Business Law

One of the most challenging and time-consuming parts of being a small business owner is managing employees. In a recent post on this blog, I talked about several things to avoid when firing an employee. Employers must make sure to be clear when they dismiss an employee. A worker who does not understand why he or she was fired may sue for wrongful termination. Unfortunately, it can be all too easy to make mistakes such as these. In my practice as a business lawyer, I help business owners take steps […]

If you are a business owner, you probably spend a lot of time managing employees. Hiring and firing employees can be one of the most challenging tasks you encounter as a business owner. Letting an employee go is a stressful ordeal for everyone involved, not just the employee. Many employers procrastinate terminating an underperforming employee because they feel guilty or are unsure of exactly what to say during the termination meeting. Because every employee is unique, no two terminations will be the same. However, employment law experts do have several […]

When you hear the word “detention,” you probably think of a punishment for school students or perhaps the 1985 film The Breakfast Club. While this is the most common use of the word, any situation in which someone is detained is technically a type of detention. In the trucking industry, detention refers to the period of time that a truck driver spends at a warehouse or shipping facility waiting for the load that he or she will be hauling. Drivers are supposed to be compensated for detention time, but recent […]

As a business law attorney, I recognize that very few companies last forever. Even the most successful businesses with long and storied histories can reach a point where continuing operations might no longer be viable. Of course, when this happens to companies behind brands that are loved by the public, consumers are often left wondering how and why such a thing could occur. As we approach Valentine’s Day this year, people are starting to realize that a once-favorite candy is not on store shelves. For many, Sweethearts conversation hearts have […]

This Sunday, the New England Patriots will take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. The game will kickoff around 6:40 p.m. EST at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Of course, the Super Bowl represents much more than just the National Football League (NFL) championship. It is also a media spectacle and arguably the most-watched television event of the entire year. As a business law attorney, I understand why companies are willing to pay millions of dollars for ad spots during the big game. (This year, a 30-second […]

As a business law attorney, I understand that many factors can affect a company’s value, especially when the company has many shareholders or investors. Publicly-traded entities can be particularly prone to fluctuations. Any decisions or news that might impact the company in any way are likely to cause at least some changes in the company’s share price and the faith that investors have in the company. Earlier this month, news outlets were abuzz with the news that the online retail giant Amazon had passed Microsoft to become the most valuable […]

You have probably heard the maxim “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”—a saying that has long been attributed to 19th Century showman P.T. Barnum. While there is no definitive proof that Barnum ever said those words, the idea has certainly been echoed countless times over the years. As it applies to business, the basis of the statement is that any type of attention, including negative attention, will make people more aware of your company or brand. As a business law attorney, I realize that controversial publicity is not reserved […]

The shutdown of the federal government is now in its third week. While President Donald Trump continues to fight with Congress over funding for a physical barrier along the border between the United States and Mexico, an estimated 800,000 federal employees have either been furloughed or forced to work without pay. Most of these employees will probably receive back pay when the shutdown is resolved. However, there is another group of workers who have been affected by the shutdown who might never see any compensation. In my practice as a […]

For many small business owners, the threat of business litigation is always in the back of their mind. Studies show that as many as half of all small businesses become involved in business litigation at least once in any given year. Legal disputes which seem like only minor headaches can quickly snowball into extensive proceedings which damage your business’ bottom line. The following are the most common legal issues that small businesses in America often face. Unenforceable Agreements and Breach of Contract Disputes When any party included in a business […]