A quick scan of the headlines shows come confusion about the deal between AT&T and DirecTV. Some media outlets are calling it an acquisition while others say the 48 billion dollar purchase is a merger. Mergers and acquisitions are similar with a few important distinctions. In this post we’ll address…
Business is an ongoing back-and-forth between interested parties. Contract negotiations, whether they be with employees or a competing business, can be contentious. There’s a lot at stake and big feelings are involved. A successful contract negotiation is one where all parties feel they got something out of the deal. This…
Starting a business can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re opening a brick and mortar store or an online business, there are a lot of steps involved in turning your idea into reality. Creating a business plan and securing funding are a solid beginning; at this point you’ll also need to do…
If you are an employer in San Jose, you are most likely aware that on January 1, 2014, the minimum wage increased to $10.15 per hour for your business; California’s minimum wage increase was to $9 per hour. In addition to new employment laws, there, there have been other new…
I spend a lot of time talking to founders of Silicon Valley start-ups about the stock they will receive in exchange for their contributions to their new company, and then preparing restricted stock purchase agreements for the founders. In the last couple of blogs, I have discussed the issues surrounding…
At a recent conference with San Jose and Silicon Valley real estate owners and lenders, Attorneys Jack Easterbrook and Tamara Pow presented their “Top 10 List” of issues that commonly arise in commercial real estate loan transactions. Having been involved in countless real estate and commercial loan transactions, Tamara and…
Working with start-ups in San Jose, I have often had to counsel founders on the intricacies of business law as it relates to issuing stock. A large part of initial discussions with the founding group involves the funding needs of the new corporation, how shares will be divided, and the…
Attorneys Tamara Pow and Jack Easterbrook recently participated in a panel discussion of San Jose and Silicon Valley commercial real estate owners, lenders, borrowers and other professionals about issues arising in recent commercial real estate transactions. Jack and Tamara, at the conference, presented a “Top 10 List” of things to…
Practicing business law in Silicon Valley over the past year, I have seen start-up activity pick up. We are in that part of the cycle where the survivors of the not so great recession have decided that they are better off on their own and have decided to make their…
As a business and real estate attorney in California, I often assist clients in real estate transactions using Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 to defer the tax on the sale of their real estate by transferring the tax attributes of that property into a new, like-kind, property. IRC Section 1031…