Business Lawyer Serving
Savannah, GA

In this city, where historic streets intersect with modern enterprise, businesses are thriving, innovating, and shaping the city’s future. However, every opportunity comes with legal decisions that can have a significant impact on your company for years to come. At Battleson Law, we provide businesses with practical guidance and strategic counsel, helping you navigate complex legal matters with confidence.

As a trusted business law firm near Savannah, we turn complex legal issues into clear, practical guidance that supports your business goals. Exceptional legal counsel isn’t about billable hours or complicated jargon. It’s about understanding your business and helping you make informed decisions. Whether you’re negotiating a lease, planning a family succession, or protecting your market position, we provide guidance that keeps your company moving forward with confidence.

Founder Mark Battleson combines legal expertise with real-world business experience. With a law degree from Emory University and an MBA from the University of Michigan, he has negotiated billion-dollar transactions, managed complex investments, and witnessed firsthand how legal decisions impact the real world. That perspective shapes every engagement at Battleson Law: we think like business owners and craft solutions that align with your goals, both in the boardroom and beyond.

Our Comprehensive Practice Areas

Business & Employment Disputes

In this tightly connected business community, disputes can arise suddenly. These include key employees leaving with client lists, vendors delivering faulty materials, or tenants raising unexpected claims. Our corporate lawyer serving Savannah handles each business and employment dispute with a balance of legal precision and business judgment. We protect your immediate interests while preserving long-term relationships whenever possible, and taking decisive action when the circumstances demand it.

Business and Commercial Disputes: When partnerships break down or contracts fail, the consequences extend beyond legal fees, including supply chains stalling, cash flow tightening, and strategic plans grinding to a halt. We cut through the complexity by focusing on both the contractual details and the underlying business realities. Whether it’s breach of contract, shareholder disagreements, or vendor conflicts, we combine thorough legal analysis with practical business sense, knowing when to negotiate, mediate, or prepare for trial while protecting the relationships that matter.
Real Estate and Real Estate Investment Disputes: The real estate market in this area, ranging from historic renovations to port-area developments, presents unique legal challenges. Property disputes can involve historic preservation rules, environmental concerns, title issues, or partnership disagreements. We represent owners, developers, and investors in conflicts ranging from lease defaults to construction defects or investment partnership breakdowns. Our attorneys craft solutions that protect both current value and long-term potential.
Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, Non-Disclosure & Trade Secrets: For many businesses here, protecting confidential information is essential to survival. We draft enforceable restrictive covenants that respect employees’ rights and interests. Our team acts quickly when trade secrets are misappropriated or non-compete agreements are violated. Likewise, we defend employees facing overly broad restrictions, ensuring they can ethically utilize their skills and knowledge.
Employment Discrimination: Claims of discrimination can quickly damage a company’s reputation in a close-knit community like Savannah. We help employers prevent problems through proactive policies, training, and documentation. When claims arise, we conduct thorough investigations, communicate effectively with regulators, and provide a strong defense in litigation. Our team represents companies facing allegations of discrimination, retaliation, or hostile work environments across various industries.
Wage and Overtime Disputes (FLSA—Employee Compensation): Misclassifying employees or miscalculating overtime may seem minor until it triggers DOL audits or collective lawsuits. We guide businesses through FLSA compliance, helping them correctly classify workers, accurately calculate overtime, and maintain proper records. When disputes arise, whether in the form of individual claims or class actions, we act decisively to limit exposure and implement systems that prevent future issues from occurring.

Business / Corporate Law

Building a successful business requires more than ambition; it requires a strong legal foundation. From entity formation to operating agreements, contracts, and corporate governance, the legal framework you establish today will impact taxes, liability, fundraising, and operational flexibility for years to come. Our business attorney serving Savannah provides practical business and corpoprate law guidance that helps your company grow, adapt, and thrive.

Outsourced General Counsel: We serve as your external legal department, providing ongoing support for contracts, compliance, and strategic planning, all without the cost of full-time in-house counsel. Our attorneys learn your business, respond quickly to time-sensitive issues, and provide tailored guidance across employment, vendor negotiations, and corporate governance.
Entity Formation: Choosing the right structure, LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp, impacts taxes, liability, ownership, and your ability to raise capital. We explain the implications for your business goals, whether bootstrapping, seeking venture funding, or building a family business, ensuring the right foundation from day one.
Franchise Attorney: We help franchisees navigate Franchise Disclosure Documents, identifying key details such as fees, territory restrictions, renewal rights, and exit options. Whether buying, operating, or exiting a franchise, we protect your investment at every stage.
Business Contracts: Every agreement carries risk and defines obligations. We draft and review contracts to safeguard your interests, from vendor and customer agreements to licensing deals. For acquisitions, sales, and mergers, we manage due diligence, structure deals for tax efficiency and liability protection, and negotiate terms that support long-term success.
Business Transactions: Buying or selling a business is a defining moment for any entrepreneur. The deal’s structure, encompassing asset allocation, liability assignment, and post-closing obligations, impacts both immediate outcomes and long-term success. We handle the entire process, conducting thorough due diligence, structuring deals for tax efficiency and liability protection, and negotiating terms that ensure fair value. Whether acquiring a competitor, selling your company, or pursuing mergers, we help transactions close smoothly and position your business for lasting success.
Startup/Entrepreneur: Launching a business here means competing against established companies with deep resources and extensive experience. We help level the playing field by protecting intellectual property, structuring founder relationships, drafting key employment agreements, and establishing governance frameworks that support growth. With experience across various industries, we provide practical guidance tailored to your budget while building a robust legal foundation that supports your ambitions.
Buying / Selling a Business: Every business sale or acquisition carries high financial stakes and emotional complexity, especially in Savannah, where relationships often span generations. We represent both buyers and sellers, handling due diligence, negotiating terms, and managing all legal documentation through closing. Beyond completing the deal, we structure transactions to minimize taxes, allocate risks, address post-closing concerns like earnouts or consulting arrangements, and provide peace of mind for all parties involved.
Corporate Finance: The capital you bring into your business, and the terms attached, can either fuel growth or limit your flexibility. Whether through bank loans, private equity, venture capital, or alternative financing, we help you evaluate options and negotiate terms that protect control and operational freedom. Our practice for corporate law near Savannah identifies hidden risks, safeguards ownership interests, and structures financing to support sustainable growth without creating future problems.
ATM Business Attorney: The ATM industry’s regulatory complexity and cash-intensive nature present unique legal challenges that general practitioners often struggle to handle effectively. We guide ATM operators through federal and state compliance requirements, including Bank Secrecy Act obligations. We draft strong placement and processing agreements that protect your interests and conduct due diligence when scaling operations through acquisition. Our representation combines precise legal knowledge with practical business understanding specific to this specialized industry.
COAM (Coin Operated Amusement Machines) Lawyer: Georgia’s COAM industry is tightly regulated, and noncompliance can quickly halt operations. Our team assists clients in obtaining and maintaining Class A and B licenses, structures agreements to meet Georgia Lottery requirements, and responds effectively to enforcement actions. With a deep understanding of COAM regulations and Savannah-focused expertise, we help operators stay compliant, avoid costly penalties, and maximize revenue, whether they are starting or expanding existing operations.
Insurance Law: Insurance companies excel at collecting premiums but often resist paying legitimate claims. We hold insurers accountable by challenging unreasonable denials, pursuing coverage to which you’re entitled, and litigating bad faith practices when necessary. Our attorneys also review policies proactively to identify coverage gaps and strengthen protection before losses occur. With experience representing both policyholders and carriers, we understand how insurance companies operate and use that knowledge to ensure your coverage actually protects you when you need it most, providing clients with comprehensive representation.

Commercial Real Estate & Finance

The city’s commercial real estate landscape, ranging from River Street retail spaces to port-area industrial properties and suburban office developments, offers opportunities that are both numerous and complex. Every lease, financing arrangement, and construction project involves details that determine profitability for years ahead. Our business law practice near Savannah brings sophisticated real estate expertise to transactions where precision matters and overlooking key provisions can prove costly. Our legal professionals understand the unique demands of business real estate transactions in the state of Georgia.

Commercial Leasing: A commercial lease can commit your business to long-term financial obligations, often with hidden costs that can be substantial. We review base rent, CAM charges, percentage rent, personal guarantees, and inflexible terms to protect your bottom line. Whether leasing a storefront or a major distribution facility, we negotiate terms that provide flexibility for growth, contraction, or exit while safeguarding your interests.
Finance / Debt & Equity: Successful real estate financing requires both legal and market insight. We help clients secure bank loans, bridge financing, joint ventures, and private equity arrangements structured to support long-term success. From draw schedules to risk-sharing and capital allocation, we ensure financing aligns with project realities and maintains your control.
Construction Contracts & Dispute Resolution: Construction projects often encounter delays, cost fluctuations, design revisions, and site challenges. We draft contracts anticipating these issues, clearly defining responsibilities and remedies for nonperformance. When disputes arise, we resolve them efficiently through mechanics liens, payment bond claims, or litigation, keeping projects on track while protecting your financial interests.
Investment Partnership/Entity Structuring: Clear agreements are crucial to the success of real estate partnerships. We structure joint ventures and syndications addressing decision-making authority, capital obligations, profit distribution, partner exits, and tax allocation. Whether forming a two-person LLC or syndicating a multi-million-dollar development, our structures protect investments while supporting collaboration and shared goals.
Purchase and Sale Agreements: In competitive property markets, details separate smooth closings from costly problems. We draft and negotiate agreements covering due diligence, inspections, environmental liability, financing contingencies, title requirements, and casualty provisions. From owner-occupied buildings to complex investment assemblages, we structure every transaction to ensure secure, efficient closings.

New Loans, Refinancings & Loan Workouts

Capital fuels business growth, but poorly structured debt can strangle even profitable operations. Whether you’re seeking initial financing or restructuring obligations that have become unmanageable, our practice delivers guidance that protects you from predatory terms and unfavorable conditions. We provide legal representation throughout Georgia that helps businesses secure funding on terms they can actually live with.

Commercial Loans: Lenders present loan documents as “standard,” but every term is negotiable if you know what to request and why it matters. We review your loan agreements, identifying restrictive covenants that limit operational flexibility, personal guarantees that create unnecessary risk, and default triggers that could be activated during normal business fluctuations. Then we negotiate modifications that protect your assets, improve terms, and align obligations with your business realities. Our attorneys help companies across industries secure commercial financing with clarity and confidence.
SBA Loans: SBA loan programs offer attractive terms, including longer repayment periods, lower down payments, and competitive interest rates. However, navigating the application process and program requirements can be overwhelming for business owners unfamiliar with government lending. We guide you through every step, ensuring your application meets program standards, your business plan demonstrates viability, and your use of proceeds stays compliant with SBA rules. From preparing initial applications to understanding personal guarantee obligations and equipment resale restrictions, we make the SBA process manageable and successful.
General Franchise Loans: Financing a franchise presents unique challenges, as lenders evaluate not only your creditworthiness but also the franchisor’s track record, market saturation, and your operational plan. Our corporate attorney serving Savannah helps you structure financing that covers startup costs and initial operating losses, supports multi-unit expansion plans, and complies with franchise agreement requirements. Our goal remains straightforward: to secure funding, allowing you to open strong and operate profitably while managing the complex legal aspects of franchise financing.
Commercial Real Estate Loans: Financing commercial property requires local market knowledge and an understanding of what lenders expect from borrowers. We help you structure loans, balancing adequate proceeds against manageable debt service, limit personal exposure through appropriate entity structuring, and maximize return on investment through optimal leverage. Whether you’re buying a single property or assembling a portfolio, we ensure your financing strategy supports business objectives rather than constraining them.
Loan Default Workout: When cash flow tightens and loan payments become unsustainable, swift action can make the difference between recovery and collapse. We’ve negotiated numerous workouts, securing payment deferrals, interest rate reductions, and forbearance agreements preventing foreclosure. Our experience enables you to approach lenders strategically, protecting business assets, preserving banking relationships, and minimizing unnecessary losses while resolving default situations efficiently. The key is moving quickly before options narrow and lenders’ patience runs out.
Default Lease Agreements & Lease Disputes: A commercial lease default threatens not just your current location but your entire business operation. We negotiate with landlords, finding workable solutions that include rent deferrals matching revenue patterns, revenue-sharing arrangements reflecting market realities, or modified terms acknowledging changed conditions. When landlords breach lease obligations or act unreasonably, we enforce your rights and protect your investment. Our attorneys represent both landlords and tenants in commercial lease disputes throughout Georgia and South Carolina.

Why Savannah Businesses Choose Battleson Law

Experience From Both Sides of the Table

Mark Battleson brings perspective most attorneys lack: he’s been the client. Before building his law practice, he spent years as a business executive making the decisions you face daily. Should you take on debt or seek equity? How do you structure partnerships to prevent future conflicts? When do you negotiate, and when do you litigate? He’s negotiated billion-dollar transactions, managed complex investments, and experienced the long-term consequences of legal decisions made years earlier.

This isn’t theoretical knowledge. Mark earned his law degree from Emory University School of Law and his MBA from the University of Michigan. However, his real education came from working as an investment banker on Wall Street, serving as Capital Markets Director for the nation’s largest multifamily developer, and managing real estate portfolios nationwide. He’s been the frustrated client dealing with lawyers who don’t understand business realities, and he’s been the executive trying to close deals while managing legal risk. That dual perspective shapes everything at Battleson Law.

Direct Access, No Layers

We reject the traditional big-firm model where clients pay premium rates to work with junior associates while partners review work from a distance. When you hire Battleson Law, you work closely with experienced attorneys who understand your business and communicate clearly. No inflated overhead, no unnecessary layers – just straightforward answers, practical solutions, and strategies that protect your interests. We build relationships that extend beyond single transactions, providing clients with counsel they can rely on as their business evolves, while remaining focused on delivering excellence in every engagement.

Positioned to Serve You

While our offices are based in metro Atlanta, we serve Savannah businesses with the same commitment and responsiveness that we provide to our local clients. Our team is prepared to schedule consultations, handle urgent matters, and provide ongoing counsel throughout the state of Georgia. We’re positioned to respond when you need contracts reviewed before a deadline, when negotiations demand immediate attention, or when disputes require swift action. Distance doesn’t dilute our dedication or delay our response, as we understand the importance of timely legal services.

Our Office Locations:

Atlanta Headquarters: 1100 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30309
Perimeter Center: 050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 500, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Marietta: 1870 The Exchange SE, Marietta, GA 30339
Alpharetta: 13010 Morris Rd, Suite 600, Alpharetta, GA 30004

Building Your Legal Foundation

Your business is unique, and your legal strategy should reflect that reality. Our process begins with a consultation, during which we invest substantial time in understanding your goals, challenges, and growth trajectory. From there, we develop a legal roadmap helping you move decisively, avoid costly mistakes, and protect what you’ve built. You’ll leave with actionable steps, not vague warnings or theoretical concerns. This is the first step toward building a stronger legal foundation for your enterprise.

We guide businesses through four strategic stages:

Structural Optimization

We evaluate how your business is currently organized, examining its entity type, ownership structure, and key agreements to determine whether they still support your direction. Your LLC structure may restrict investment opportunities, or your operating agreement may fail to address potential disputes. We identify these vulnerabilities and recommend more efficient structures that support funding, flexibility, and tax advantages, while enabling smoother operations.

Growth Architecture

Successful businesses need legal frameworks that scale. We help you plan for expansion, whether that means bringing in investors or partners, acquiring competitors, entering new markets, or protecting intellectual property as you grow. By anticipating several steps ahead, we ensure that your legal foundation can handle both the opportunities and challenges that accompany growth.

Risk Mitigation

Legal risk isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits; it’s about anticipating problems before they materialize. We identify industry-specific risks, including employment issues, contract pitfalls, regulatory compliance gaps, and liability exposure, and then build protective measures that safeguard your business without creating bureaucratic gridlock. Our experience across multiple sectors enables us to understand the realities you face and comprehensively protect your operations, providing clients with the resources to manage risk effectively across all practice areas.

Implementation Roadmap

Great legal advice only matters if you can actually execute it. We convert strategy into specific steps: what needs to happen, when it should occur, and what it will cost. No jargon, no hidden fees, no projects left half-finished. You’ll have a clear plan aligned with your goals and keeping your business moving forward while addressing every critical legal need.

Secure Your Competitive Edge

In today’s competitive business environment, smart legal guidance is more than protection; it’s a strategic advantage. At Battleson Law, we help Savannah companies build, expand, and safeguard their success with practical solutions grounded in real-world experience. Our approach combines legal expertise with business insight, providing guidance that’s actionable, clear, and tailored to your specific goals.

Led by Mark Battleson, a business leader turned attorney, our firm understands the challenges entrepreneurs face because we’ve been there. Whether you’re launching a new venture, negotiating a key deal, or navigating a complex dispute, we provide the clarity, strategy, and results your business needs to stay competitive.

Take the next step for your company. Contact Battleson Law today to schedule a consultation and see how the right legal partner can help you grow with confidence.

Call Battleson Law 404.382.8149

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   Grant T. 
 22 November 2023
 
 
  Mark was great to work with. He helped me with a CRE deal I was investing in; helping me review the legal documents and taking the time to explain it to me in a way that was very easy to understand - and he was very responsive at all times. Would definitely recommend working with him
  
 
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   A. Parham 
 9 October 2023
 
 
  I can't say enough about Mark .He came in and saved my aunt home from a predator. Mark carried the torch thru court to the final sale of my aunt's home. He dealt with the Insurance company after they were slow in making payments after a water leak to the home which was pending sale. This man has our upmost respect and appreciation. He signed up for something that became larger than life for my aunt. Thank you Mark for keeping us grounded during this time. Wishing nothing but the best for him and his firm.

This situation became huge!
Again Thank you!!
Glenda Wynn/Angela Parham
  
 
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   John Billingsley 
 12 September 2023
 
 
  I had a great experience working with Battleson Law.   Mark quickly understood the payment issue our construction firm was experiencing.   We received full payment from the Owner a few weeks after contacting Battleson Law.
  
 
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   Nicole Ruffin 
 30 August 2023
 
 
  Mark is an extremely professional and diligent Attorney. He is also very knowledgeable in commercial lease matters and significantly helped us with negotiating a lease workout with our landlord. He advocates for his clients and we were completely satisfied with his high level of service. We would strongly recommend him.
  
 
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   Sarah Green 
 30 August 2023
 
 
  My husband and I are so glad we found Mark! He is an excellent attorney with tons of contract, business, and real estate knowledge and experience. He took the time to thoroughly advise and educate us about our situation. Trust me, he is worth every dollar! He saved us over $100k on a bad deal that we later discovered would have been financially devastating had we not hired Mark! Thank you again, Mark! We look forward to working with you again in the near future.
  
 
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   Tony Sanchez 
 17 July 2023
 
 
  Mark is a life-long friend and I reached out to him when our day-to-day attorney was having difficulty handling the complex sale of my family’s third-generation business.  The sale was to a large, private equity firm, with an operating partner that was rolling-up businesses in the auto repair space.  Just by reviewing the LOI, Mark immediately recognized holes in our deal that could have cost the family millions of dollars in:

lost lease/real estate value;
higher-risk earnout terms; and.
a lower overall return on the sale.

When we hired Mark, he jumped right in, created a strong relationship with the buyer and its counsel, as well as kept the family together during the stressful 6+ month process, including many late nights.  Ultimately, Mark re-worked the entire deal:

Asset Purchase Agreement (with complex, de-risked earn-out and equity participation);
Employment agreements for retained executives;
Non-competes, etc., and,
6 commercial leases on real estate owned by the Seller-principals and leased back to the new owner that added multiple millions of dollars of value.
Mark renegotiated economic and legal terms based on financial analysis he put together based on his past experience in institutional real estate investment and capital markets.

When it was all concluded, we couldn’t have been happier, and even the Buyer’s President specifically complimented Mark during the closing/funding call, indicating that he deserved special recognition for keeping the deal on track, when at times it looked like it might not close.

Best business decision we made was hiring Mark to represent us!  Couldn't have been happier with the outcome!

Thank you for all that you did, Mark!
  
 
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   Brandon Doyle 
 1 May 2023
 
 
  I started a business and needed an attorney but I had not used one before. I chose Mark because of his great reviews on multiple websites and I'm glad I did. He walked me through the entire process, made sure I didn't make any mistakes, and explained everything in plain English. Thank you Mark!
  
 
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   Ben Morgan 
 28 April 2023
 
 
  Had a GREAT experience working with Mark. He was super responsive and able to offer some fantastic legal and personal advice right away. I highly recommend.
  
 
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   Kris Landorf 
 21 April 2023
 
 
  Great service, great results. Would highly recommend!
  
 
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   Ronald Watson 
 21 February 2023
 
 
  I brought Mark into my lawsuit late in the game. He stayed on top of me to get the information he needed, worked with me to make me a better witness, stayed organized and fluid, and kept going until we won. Mark is a master at his craft. Hiring him really was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was the other reviews and my consultation with him that won my trust. It was one of those gut feeling things. I am the owner of a new company and he will represent all my future needs. Thank you Mark. Job well done.
  
 
  
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Business Lawyer Serving Savannah, GA