It often comes as a shock to first-time tenants that the financial responsibilities in a commercial lease go far beyond the monthly rent and security deposit. Some say being a commercial tenant is much more like home ownership than renting an apartment because the responsibilities of a commercial tenant are extensive and on-going. The commercial…
An operating agreement for a limited liability company (LLC) is essentially a “business pre-nup.” The owners are deciding in their own contract, in advance, how they will handle money and decisions during the business relationship and what happens when they break up. Yes, “when” not “if.” Business breakups are inevitable because life happens. A strong…
Maryland State Bar Association’s Advanced Business Law Institute On April 28, 2022, Natasha joined many of her fellow business law colleagues of the Maryland bar at the Maryland State Bar Association’s Advanced Business Law Institute. She provided guidance for analyzing post-Covid employment issues in the 2022 Employment Law Update for Business Lawyers presentation. DC SHRM…
Our co-founder and partner, Ginny Bonifacino, has been included on the D.C. Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2022 list in the Corporate and Business category. Super Lawyers recognizes attorneys that have excelled in peer recognition and professional achievement. No more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state are named to the Rising Stars list. Ginny…
Think you don’t have intangible assets? Think again. In today’s world, virtually every business has intellectual property and other intangible assets which add value to the business. In our practice, we see that almost all business relationships—B2B, B2C, employment, and vendor—present opportunities to protect, grow, and possibly monetize a company’s intellectual property and other intangible…
Deadlock occurs when the owners of a business cannot agree and, as a result, the business and affairs of the company cannot be conducted to the advantage of the owners generally. The discord can be over major decisions or a broader breakdown of the relationship. Either way, there is an extreme risk of business grinding…
All too common are stories of successful business owners forgetting to plan for an important part of the business plan – the Exit. Do you want to sell your business? Transfer it to a key employee or family member? Step back from the day-to-day operations but still have a sustaining income? Discussing your personal and…
Buying an established small business can be an attractive proposition. Often times, the seller is a seasoned and successful owner who has personal reasons to cash out. Rather than taking a risk on an unproven concept, the buyer can quantify the track record of earnings and the pipeline of sales which will bring near-term revenue. Could…
There is a general trend in the United States disfavoring non-compete provisions in NDAs and employment agreements. The laws are not retroactive but any agreements entered into after the effective date may be invalid if they contain a non-compete. In the DMV area, the current status of the law are: District of Columbia Starting October 1,…
A business’s most valuable assets are its trade secrets. Trade secrets make the business different and give it the competitive edge. To ensure that trade secrets maintain their value though, they must be kept SECRET. How does a business keep secrets? Some of the most important steps are: Use an NDA tailored to your business…
Every business has some sort of intellectual property – whether it is your logo, marketing materials, software, or recipes. This all is intellectual property. Learning to identify your business’s intellectual property and ensuring it is properly protected can add value to your business. The four types of intellectual property are: Copyright A copyright protects someone…
We’ve written about how there are four different types of intellectual property but were we wrong? Is there now a fifth? NFTs are non-fungible tokens, but what does that mean? NFTs are anything that is digital and unique that can be sold. It is a new form of media for art and anything else that…