203-568-5157, or at the clerk's office in Superior Court. If counsel finds reasonable cause to believe a lawyer has been engaged in unethical conduct, the case will be transferred to the statewide grievance committee for further review. A lawyer found to be in violation of practice standards can be reprimanded, suspended or disbarred
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