Well-written business contracts are the backbone of a successful business. If you own a business, you may deal with sales-related contracts such as purchase orders, bills of sale, and warranties. You probably manage employment contracts such as employee agreements, independent contractor agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-compete agreements, as well. Whatever types of contracts your business uses, it is essential that these contracts be written accurately and in a way that makes them legally enforceable. It is easy to make a mistake in a contract that changes the nature of the contract or renders it unusable.
Avoid These Pitfalls During the…
Continue Reading 4 Common Mistakes Business Owners Make When Drafting Contracts

Google, Yelp, Facebook, Angie’s List, Better Business Bureau, Foursquare, and a host of other websites allow customers to leave reviews about the businesses they frequent. While customer feedback is a valuable resource for any business owner, online review websites are also vulnerable to misuse. A person can leave a review for a business even if he or she has never interacted with the company. In addition, there is little stopping customers from posting reviews that are completely unfounded. If you are a business owner, you should be aware of how online reviews can affect your business and how to…
Continue Reading How Fake and Exaggerated Online Reviews Can Affect Small Businesses

Business contracts are some of the most important elements of a successful business. However, when one party does not uphold its end of a business agreement, the other party can suffer considerable harm. A breach of contract occurs when one party does not fulfill the obligation it agreed to in a contract and the non-breaching party, or injured party, suffered financial harm as a result. The breaching party may be required to “remedy” the situation though one of several means. If your business has suffered due to a breach of contract, speak to an experienced Naperville business lawyer to learn…
Continue Reading What Are the Possible Remedies for a Breach of Contract?

When you think about the type of security your business needs, your first thoughts may turn to installing surveillance cameras or an identification card entry system. Of course, these kinds of physical measures can help you protect your company, particularly if you own a retail outlet or run an office that works with sensitive information. What about your more intangible security concerns? How can you protect ideas, works, designs, symbols, logos, and other intellectual property?
In my practice as a business law attorney, I have helped many entrepreneurs and business owners register for trademarks, copyrights, and other forms of…
Continue Reading Naperville Business Attorney Discusses Trademarks and Copyright Protection

For an entrepreneur, one of the most important decisions to be made in the early stages of business ownership is the selection of an appropriate business entity structure. With a number of options from which to choose, deciding on the best one requires careful consideration of the advantages and potential drawbacks of each, as well as the associated legal requirements or restrictions. Many business owners find that structuring as a limited liability company, or LLC, offers an ideal balance between risk and reward.
An LLC is Not Necessarily a Corporation
One of the most common misconceptions regarding LLCs is…
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Throughout the business world, there are many stories of family-owned companies that started small and grew to become social and corporate icons. Famous examples include The H.J. Heinz Company, S.C. Johnson, and the Ford Motor Company. However, owning and running a family business can be extremely challenging, and determining appropriate roles within the company for family members is often particularly difficult. Several of my clients recently addressed this very topic with me, so here are few things to keep in mind as you work toward the success of your family business.
An estimated 60 percent of family-owned businesses fail or…
Continue Reading Naperville Small Business Attorney Discusses Potential Family Business Hazards

Your path to success in a business venture begins long before your ever open your doors to the public. For most entrepreneurs and would-be business owners, the journey begins with an idea for a new product or service, or a variation of an existing one. A raw concept, however, is rarely a sufficient foundation upon which to build your investment; it must be developed, reviewed, amended, and tested. Then, the cycle should be repeated several times as the idea gradually transforms into a legitimate business plan or strategy.
During the process, you and your team should also be conducting market…
Continue Reading The Basics of Market Research from a Naperville Business Attorney