Ten Steps to Take Before You File a Lawsuit
Before you file a lawsuit, you need to think through some important steps in the process. Make sure to take the following 10 steps into consideration before you file a lawsuit: Read More »
Organizing Your Testimony Before You Go to Court
Testimony is evidence given by a competent witness under oath. A witness is competent if he or she can communicate effectively on the stand and understands the duty to tell the truth. A witness may be called to give testimony only on evidence about which he or she has personal knowledge. Testimony is typically delivered orally by a witness at trial or in writing in the form of an affidavit or a deposition. Read More »
Alternative Dispute Resolution
If you are unable to settle a legal matter without some sort of assistance, there are several types of alternative dispute resolution available. Read More »
10 Tips for Presenting Your Case in Court
There are certain tricks of the trade to presenting your case in court. Following are 10 tips to help you in your efforts in presenting your case: Read More »
What Is the Most Common Legal Problem for Small Businesses?
Most small businesses’ legal troubles are the result of unclear agreements. Whether you’re dealing with employees, contractors, vendors, partners, investors or customers, it’s important to be clear up front and in writing. Small businesses routinely neglect to do this, instead preferring handshake deals — informal and legally ambiguous agreements. Read More »
OSHA Exceptions for Small Businesses
OSHA, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, is a federal agency with over two thousand inspectors who are responsible for enforcing the standards that improve workplace safety and health for employees all across the United States. Since 1970, OSHA has been instrumental in reducing occupational fatalities and on-the-job injuries and illnesses by almost 50 percent. Its mission remains the same as it was the day it was created: to make sure that the safety and health concerns of all American workers are being met. Read More »
My company is in its infancy. I'm worried that I'm going to make a crucial legal error. Are…
Small businesses make legal mistakes all the time — some of which can be disastrous and difficult to recover from. I’ve spent most of my career representing startups, and I’ve encountered small business owners making the same mistakes over and over. I’ve aggregated some of those issues here to help you avoid making the same errors yourself. Read More »
Is my small business required to comply with regulations that big businesses are subject to?
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 focuses on enterprise and public companies, and the majority of small business do not have to heed the new rules. The exceptions are small businesses that expect to become acquired by a publicly held company and small businesses that provide products or services to large corporations. In the latter case, the large corporations must work with their small business suppliers on compliance. Read More »
Federal and State Franchise Regulations
To ensure a full disclosure of all information relating to a franchise company prior to a franchisee taking on the business, franchise regulations have been put in place by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). While the disclosure process is lengthy and should always include an experienced franchise attorney, there are basic guidelines to the regulations that a small business owner should be aware of when considering franchising options. Read More »
What Should You Consider Before Getting a Lawyer?
If you think you’ve been ripped off in the marketplace, calm down and make a phone call or send a letter or email to the offending party or business before you contact a lawyer. Remember, when lawyers get involved, you literally lose control of the situation. Stay open to compromise and think rationally about resolving the problem to your satisfaction. Read More »
