VIAS para el
DESARROLLO

Providing legal services for a more equitable society

The Vision

Vías para el Desarrollo LLC (Pathways for Development) operates under the belief that we must move towards legal business structures that distribute power and ownership equally to all workers.  Common business structures focus power and ownership in the hands of a few members, and these structures tend to create power dynamics that leave those on the lower levels of hierarchy vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other issues.  The move towards more equitable business structures must also be accompanied by implementation of regenerative business practices and not just replicate extractive and harmful practices. 

The Mission

Vías seeks to provide folks and organizations seeking to build an equitable society with legal consulting to help achieve their goals.  Areas of focus include legal consulting for small businesses and nonprofits, with an emphasis on worker-owned cooperatives and worker self-directed non-profits. 

These services include advice, consultation, and drafting and/or review of contracts and agreements related to: business entity formation, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and business entity conversion, sale, and/or close. Vías also provides trainings and presentations to groups and organizations regarding a variety of legal topics.

Services

Vías provides legal services for businesses and nonprofits during three main stages:
(1) set up and formation, (2) continued maintenance, and (3) conversion, sale, or close. 

Vías provides consultation and advice, legal research, and drafting and/or review of contracts and agreements in all stages.

Set up and Formation

  • Advice regarding business entity choice
  • Drafting and filing of Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization
  • Preparation and facilitation of Organizational meeting
  • Applying for Employment Identification Number
  • Applying for tax-exempt status
  • Drafting opening policies and agreements

Continued Maintenance

  • Corporate Governance – helping clients comply with internal legal requirements
  • Regulatory compliance – helping clients comply with external legal requirements

Conversion, Sale, or Close

  • Conversion of a business into a worker-owned cooperative
  • Conversion of a nonprofit into a worker self-directed nonprofit
  • Sale of a business
  • Close or Dissolution of a business or nonprofit

Workshops

Are you a business or organization with a small business program? 
Are you looking for workshops or trainings to provide participants in your program?

Vías is open to creating workshops based on need and currently offers
trainings in the following areas:

  • Legal Business Structures
  • Legal Benefits of registering your business
  • What is an ITIN and how can you use one to open a business?
  • What is Discrimination and Retaliation and how does it look in the workplace?
  • Employee files: personnel files, pay records, and time records
  • Requirements for winding down and closing a business

Agustin Vega

Agustin is an attorney providing legal consultation (Vías para el Desarrollo LLC) for small businesses and nonprofits.  In particular he is looking to create and work with organizations that have or desire to have non-hierarchical management structures, such as worker-owned cooperatives and worker self-directed non-profits.