Employee relations can create complicated legal issues for any California company. Hiring, daily operations, performance reviews, and termination all create situations in which your company or your employee may face impaired legal rights. By clearing stating each party’s rights and responsibilities in a written document that is freely available to…
As your Silicon Valley startup grows, it’s hard to know whom to trust. You’ve likely gone from a close-knit group of founders invested in the confidentiality of your trade secrets to hiring at-will employees who are less concerned with secrecy. Both federal and state laws reflect the value placed on…
Intellectual property, defined as “any product of the human intellect that the law protects from unauthorized use by others,” isn’t a modern concept. In fact, the United States Constitution, through the “Intellectual Property Clause,” protects the intellectual property rights of authors and inventors in the arts and sciences. It is…
Selling your business can be an exciting time. An acquisition can represent a new stage of growth for a company. However, a poorly drafted acquisition agreement can also jeopardize the legal and financial interests of business owners who do not adequately prepare for such an event. What Issues Should Be…
Twenty years ago, the term “social media” meant an AOL instant message chat that likely wasn’t addressed in your employee handbook. But today, social media policies are workplace handbook essentials. Your employees may promote your company in one tweet while supporting viewpoints contrary to your corporate policies in the next.…
LLCs are a popular business entity that can provide comprehensive legal protection. Unfortunately, business owners who do not properly form or operate their LLCs can still be personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the business. Call Structure Law Group at 408-441-7500 to schedule a consultation with one of…
Many of the world’s most successful businesses began as garage-based partnerships. A family selling grandma’s cakes from its home in 2010 may have a national following by 2015. Unless you’re already a national corporation, most California-based businesses begin as partnerships or sole proprietorship’s. There’s a purpose behind every business entity…
For many California businesses, initial public offerings are a thing of the past. Founders of many startups now look to exit through acquisitions or asset sales. If you’re considering a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, don’t wait to prepare until you accept an offer. Properly preparing your company to minimize…
Human resources is a growing industry primarily because of the complicated federal, state, and local employment laws applicable to all businesses. From tax withholding and worker’s compensation insurance to non-discriminant hiring practices and immigration considerations, the hiring process can quickly overwhelm a business. The following specifications highlight the primary employment…
“Piercing the corporate veil” is a legal colloquialism used to describe the removal of corporate entity protection to hold shareholders or directors personally liable for corporate debts and liabilities. Limited corporate liability in California, whether through a limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, is the foundation of the…