Trade Secret Protections in Pennsylvania

Your trade secrets are the lifeblood of your company. If you lose them you could lose your business.   This is why I strongly advise you to make every effort to protect your trade secrets from theft or misappropriation. Trouble is, with today’s de facto work culture of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), your employees […]

Restricted Stock Units

By Bernard Williams One of the biggest challenges you face as a business owner is how to motivate and retain employees. It’s a multi-dimensional equation. Every employee is unique. But, when it comes to stock options and equity sharing, one of the most popular ways to keep the team motivated is by granting Restricted Stock […]

Leave Laws in Pennsylvania

Leave Laws in Pennsylvania In the United States, the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (“FMLA”) imposes on employers with Fifty (50) or more employees the requirement to provide to their employees an unpaid leave of up to Twelve (12) weeks.  States have enacted statutes and regulations imposing the requirements of the FMLA, and have […]

The Benefits of An Operating Agreement

The Benefits of An Operating Agreement By Bernard Williams This article discusses the importance of an operating agreement in connection with an LLC business structure.   Introduction The LLC is one of the most popular business structures today, and for good reason. With an LLC, your personal assets are protected from legal liabilities and debts. […]

Why Would an Acquirer Be Interested in My Business Today?

MusicMetric, a platform for measuring music and singer data from several different services, was recently acquired by Apple for around (unofficially) $50 million. The parent company, SeMetric, wasn’t necessarily making a profit from MusicMetric, but Apple obviously gave them an offer that made the owners and investors happy.  The purchase of SeMetric looks like a […]

Fair Labor Standards Act

Labor Standards

Fair Labor Standards Act: Overtime and Minimum Wage Standards The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (“FLSA”) is the United States’ main wage law.  It affects most employers in the U.S., even small businesses. The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector, and in the […]

Representations and Warranties in a Purchase Agreement

Agreement

Yes, the Representations and Warranties in a Purchase Agreement DO Matter   James Smith was ready to sell his business. He received his purchase agreement from the buyer and agreed on the terms, however there were pages and pages of representations and warranties. He figured this was standard procedure and didn’t think twice about it […]

The Importance of a Customized Internal Governance Document for your Business

Boardroom

Whether your business is a corporation, a limited liability company, or some other entity type, it is critical that your business has an internal governance document, typically in the form of either corporate bylaws or an operating agreement. An internal governance document that is customized to your business is important for the following reasons:   […]

Demystifying U.S. Provisional Patent Applications*

Provisional Patent in the making

U.S. provisional patent applications have been identified as a good way for inventors to protect their ideas.  While provisional patent applications are a good way to protect a new idea, it is important to keep a few simple thoughts in mind in this respect.  This article will briefly outline some of the advantages and pitfalls […]

What is the Right Legal Entity For My Business?

business charts graphs

Are you a baker with dreams of opening multiple locations to sell your tantalizing treats? Are you and three associates pooling resources to form a new tech startup? When you start a new business, you are rightfully passionate about your products or services. With all the excitement, it is easy to overlook the mundane details about organizing your […]