Individuals looking to start a small business here in Texas may find a report from earlier this year quite encouraging. The report points to the state being a great place for startups.
Do I need to think about exit strategy when starting my business?
There are basic steps that need to be taken when trying to get a business off the ground. We suspect that is something that any would-be entrepreneur in Dallas can appreciate. You need a great idea, of course. You also need solid planning that takes all potential business legal matters into consideration. And part of that plan should include an exit strategy.
That last part might seem somewhat counter-intuitive to some. Why would you want to be thinking about getting out of your business even before it has gotten started? The answer, according to some business veterans, is that having an exit plan allows you to keep your ultimate goals in focus, share them with those you work with, and stay on course in rocky times.
Texas does not rescind established paternity easily
Texas law regarding parenthood of a child makes it relatively easy to establish a parenting relationship. As we noted in a post last November, all that's required is for two a man and woman to sign a document called an Acknowledgment of Paternity.
The ease of the process may be good for the state. It doesn't require genetic testing. And once an AOP is signed, it becomes easier for officials to determine child support, custody and visitation issues. It also becomes easier for the state to hold the signatories of the document accountable for fulfilling their parental obligations.
Does a DBA registration offer any legal name protection?
Ah, the days of childhood when you could set up a crayon drawn sign on a corner, wheel out a wagon and start selling lemonade to passersby. You still may see some of these pop up businesses around Dallas on a hot summer day, but they are fewer and farther between than they used to be even 10 years ago.
That's not necessarily because it's so much harder to do -- though there are surely those who would argue that it is no easy thing starting a business. The legal hurdles that are required at the various levels of government can be significant. No, sad as it may be, security concerns might be the bigger reason why lemonade stands aren't as common as they used to be.
A few lessons about interstate child custody and support
Imagine that you and your spouse have a child, and for many years your family lives happily. But then something changes one day, and you and your spouse feel more stressed out and get into more arguments with one another. As the months pass, your marriage disintegrates, and you and your spouse decide that it is time to get a divorce.
Obviously, this is a trying time, but thankfully you and your spouse don't contest custody of your child, leading to joint custody that benefits everyone involved. A few years pass and everything under this arrangement is working out just fine.
With same-sex marriage legal what issues still remain?
As with so many things in the law, the June 26 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court legally recognizing same-sex marriage is not the end of the story. In many ways it is only one waypoint in a long and complicated legal course.
That may be especially true here in Texas. As some legal observers have begun to point out, just because the issue of marriage appears to be settled, it doesn't mean that all family law-related issues have magically been cleared up.
Preventing LGBT-related lawsuits against your business
We have frequently observed that operating a business successfully requires a forward-thinking approach. While an attorney experienced in business-related law can aid you in defending your business against a costly lawsuit, it is best if your business operates in ways that prevent costly lawsuits from being filed against it in the first place.
For example, nearly every business is vulnerable to employment-related lawsuits. However, if you operate your business in ways that prevent discrimination and harassment, your business will automatically become less vulnerable to these kinds of employment-related lawsuits. It is important to be forward-thinking as you create an anti-discrimination policy, train your employees in regards to it and enforce it as necessary.
Forming a business involves more than just filing paperwork
If you are thinking about forming your own business, you are likely concerned about three primary issues. First, you are likely concerned about the financial investment necessary to get your business off the ground. Second, you are likely concerned with numerous matters related to the operation of your business. Third, you are likely concerned with the legal paperwork you need to file in order to get your business recognized and protected.
Thankfully, speaking with an attorney experienced in business formation and planning can help you to manage this third concern. However, it is important for you to understand from the outset that your business will likely require more legal assistance and guidance as it grows. It is fine for you to speak with an attorney initially about filing legal paperwork related to your business formation. However, your business-related legal obligations will not end after this initial round of paperwork.
What should your employee holiday policy look like?
When forming a business, it is important to be forward-thinking. It can be difficult to embrace this mindset at times, given that setting up a business often requires you to be very focused on the present moment. But as you sift through all the legal paperwork, the practical purchases and the innovations that will allow you to open your business’s doors, it remains imperative that you think beyond opening day when considering numerous business-related concerns.
For example, it is important for you to think beyond immediate hiring needs to the ways in which your employees will be treated for the remainder of their employment. One of the considerations you will need to ponder is leave. When employees become ill, injured, grieve the loss of close loved ones, welcome new additions to the family, request vacation and seek holiday time, you will need to have complete leave policies in place so that you can keep your business running and treat employees in fair and consistent ways.
Avoid these common missteps when dealing with interns
Many businesses opt to work with interns during the summer months. Other businesses opt to work with interns year-round or on a semester-by-semester basis. Whenever your business chooses to embrace internship opportunities, it will be important for you to keep several legal tips in mind. Failure to treat interns in certain ways can land you in hot water, legally speaking.
It is primarily important for you to remember that internships are meant to be valuable learning experiences for the individuals who are pursuing internship opportunities at your place of business. If you do not give your interns access to the kind of valuable learning opportunities they would ordinarily receive in another educational environment, you can leave your business vulnerable to litigation. This is true whether or not your interns are paid or unpaid.
