Business Law

If you own a business that relies on customers coming into your building—such as a bar, restaurant, retail establishment, or even professional practice with a waiting area—you probably have music playing at least sometimes. Maybe you have a radio that plays a particular local station for background music, or perhaps you use a streaming service like Spotify or Pandora to match the preferences of your customers more directly. If your business is a bar or a nightclub, your entertainment lineup might include live cover bands and karaoke. Copyright laws in […]

If you are like most employers, firing an employee is an experience you would like to avoid at all costs. Termination can be challenging not only on a personal level but on a professional level as well. If the proper steps are not taken to justify an employee’s termination, he or she could potentially bring a successful wrongful termination lawsuit against you. As a result of the claim, you may suffer irreparable harm to your business’s reputation and be required to pay expensive damages. The best way to ensure that […]

If you are a business owner, employee concerns may take up a great deal of your time. One employee issue that has made many headlines in the past several years is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a type of employment discrimination protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If an employee reports sexual harassment and an employer does not properly address the problem, the employer can be liable for damages to the employee and may subject to other negative consequences. Now that more and more people […]

Some people knew that they wanted to one day own a business when they were in elementary school. For others, the dream of business ownership came later in life. Buying a franchise is a great way to become a business owner while still benefiting from the guidance and leadership of a franchisor. Franchise owners have the huge advantage of buying into an existing business model and receiving ongoing assistance from the parent company. However, success is not guaranteed. It is essential that anyone thinking about purchasing a franchise do their […]

If you are an entrepreneur interested in starting a business, your mind is probably racing with ideas and possibilities. One of the most important things you can do to start your business off on the right foot is to create a detailed business plan. As the old saying goes, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” This statement is especially true in the business world. Approximately 80 percent of new businesses fail within their first year and a half. In order to give yourself the best chances possible of success, […]

Running a small business is no easy task. Not only do you need to offer a unique product or service, abide by all tax laws, and cover the cost of your overhead, but you must also ensure your employees are happy. To accomplish this, you need to know how to pay them properly. For most employees, this means offering them competitive hourly wages. Regarding sales staff, however, there are generally two types of compensation: salary and incentive, and determining which one is right for your business can be a tough […]

Well-written business contracts are the backbone of a successful business. If you own a business, you may deal with sales-related contracts such as purchase orders, bills of sale, and warranties. You probably manage employment contracts such as employee agreements, independent contractor agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-compete agreements, as well. Whatever types of contracts your business uses, it is essential that these contracts be written accurately and in a way that makes them legally enforceable. It is easy to make a mistake in a contract that changes the nature of the […]

Google, Yelp, Facebook, Angie’s List, Better Business Bureau, Foursquare, and a host of other websites allow customers to leave reviews about the businesses they frequent. While customer feedback is a valuable resource for any business owner, online review websites are also vulnerable to misuse. A person can leave a review for a business even if he or she has never interacted with the company. In addition, there is little stopping customers from posting reviews that are completely unfounded. If you are a business owner, you should be aware of how […]

The last six weeks or so have been like nothing any of us have ever experienced. In fact, most of us could never have imagined a real-world scenario in which our city, state, and country would need to be shut down almost entirely. Illinois has been under a shelter-in-place order since March 21, and many other states have similar orders in place. Unfortunately, the stress and uncertainty of the situation have caused many people to behave in ways that are uncharacteristic. Social media, for example, is full of emotionally-charged political […]

Business contracts are some of the most important elements of a successful business. However, when one party does not uphold its end of a business agreement, the other party can suffer considerable harm. A breach of contract occurs when one party does not fulfill the obligation it agreed to in a contract and the non-breaching party, or injured party, suffered financial harm as a result. The breaching party may be required to “remedy” the situation though one of several means. If your business has suffered due to a breach of […]