As a merger and acquisition lawyer in Silicon Valley, I have been involved in numerous business transactions, from small startups transferring their technologies after getting acquired by other companies, to medium-sized and larger technology and pharmaceutical companies going public. With Facebook’s impending IPO, many companies in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa…
Has your business been misclassifying workers as independent contractors? If so, you should pay special attention to a recent IRS announcement of its new program giving a break to employers who voluntarily correct such misclassifications. With Silicon Valley being a technology hub, there are thousands of computer programmers and engineers…
Those endless representations and warranties in your acquisition agreement aren’t just for your merger and acquisition lawyer. Ignore them at your own risk. Mergers and acquisitions in San Jose and elsewhere are a lot more complex than those of the past when deals were closed with a handshake. As acquisition…
Cut the cost of your old unpaid traffic tickets in half! If one of your new year’s resolutions involves clearing out that old traffic ticket that you either failed to show up in court for, or just didn’t pay on time, a new Santa Clara County amnesty program may be…
With the new year comes new laws, and businesses in the San Jose area should be aware of the new California employment laws that are on the books in 2012. Ensuring compliance with these new laws is good for the bottom-line, as it will make for happy employees, who will…
Mileage Rate: Keeping up to date with the standard mileage rate is important for me as a business lawyer because I often drive to meetings, as well as for my small business clients in San Jose and all over Silicon Valley who will be using that rate to figure out…
Many profit-driven companies in California interested in providing a positive social and environmental impact experienced the problem of maintaining a fiduciary duty to their shareholders and being charitable and green at the same time. Effective January 1, 2012, this should be less of a problem as the state has adopted…
During the past few months, we have seen an increase in hiring from small startups and larger corporations here in San Jose and other parts of Silicon Valley. At this time of year, when companies are about to review Forms W-2 and 1099 for their workers, it is a good…
Starting in April, 2012, the EDD will calculate an ex-employee’s unemployment claim differently than it does now. Currently, the EDD calculates the unemployment claim based on a lookback period of one year ending two quarters prior to the termination of employment. In April, 2012, the EDD will calculate the claim…
As always, be careful when dealing with employees. I recently was contacted by a small business owner in Sunnyvale who was irate because her previous business attorney assisted her with a new alternative workweek schedule and all the employees agreed. Then, years later, they had to lay off some employees…