Law Offices of Ronald D. Jackson

Practice Philosophy

"Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it." -- Henry David Thoreau

I love practicing law, because I like helping people reach their dreams. The following principles summarize my practice philosophy:

Clear communications.

I take the time to clearly explain things, and show clients how the law can help them reach their business goals. The law can be mystifying and often intimidating even for highly skilled technical, professional, or business people. However, the way I see it, even the most difficult legal subject can be explained in a way that everyone can understand. I abhor legal mumbo-jumbo, because it confuses more than it enlightens. When working with clients, I keep things simple and direct. Of course, legal strategies are often "sophisticated," but that doesn't mean that they have to be "complicated." After all, clear advice based on substantial knowledge and experience is what you want when you hire a lawyer. The best legal solution is useless if you don't understand why it's best or how it solves your problem. I will not tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to know. My aim is to provide practical advice — in plain English. Legal advice that you can use to handle your business.

Focused practice areas.

I don't try to be all things to all clients. I concentrate my transactional practice by exclusively assisting innovative businesses and entrepreneurial individuals. Typically, my business clients are starting or operating emerging businesses that offer innovative, usually technology related goods or services. A common denominator is that the businesses are usually intellectual property intensive meaning they rely heavily on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and patentable inventions for success. I'm not a patent lawyer; when clients require patent related advice, they almost always trust me to find a suitable patent attorney to assist them.

By focusing my practice on emerging technology-oriented businesses, I've developed expertise and experience in the specific areas relevant to such companies. I know what is needed and can take immediate action on legal matters related to Internet applications development, software licensing, database agreements, employment agreements, equity incentive plans, capital fundraising, trademark prosecution, and related efforts.

My practice concerning real estate law is a natural outgrowth of my educational background and 20 years of experience working in the real estate development field. In another professional life, I was a project manager and department director with the Portland Development Commission. At PDC, I managed the South Waterfront Redevelopment Project.

Strong professional relationships.

My goal is to build strong professional relationships with clients. I seldom do "one-time" work. I usually begin working with a business client when he or she is planning to leave an existing employer to start a new business. Oftentimes, my initial tasks involve coaching the client on how to leave and start anew — without getting sued. After advising the client about how to set up the new business, I usually serve as the lawyer for the business entity providing on-going, regular legal assistance. For real estate investor clients, I leverage my background and experience in the real estate field to provide practical advice and insights, especially related to negotiations concerning the acquisition or disposition of investment properties.

Written fee agreements.

Our agreement on a scope of work, fee arrangements, and your payment of a retainer are prerequisites for my representation of you. For business clients, especially start-ups, I usually begin by reviewing the business plan to get an initial sense of a company's legal needs. Having a written plan helps to identify necessary tasks so I can best help you reach your goals. To the extent possible, I practice preventive law. By that I mean, I anticipate issues and bring them to your attention before matters become a crisis.

I adhere to a firm policy concerning cash retainers. Here's how the retainer process works. During the initial meeting, the prospective client and I review the relevant issues, and discuss an appropriate scope of legal services required to accomplish the objectives. If after the initial meeting, you want me to be your lawyer and I agree to representing you or your business, we will document the scope of work, schedule, cost, and payment arrangements in a written legal services retainer agreement. I ask all clients for a cash retainer. The amount of the retainer is based on the estimated cost of the legal work. I place the retainer in a trust account and use it to pay monthly legal fees and costs such as government filing fees. Each month I send the client a statement, which shows how retainer funds have been used. Clients are required to replenish the funds used in the trust account, and pay any monthly fees and costs that exceed available funds in the trust account. Always, clients maintain an agreed-upon minimum balance in the trust fund to cover future legal services.

Over the years, the legal services retainer approach has worked well for my clients and me. In a nutshell: I am your lawyer, and you are my client when we have a signed retainer agreement.