What do I do if my business is served with a subpoena for information about one or more of my customers? Hire a lawyer! Of course, this is exactly the answer you would expect from a lawyer. But it is indeed the very best thing to do in this situation. However, it is not necessarily required, depending upon the nature …
What You Need To Know About Business In 2021
Firm Partner, Don Kochersberger talks about the dollars tied to documentation. Failure to consider how you store and retain your business’ documents can be a very serious and costly mistake. Even if they have never seen the inside of a courtroom or been involved in a lawsuit, every business owner knows that litigation is ridiculously expensive and something to avoid …
Purchasing a Business That Has Debt.
Structuring the sale correctly will give you peace of mind and potentially save you thousands. Attorney Don Kochersberger weighs in on what to do when existing debt was not handled appropriately during the sale of a business. Dear Don, My boyfriend and I recently bought a business. It is a gym that my boyfriend has been a trainer at for …
What Counts as “Essential Business” in Today’s COVID-19 Environment?
Recently the Governor of New Mexico issued a stay at home instruction for New Mexicans. https://cv.nmhealth.org/2020/03/23/state-enacts-further-restrictions-to-stop-spread-including-stay-at-home-instruction/ The order lists what types of businesses have been deemed “essential business” but falls short of offering much detail other than that. The fact of the matter is many businesses provide products and services that their owners/managers certainly believe to be essential in today’s …
Are Handshake Deals Enforceable?
There is a common misperception that written contracts are required for any agreement to be enforceable. While it is almost always preferable to have a written contract, hopefully crafted by an attorney with an understanding of the issues related to the specific type of agreement contemplated, all is not necessarily lost if you do not. There are some types of …
Employees’ Discussion of Work Conditions: Including Pay
Do you tell your employees not to discuss their pay with each other? If you do, you are not alone … and you are violating the law. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 prohibits interfering with employees’ discussion of work conditions, including pay. If you are interested in more information, please contact us at 505-848-8581. In the meantime, this …
Social Media, Private Conversations and Your Business
In the fast-paced world of tweets, Facebook posts, and cell phone cameras, people often post before really thinking. Similarly, what is said in private conversation doesn’t always stay private these days. Recently a ‘private’ conversation between Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, and his girlfriend made big news and became the subject of both news streams and headlines, after a recording of …
Same-Sex Marriage and Business Partnerships
Owning a business with one’s spouse is a common—albeit arguably stressful at times—occurrence. At BLSW, we know that managing legal matters as a partnership—both in marriage and in business—is always easier with a strong and skilled team on your side, and we’re happy to help answer questions that arise with understanding the collaboration of marriage and business. On December 19, …
The Law and Alcohol Based Businesses
Mark Johnston, a California businessman, racked up half a million dollars in gambling debt over the course of two days. That news would likely be upsetting to anyone; however, Mr. Johnston is taking a different approach to dealing with his sky-high debts. His argument is that he should not be held accountable for the debt, and he is suing the …
The Super Bowl Ad Heard ‘Round the Country
When developing a communications and marketing plan for law practices, it’s often said that targeting is much more effective than casting a wide net. Apparently no one told that to personal injury attorney, Jamie Casino. Nobody except people in Savannah, Georgia had ever heard of Jamie Casino prior to the 2014 Super Bowl. But his over-the-top ad, which cost $35,000 …
