The jargon of the trade calls them “inventions assignment” or even more technically “employee proprietary information and inventions agreements”. In layman’s terms, it means if you “invent” something using your employer’s tools or facilities, information provided to you, contacts, proprietary information, or related to its […]
Corporations: What Are Bylaws and Why Does Your Business Need Them? Bylaws are the structure of how your business operates. Who gets to make what decisions, who doesn’t get to make decisions, how to resolve disputes among owners, how to bring in new owners and […]
Business succession plan: I’ve been hearing a lot about business succession planning since I’ve moved to Asheville. Let’s talk about what it means to make a succession plan for your exit from your business, whether through retirement, death or disability. First of all, succession planning […]
In this unfortunate day of the “consultant” and the independent contractor, many businesses see an opportunity to add to their work force or cut expenses with “temp” workers or independent contractors. However, there is a mish-mash of employment laws that need to be considered by […]
Liability protection. It’s something all business owners worry about, but in my experience the worry is often misplaced. Good insurance will cover most injury-type claims (slip and falls, car accidents). This article will outline when you should call your business lawyer to set up liability […]
Regulated professions. It’s a geeky hobby of mine, browsing through the statutes to see what interesting topics the legislature was thinking about. Like in Illinois where one needs to be licensed to engage in the business of removing eggs from their shells. Seriously. Here’s just […]
Limited Liability Companies. One of the things I find fascinating about limited liability companies – called LLC – is that the traditional concept of “ownership” of a business is split into three separate parts. Traditionally, especially in smaller or closely held corporations, “ownership” comes with […]
Congratulations on starting your new business! Hopefully you’ve worked with a good business attorney such as myself and an accountant to find and set up the proper legal entity. So now what? Here’s a new business checklist. One thing I’ve seen with small business owners […]
Business lawyer. Okay, an actual hug may cross the lines of professionalism. But here’s five solid reasons why your business attorney and his legal advice make you a better owner, with confidence that your business is running legally and efficiently. Let Your Business Lawyer Help […]
The corporate conglomerate. This post discusses ways to organize a business structure when one business “owns” (informally speaking) several disparate businesses. I have a client that owns a transportation company, landscaping company, barricade rental, and some other seemingly unrelated companies. Each has their own insurable […]