The term “intellectual property,” or “IP,” refers to intangible property that is the creation of a person’s mind. IP is given certain aspects of property rights by law. One way of looking at IP, is that it is the property right one possesses in information. McCarthy’s Encyclopedia of Intellectual Property…
Whether purchasing or leasing commercial real estate, where you decide to locate your business is critical. Some businesses remain in the same location for decades, even though major changes in ownership or operations. Some businesses are forced to move because they fall behind on rent, outgrow the space, simply close…
Last year, California legislators passed the Healthy Workplace Healthy Family Act of 2014, which provided the opportunity to accrue paid time off for sick leave to almost every California employee. The law allows qualifying employees who have worked at least 30 days to begin accrual and to use that sick…
To make your business distinguishable, it’s important to focus on choosing and trademarking a business name early on; this is essential to securing ownership of your new company. Here are 3 steps to choosing the name of your business and protecting it under trademark law. 3 Steps for Trademarking…
Even seasoned business professionals can benefit from having legal counsel on their side when making a purchasing decision. Here are 3 advantages of hiring an experienced lawyer to help when purchasing real estate commercially. 3 Advantages of Hiring a Lawyer for a Real Estate Purchase 1. Determine State-Specific Laws Real…
Some of the world’s most successful companies started as partnerships. Microsoft, Apple, McDonald’s, Warner Bros., Ben & Jerry’s, and Google are only some examples of now corporate giants that began with only two people working together to start a business. Unfortunately, many partnerships do not work as well, often because…
At the end of June 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) published several opinions, including the highly-publicized decision that ruled all bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. While most of America was focused on the equal rights decision, there were two additional decisions regarding the use and protections…
The robust expansion of the Internet and increased accessibility of Internet-enabled devices has provided entrepreneurs and existing businesses an easy and relatively inexpensive way to reach millions of people. One only needs to look the meteoric rise of companies like Amazon and Netflix to see the growth potential of an…
For many new and existing businesses, their intellectual property (IP) may be by far their most valuable asset. Intellectual property can include literary works, software code, processes, formulas, manufacturing specifications, marketing plans, or designs. In some cases, a company’s ideas may literally be their only asset – consider, for example,…
Commercial real estate transactions can be lucrative investments, however there may also be high risk due to the amount of money that is generally at stake. The following are some examples of legal issues that sometimes arise during the sale or purchase of commercial property. Accurate property valuation When…