When you map out your business planning for the new year, how does legal fit into it? For most, it’s an expense in the budget. But does it show up elsewhere in your planning? It should. Yes, legal is needed to “fix” things that go awry, but the real value of legal is in building... View Article
We all want to close deals quickly, without strife, and with financial flexibility. However, if professional relationships are just casual, you may lose that opportunity to improve cash flow and profitability. Don’t fear the best tool in your belt: Contracts. For businesses, formalized contracts are the most important tool to secure revenue and protect assets.... View Article
As COVID-19 continues to dictate workplace culture and operations, business owners struggle with fulfilling their contractual commitments to customers. With limited staff, facility closures, and constant uncertainty, you may find yourself asking, “What if I can’t fulfill my contract obligations?” It all comes down to prioritization – In challenging times, we need to prioritize contract... View Article
Nearly every business will need to sign a software license agreement to purchase and receive services. Many service providers will present a “boilerplate” or “standard” agreement. Still, the truth is, there is no such thing as a standard or boilerplate software license agreement. When investing in software, business owners must understand what the contract says... View Article
Avoiding employee disputes and lawsuits is the goal of employers, but even effective best practices won’t reduce all risks. So how do employers avoid the inevitable cost of employee disputes and lawsuits? Enter mandatory arbitration agreements, which prevent employee disputes from going to court. These agreements are typically part of employment agreements or as separate... View Article
When starting a business, few business owners consider the details and consequences of closing the business. But even closing a business, if not done the right way, can get a business owner in hot water. Recently, a popular and all-inclusive wedding venue in Everett, WA suddenly closed. Engaged couples with impending nuptials are without a... View Article
As if losing employees wasn’t distressing enough, a former Google executive’s recent criminal indictment for trade secret misappropriation has served as a reminder as to how messy things can get if proper precautions are not taken. Often times, a business’s success is largely attributed to a trade secret – whether it’s a list of valuable... View Article
We previously posted an article about the new non-compete legislation in Washington that was expected to be signed into law. Since that original article was posted, the bill was in fact signed and Washington employers should begin preparing for the new rules to take effect on January 1, 2020. But what do employers really need... View Article
For many companies, a commercial lease is one of the most critical and high-value contracts into which they’ll ever enter. While the average commercial lease term is between 3 to 5 years, these leases can run up to 10 years, plus extension periods. Unlike most other contracts that a business might sign, a commercial lease... View Article