Articles Posted in Corporations

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AdobeStock_330254153-300x200Classifying workers as employees or independent contractors has many different legal implications. In recent years, massive litigation efforts from big companies like Uber have highlighted confusion in this area of the law. This confusion led to the passage of AB-5, which was signed into law in September 2019. The law creates a test for determining whether a worker should be properly classified as an employee or an independent contractor. Business owners should understand this law so they can apply it properly to all workers and thus avoid unnecessary liability.

How AB-5 Changed the Rules of Classification

The new test for classification is known as the “ABC Test”:

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AdobeStock_183215665-300x158A corporation is a legal entity that grants its shareholders and directors certain legal protections. While these members are generally protected from the debts of a business, it is not always the case. A plaintiff can “pierce the corporate veil” in certain situations, meaning that the court will hold the shareholder or director personally liable for the debts of the business. It also means that your personal assets can be used to satisfy business debts. Learn more about “piercing the corporate veil” – and what a corporate lawyer can do to help minimize your risk of liability.

What Is “Piercing the Corporate Veil?”

In common law, corporations have provided legal protections for their shareholders and directors. Shareholders and directors are not generally held personally liable for the debts of their business. In some limited circumstances, however, it might be possible to “pierce the corporate veil” of legal protection and hold them personally liable for corporate debts. Doing so allows plaintiffs to access the personal assets of shareholders and directors to satisfy the debts of the business.

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AdobeStock_185592300-300x200Business owners have been confronted with a host of costly legal issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those with employees, the risk of COVID lawsuits has been a serious concern from the earliest days of the pandemic. Most employers assume that any COVID lawsuits will be covered by their liability insurance. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case.

Workers Comp Lawsuits V. Personal Injury Lawsuits

First, it is important for employers to understand the difference between workers’ compensation coverage and liability coverage. Workers’ compensation coverage pays for any injury that employees sustain in the scope and course of their employment. The employee does not have to prove negligence – so long as the injury occurred on the job, it will be covered. If an employee believes they can prove that the employer was negligent, they can file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer. These lawsuits are not covered by workers’ compensation coverage. An employer must maintain a separate general liability policy to cover claims of this nature.

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AdobeStock_101676859-300x200Corporations are subject to many fiduciary rules that govern their operations. Most business persons are familiar with the prohibition on interested transactions and placing one’s own financial interests ahead of the company’s. Yet the application of this rule varies widely from state to state. The Delaware Supreme Court has recently issued a ruling that will apply to the many businesses which fall under Delaware’s state laws of corporate governance. Learn more about the standard of review for interested transactions between a controlling shareholder and their subsidiary company:

In re MFW

The litigation started with a dispute between the shareholders of M&F Worldwide (MFW). A merger was proposed between the controlling stockholder and a subsidiary company. Minority shareholders objected to the merger and brought suit to stop it. Prior case law had subjected such transactions to the stringent standard of “entire fairness.” Yet, in this case, where there were two important procedural safeguards protecting the minority interest, the Court of Chancery held that the more lenient “business judgment” standard could be applied. The ruling was appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court. Because the Supreme Court affirmed the ruling, it has created a new legal standard under Delaware law.

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AdobeStock_268338488-300x191California business owners know that social media marketing is the way to reach today’s consumers. Many businesses have sought to and built successful relationships with social media influencers for effective content creation. However, there are legal issues that can arise in such business relationships. The Los Angeles business lawyers at Structure Law Group can help you prevent problems in the following areas:

Written Contracts

Some influencers have pre-printed contracts that they use as a standard for all transactions while others expect the business owner to take the lead in drafting contract terms. In either event, it is imperative that business owners carefully consider all the legal implications of a commission/commissioned work or contractual relationship of this type. Many contractual relationship problems can be prevented with unambiguous terms written into an enforceable legal contract. Here is just a small list of the terms that should be considered when entering into this type of contractual relationship:

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AdobeStock_183500602-300x200Business owners in Silicon Valley are well acquainted with all kinds of legal contracts. It is important to know your legal rights – as well as your obligations – under any contract. Many contractors try to bully others with threats of breach of contract and costly litigation. The experienced contract lawyers at Structure Law Group are here to help your business handle all types of breach of contract issues. Here are some of the most common disputes:

A Vendor’s Breach of Contract

Most businesses must enter into vendor contracts to get the goods and services necessary for their daily operations. If these vendors breach their contractual obligations, your business could be left unable to deliver on its own contractual duties to customers. A well-drafted vendor contract can help prevent confusion or ambiguity. Our contract attorneys can also help you determine the best course of action when a vendor breaches a contract. While litigation is sometimes necessary, it is not always worth the cost of a damaged business relationship with a trusted partner. An experienced contracts lawyer will be able to give you options for handling the problem.

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AdobeStock_326855505-300x204Courts across the United States have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With court closures, modifications of hours, countless restrictions, and case backlogs, courts (and litigants) have faced unique challenges.

As courts in California and across the country still face a significant backlog of cases due to the pandemic, many courts have embraced technology and are expected to continue using video and audio platforms and holding virtual hearings, depositions, and even trials in an attempt to improve public safety.

Below, we will talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed California’s Superior Courts.

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AdobeStock_459683513-300x200Whenever a new president takes office, the business world speculates how their policies will affect corporate law and business. This speculation leads to some wild trading on the stock market, but business owners know they must take a more measured approach. The corporate lawyers at Structure Law Group are here to help you examine new Biden Administration policies and strategically plan for the effects they will have on your business.

Taxes

The Biden Administration has made no secret that its tax priorities are widely divergent from the tax policies of the Trump Administration. In general, the Biden tax policies are designed to curb the large tax breaks for large companies and wealthy individuals that were widely available under the Trump administration’s tax policies. Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda is focused on improving financial security for the middle class by easing tax burdens. U.S. Bank reports that these changes could affect taxpayers who:

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There are very few aspects of business that were not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and remote work caused immediate problems, which have experienced some relief as the public health crisis is coming under control. As a result, there are significant changes that business owners must make to accommodate our new world. Mergers and acquisitions must still be performed carefully even within the parameters of a global public health crisis. This article explores how the pandemic has affected due diligence, deal terms, and contingencies for corporate M&A in the era of COVID.

Due Diligence Issues

Due diligence requires thorough attention to often voluminous and complex details. During the pandemic, it became clear how much work could be done remotely. That said, there are still certain things that must be reviewed in person. Profit and loss statements are not reliable if they are not supported by evidence obtained through in person review of various business operations, and new technology and other tangible products must be thoroughly examined in person to assess their market viability. It is critical for business owners not to cut corners on due diligence, even with the pandemic’s limitations. Our corporate lawyers know how to develop creative solutions for meeting due diligence obligations given these limitations.

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AdobeStock_189991100-300x200In 2018, lawmakers in California extended sexual harassment training requirements to employers who employ five or more employees and required such training for both supervisors and non-supervisors. When the law passed, the original deadline to complete anti-harassment training was set to January 1, 2020.

However, in 2019, California extended the deadline for initial compliance to January 1, 2021. Under the sexual harassment training requirements, covered employers (companies with at least five employees) must provide:

  • One hour of training to non-supervisory employees; and
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