Most business owners think about branding as a growth issue before a legal one. The name and visual identity of a company usually start as marketing decisions, then gradually become part of the intangible value the business has spent years building. Trademark disputes are uniquely disruptive exactly because they can invalidate all the work and […]
Confidentiality is an integral part of doing business. Companies, both small and large, have information or processes they believe give them an edge in the Darwinian world of economics, and any release of that data can undermine their ability to survive or thrive. This is the underlying idea behind Intellectual Property law, which helps enforce […]
In business litigation, one of the most critical early actions a plaintiff must take is to properly serve the defendant with legal notice. While it may seem like a procedural formality, service of process often determines whether a court will ultimately hear the case. Problems often arise when plaintiffs attempt to serve a company through […]
A common mistake for inexperienced commercial property owners is the assumption that they are fully protected as long as they carry a traditional property insurance policy. It is only when a serious accident or injury occurs on-premises that many discover they are exposed to far more financial and legal risk than they realized. As it […]
Universities encourage student innovation and inquiry, often sponsoring research projects that place undergraduates and graduate students in laboratory or field environments. When those experiments result in injury or damage, however, the question of liability can quickly become a legal quagmire. Institutions may be held responsible if it can be shown they failed to uphold their […]
Conversion, civil theft, and fraud are some of the most common types of property crime, impacting both individuals and businesses on a massive scale. As technology has developed, the methods of committing these crimes have become more sophisticated and difficult to spot. These offenses involve the misuse or unlawful taking of property and deception for […]
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) became effective on January 1, 2024, mandating certain companies to submit beneficial ownership information reports (BOI Reports) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The CTA, a crucial component of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, aims to enhance the anti-money laundering framework by fostering transparency in entity structures and […]
Laws impacting general business transactions and contracts grow more complex and numerous every decade. A business deal that might have been completed with a handshake and a single-page contract in the 1980s may now require a reasonable amount of time dedicated to incorporating specific facts, protections and legal provisions to ensure you are protected and […]
For business owners and entrepreneurs, intellectual property (IP) including trademarks, copyrights and patents are often one of their most valuable assets. Unfortunately, modern communications technology has made it very easy to steal and disseminate IP, making it extremely important that a business that depends on the strength of that IP knows how to defend it. […]
Real estate has always ranked near the top of lucrative investments available in liberalized economies, with many of the wealthiest people in history making their fortune in buying, selling, and developing land. It’s also one of the most capital-intensive forms of investment, as the supply is inherently limited by the space available in urban settings […]