Strategies for Protecting Your Business’s Intellectual Property
Before launching a business, entrepreneurs spend a substantial amount of time and money researching and developing their products or services. You may have worked with graphic designers and a marketing team to create a brand name and logo for your products or services. As the business grows and your products or services take off in […]
Purpose and Profits: A New Emerging Business Structure
It is a long-held capitalist axiom that businesses exist solely to make a profit. Typical for-profit corporations are legally required to act in the best interests of their shareholders, which means maximizing profits—often at the expense of other considerations. In fact, failure to focus strictly on profits can expose corporate leadership to shareholder litigation. But […]
Legal Considerations for Buying an Existing Business
Some entrepreneurs love the challenge of starting a new business and creating everything from scratch. However, that may not be the best approach for everyone. Buying an existing business can eliminate the initial legwork of establishing a customer base, training employees, and securing start-up funding, but it is not without its own challenges. As a […]
How to Resolve Deadlocks in Your LLC
Membership in a limited liability company (LLC) may come with voting rights. Member voting rights are addressed in the LLC operating agreement, which typically provides that LLC members must vote on several issues that are material to the continuance of the business. A unanimous or majority vote may be required depending upon the nature of […]
Personal Guarantees: What They Are and When They Are Required?
Your new business needs a capital infusion to get off the ground. The only problem is that a new business is not established enough to have generated a business credit report. It may also be lacking assets that can be used as loan collateral. Without a business credit report or business assets, lenders cannot judge […]
Considering Bankruptcy for Your Small Business? Here Is What You Need to Know
Starting a small business entails significant risk. You forego the security of a steady paycheck to create economic opportunities for yourself. Business failure rates have remained steady over the years, but the statistics are pretty daunting: by the five-year mark, around half of small businesses have failed. While the reasons for small business failure vary, […]
Voting Rights in LLCs: Who Has a Voice?
On average, 4 million new businesses are started each year in the United States. Many of those businesses are organized as limited liability companies (LLCs). Combining the benefits of a corporation and a partnership, an LLC protects its members’ personal assets from business liabilities, avoids double taxation, and provides flexibility regarding its operations, management, and […]
Voting Rights in LLCs: Who Has a Voice?
On average, 4 million new businesses are started each year in the United States. Many of those businesses are organized as limited liability companies (LLCs). Combining the benefits of a corporation and a partnership, an LLC protects its members’ personal assets from business liabilities, avoids double taxation, and provides flexibility regarding its operations, management, and […]
How Hiring Employees Increases Your Legal Risks
When hiring a new worker, companies have two choices: bring a new employee on board or hire an independent contractor. One of the main benefits of having employees is that you have much more control over the work they do. You can train them how you want, specify the hours they work, and require them […]
Legal Considerations in the Hiring Process
You are probably aware of employment laws that could create liabilities if your company fails to comply with them. However, even before a person becomes an employee, certain antidiscrimination laws protect them during the application process. Most employers must comply with employment laws enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Your state, county, […]