Articles Posted in Business Transactions

AdobeStock_56492391-300x200Whether you are looking to fund your next startup or you have an existing business that is well on its way to financial success, it is always a good idea to work with an experienced business attorney who can provide you with valuable advice and legal representation. Especially in California’s ever-changing business climate, having a lawyer is a necessity. That is why the Los Angeles business attorneys at Structure Law Group are here to help your business reach its full potential.

Four Ways Structure Law Group, LLP Can Help Your Los Angeles Start-Up

Some business owners look at hiring an attorney as an unnecessary expense. But the reality is that every business has to deal with legal issues on a daily basis. And you will be in a much stronger position if you have an experienced attorney at your side.

AdobeStock_602180598-300x207While people often associate the individual terms in the phrase “mergers and acquisitions” (M&A) as essentially meaning the same thing, they are actually quite different. An acquisition describes one company taking over another company to establish itself as a new owner, while a merger refers to two companies of similar sizes joining forces to move forward as a single new entity.

M&As are extremely common in today’s business environment, but they are also incredibly complex, and many hopeful deals instead end up in litigation. You can avoid many of the struggles associated with M&As when you work with an experienced M&A attorney in LA.

Why M&A Transactions End Up in Litigation

AdobeStock_360567208-300x200Each year brings new changes to the laws governing the relationship between California businesses and their employees. And 2023 has certainly been an active year on that front. There are a number of new laws–and changes to existing laws–that all employers need to be aware of.  If you have specific questions about how these new laws will affect your business, the California employment lawyers at Structure Law Group are here to help.

Here is a brief rundown of some of the more critical new employment laws to keep in mind as your business continues to navigate 2023:

Higher Minimum Wage

AdobeStock_390212429-300x200Intellectual property theft costs businesses billions each year. If you believe that someone is misusing your patent, copyright, or trademark, you need to act quickly to protect your interests. The California intellectual property attorneys at Structure Law Group, LLP discuss how to respond to IP theft issues.

Types of intellectual property

Companies have legal protection over patented designs or processes, trademarks, and copyrights. Trade secrets are something else entirely. Theft of patents, trademarks, or copyrights can result in lawsuits against other companies or individuals.

AdobeStock_308752576-300x200Many business owners form limited liability companies (LLCs) or corporations specifically to create a business entity that will be separate from themselves and spare them personal liability. The alter ego theory often applies in many cases in which parties seek to “pierce the corporate veil” and hold a corporate officer accountable for their company’s misdeeds, and any person facing these types of issues will want to quickly contact a Texas corporate attorney.

The alter ego theory establishes that people can be liable when they are using a corporation to engage in fraud and shield themselves from liability. While courts have long recognized most business entities as being legitimately free from liability, the alter ego theory allows courts to impose liability on bad actors.

Texas Laws Relating to Alter Ego

AdobeStock_232564567-300x200Many small business owners in Texas need to account for the future of the ownership and continuity of their business, and a buy-sell agreement will often accomplish these goals. When you need help crafting a buy-sell agreement, make sure you are working with a skilled Texas business attorney.

Texas Buy-sell agreements can come into play for both unforeseen and foreseen events among owners, including a business partner dying, becoming disabled, getting divorced, or declaring bankruptcy. Other complications can include a business partner changing their vision for the company, losing interest in the business, needing a cash infusion, or acting in bad faith.

Necessary Elements of a Buy-Sell Agreement

AdobeStock_360567140-300x200California Governor Gavin Newsom signed several laws in 2022 that will have a significant impact on employers throughout the state, with some laws becoming effective the moment they were signed and others becoming effective as of January 1, 2023. It is important for all employers to know that New Year’s Day marked the first day of the state’s new minimum wage for all employees that is set to be $15.50 per hour, regardless of employer size. As a business owner in California, you should be aware of the following new laws that have gone into effect in 2023. By familiarizing yourself with these new laws, you can help ensure that your business remains compliant and up to date with the latest regulations.

New employment laws in California relate to many different topics, ranging from off-duty marijuana use to leaves of absence to reproductive rights. If you’re facing a business litigation concern, make sure you seek out an experienced California business attorney at Structure Law, Group, LLP. With so many changes in the law, it’s important to stay informed and get the help you need to make sure you’re in compliance with all relevant laws.

To help you stay informed, here is a brief overview of some of the new laws that have gone into effect in 2023:

AdobeStock_168060971-300x200Prop 19 is now effective in California. The new law makes changes to existing property tax laws, so it is important for homeowners to understand how their tax obligations can change under the new rules. Business owners must also be prepared for changes to property tax assessments on corporate real estate holdings. Learn more about the changes to state property tax laws, what business owners need to do to prepare for these changes, and how a California corporate attorney can help you determine the best way to manage real estate assets held by your business. With advanced planning, your business will be prepared to meet its tax obligations without compromising its financial goals.

What Is Prop 19?

According to the Office of the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder, Prop 19 makes changes to certain state property tax benefits. The law is an amendment to the state constitution that limits certain property tax benefits to make them available to others who need them. For example, this amendment requires an owner who inherits family property to use the home as a primary residence in order to retain the lower property value assessment for tax purposes. On the other hand, a homeowner who is over 55 years of age, disabled, or the victim of a wildfire or natural disaster may transfer a low property tax base on a replacement residence up to three times. These amendments have large impacts on families, especially in the bay area where the value of homes have increased significantly for many individuals who are now looking to pass the property on to their children.

AdobeStock_219561092-300x200Tokenization is the process in which you replace sensitive data such as a credit card number with a non-sensitive equivalent known as a token, and real estate tokenization refers to creating tokens on the blockchain and assigning them to real estate properties that already exist or are currently under construction. Tokens may represent an interest in real estate but can also raise capital for development investments.

If you are new to the tokenization process, you will understandably have a lot of questions about how it works and what you can do. You will want to make sure you are working with an experienced Silicon Valley blockchain attorney at Structure Law Group, LLP, who can guide you through the entire process and help you achieve the results you desire.

Real Estate Problems Tokenization Can Solve

AdobeStock_104337814-300x233Data breaches continue to make the news as more individuals have their personal information exposed to hackers. The hackers can then set up credit cards in a customer’s name, apply for government benefits, and potentially expose them to legal action. Companies traditionally have a duty of care to ensure the protection of sensitive information, and this is especially true for companies that operate in the health sector. Such lawsuits have become commonplace and can result in class action lawsuits against the company that negligently secured their customer’s vital information.

While companies do everything in their power to prevent hackers from accessing vital company information, these measures sometimes fail. It is therefore imperative for companies that solicit such information to have a San Jose business attorney to provide legal representation in the event of a breach.

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