While the vast majority of owners' complaints involving construction work on their home or building can be classified as "cosmetic" in nature, other seemingly minor issues should be considered defective work which can be problematic. Not only can they be costly to repair, but they can lead to more serious issues such as window or pipe installations that could cause damaging water intrusion; electrical problems can cause excessive energy consumption and possible fire hazards; and in rare cases innocent looking cracking could be a sign of structural failure or foundational problems.
Protecting a Trademark When a Product Gets Too Popular
Brand names are essential assets to any business. They identify, set apart and distinguish one product from another. And many companies strive to make their brand or product a household name.
However, there is a point where popularity actually works against a company. This can happen in cases of genericide.
Are dispute resolution clauses right for your business contracts?
The whole point of taking the time to carefully prepare business contracts prior to signing them is to mitigate the risk of litigation, which can not only hurt a company’s bottom line and reputation, it usually takes months or even years to resolve. As such, business owners will often turn to their legal counsel to help guide them toward contract features that can help reduce the risk of litigation and help facilitate resolutions.
One such tool business owners can use to avoid litigation connected to contract and business disputes is a dispute resolution clause -- also referred to as an arbitration clause. If negotiated effectively and customized to the contract and parties involved, a dispute resolution clause could become one of your company’s most value assets.
Do I Have to Go to Court to Resolve a Business Dispute?
When a business dispute arises, owners typically want to resolve it quickly, and they don't want to spend too much money to do so. This can seem impossible to do if your case goes to court, and indeed litigation can be the most time-consuming and expensive way to resolve a dispute.
Whether Starting or Expanding a Business, Avoid These 3 Mistakes
If you own a business, you've likely learned quite a few lessons about how to run your company. However, every phase of a business presents new challenges and new opportunities. This is true whether you are starting a brand-new business or expanding an existing one.
Three ways to protect your intellectual property
It takes years to build brand recognition and unique creations from scratch. In the age of the Internet, someone can steal logos, slogans, trade secrets, processes, designs and other forms of intellectual property in an instant. Once intellectual property (IP) is stolen, it can be difficult to contain. An attorney can help you understand and protect your rights after a former employee or competitor has stolen your information. However, businesses can take measures to protect their work proactively.
Managing Misconduct in the Workplace
Today's workplace culture looks very different than a generation - or even a decade - ago. More specifically, recent movements like the #MeToo movement have put a spotlight on illegal sexual harassment and misconduct, causing many companies to reevaluate their approach to such complaints.
Nike is the latest company to respond to allegations of widespread misconduct in the workplace, as well as complaints that leadership in the massive corporation failed to take the situation seriously. Recently, the company's CEO made a public apology to employees in an all-staff meeting.
What's In a Name? Possibly a Trademark Dispute
One of the most common examples of intellectual property that business owners should to protect it is a name - its business name, product name or, in limited circumstances, the name of a person.
Wage Violations Can Have Costly Consequences
One of the most common types of disputes that arise between employers and employees is a dispute involving wages. Whether an alleged violation is the result of an oversight or deliberate actions, it can have serious consequences for the employer - it's the newest craze by plaintiff's lawyers.
Should Age Requirement Be Lowered for Interstate CDL?
Driving a truck can be a grueling, demanding occupation, especially for drivers who travel across the country. Not only do drivers face the risk of getting in an accident, they also need to find ways to cope with the long hours of sitting behind the wheel. As such, it is important for trucking company owners to hire people capable of performing the job safely and in accordance with state and federal trucking laws.
