CELEBRATING AMERICAN CORPORATIONS By Kelly Bagla, Esq. As the American Revolution came to an end, America was born on July 4th, 1776. The nation was founded by those who yearned for freedom. With that came innovators, individuals who wanted to start businesses, and those looking for work. American corporations started developing in the 1790s, and…
Selling your business is a very complex process and most business owners have never been through a sale process before. But business owners have more options than they realize. Lacking a team of professional advisors, including a strong M&A Advisor, corporate/transaction attorney and a CPA/tax advisor could have serious financial and tax consequences for both the business owner and the company so seek professional help from the beginning of the process. It pays to understand the various methods to sell or partially cash out of your business for a successful exit.
REAL ESTATE ASSET PROTECTION By Kelly Bagla, Esq. Real estate asset protection is a strategy investors can use to protect their finances from unexpected blows, including lawsuits. While real estate can be a great asset to your portfolio, it does not come without risks. The biggest risk is the risk of a lawsuit. If you…
Buying a business is a huge decision but when you pull the trigger on buying an existing business, you get the opportunity to become an entrepreneur without starting a small business completely from scratch. Every year more than 500,000 businesses change hands, and that number is expected to skyrocket in the next several years as millions of baby boomers begin retiring and selling their businesses.
Two new California laws directly affecting business owners went into effect on January 1, 2024. California has strengthened the prohibition against noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements, which also posse potential liability for employers who require their employees to sign noncompete agreements or attempt to enforce existing noncompete agreements against former employees.
The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, which is part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 and includes the Corporate Transparency Act, became law on January 1, 2021. The Corporate Transparency Act requires certain business entities to file, in the absence of an exemption, information on their “beneficial owners” with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Department of Treasury.
By Kelly Bagla, Esq.
The world of business leadership is a high stakes game, and top executives bear the heavy responsibility of protecting their companies and their shareholder interests. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of corporate success, many CEOs and business owners often overlook a critical aspect: safeguarding their personal wealth.
Having been a start-up lawyer and entrepreneur, I have been asked many of the following questions over the years by entrepreneurs when starting their company. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer, and as lawyers often like to say, “it depends on the circumstances.” But here are my short-hand answers to the frequently asked start-up questions:
1. Should I form my company as C corporation, an S corporation, an LLC, a partnership or a sole proprietorship?
You may have heard of or even use “Social Media Influencers.” This is where businesses sometimes try to reach a broader audience by enlisting “social media influencers,” a term for people who have achieved some level of popularity or recognition online. Social media influencers endorse a product or service offered by a business on platforms…
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the world, and the legal profession is no exception. AI-powered tools are now being used to draft contracts, including buy/sell agreements. While AI can be a valuable tool, it is important to be aware of the potential pitfalls of using it to draft legal documents. Many people believe AI…
