Business Law

As a business owner and a business law attorney, I recognize that it is extremely important for successful companies to continue to look for ways in which they can connect with potential customers. I also believe that business owners should have a strong awareness of the current social and economic conditions of the areas where they operate. Perhaps that is why the recent announcement of a new product from Hasbro caught my attention in the way that it did. According to the toymaker, a new version of a classic board […]

By now, unfortunately, you are probably familiar with the typical responses to each new report of a mass shooting. On one side, there is a vocal contingent of politicians, concerned parents, and others pushing for stricter gun control laws while on the other side, there is an equally vocal group that insists that new laws are both unnecessary and possibly in violation of the Second Amendment to U.S. Constitution. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum, there is little question that mass shootings are tragic events that must […]

If you own a company that employs just one or two people, there is a good chance that you are very familiar with your employees. With that familiarity comes the trust that they will usually act in the best interests of your business. As time goes by and your company expands, however, you will probably need more employees, many of whom you might not know so well. Before you reach this stage, it is a good idea for you to create a list of company policies, guidelines, and procedures for […]

In my practice as a business law attorney, I have helped many clients realize their dreams of owning their own businesses—a large number of which are small businesses with just a few employees. While I certainly take a great deal of pride in assisting small business owners, I am troubled by what I see as a trend of business owners who have minimal or no plans for the future of their companies. By “future,” I mean the time after the business’s founder and first owner is no longer able or […]

I realize that it seems like I have been discussing quite a few trademark disputes over the last few months, and to be fair, I have done just that. First, it was the Tom Brady filing, then I mentioned trademarks when talking about choosing a good name for your business, and finally, I covered the lawsuit filed against Netflix by the company behind the Choose Your Own Adventure books. However, as a business law attorney, it is hard to ignore important items such as these when they come up, even […]

Depending upon the industry in which your company operates, you might need to be very careful to avoid violating existing trademarks and copyright protections. If you own a printing or publishing business, for example, you cannot sell or distribute any works without having the proper licensing rights in advance. In my practice as a business law attorney, I have helped many clients obtain the appropriate licenses for the products they wish to sell. I have also worked with others in securing trademark and copyright protections for their intellectual property. It […]

Whether you run a small, one-person business or you are on the board of a huge, multi-national commercial entity, it is important for you to be constantly thinking of ways to market your business. If your customer base begins to lose interest, your bottom line will inevitably suffer. This is even true for organizations that dominate their industry—including professional sports leagues with anti-trust exemptions. As a business law attorney, I am always interested to see how sports leagues such as the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and […]

As a business owner myself, I understand that owning a business takes a tremendous amount of dedication and work. You probably put your blood, sweat, and tears into helping your business grow. It is understandable that you may be hesitant to sell the business. It can be hard to know exactly when the right time is to sell a small business and move on to the next chapter in life. To figure out whether or not selling may be your best choice, you will need to take stock of your […]

As a business lawyer, I have helped many entrepreneurs launch their own startup businesses. Opening your own business can be a thrilling undertaking. Being your own boss and controlling exactly how your business is managed can bring you a great deal of satisfaction. Before you open a new business, you will need to choose a business name. The name you choose for your business in many ways becomes it identity. A good name will help grow your business while a poor name could be a major detriment. As you decide […]

If you are a small business owner, you know how important public relations and marketing is. Even if you offer the best products or services around, a major PR mistake can absolutely ruin your business’s reputation. In my experience as a business law attorney, I have seen companies make creative PR decisions that increased their brand awareness, brought in more customers, and significantly increased their profits. However, I have also seen businesses make hasty choices which seriously damaged the relationship between their company and the public. If you are a […]