You’ve Been Served- Now What?

If you’ve been served a notice that you’re being sued, you may feel overwhelmed. But if your stress response is to flee or freeze, resist that urge. Failure to respond on time once you’ve been served can result in the court entering a default judgment against you. You need to respond in a timely manner, […]

California Preliminary Notice Requirements

In most states, to secure the right to file a lien on constructions projects, contractors, suppliers, and subcontractors must send a preliminary notice. A preliminary notice is a legal document that provides information to whomever is responsible for paying for the job. It’s sometimes called a “20-day notice.” California preliminary notices have specific requirements that […]

Can One Lawyer Represent Us Both?

In many cases, the adversarial nature of the law is apparent. One party has sued another, or claims a right to take another’s property. In that scenario, no sensible person would consider hiring a single attorney to represent both parties. But, what about situations where the help of a lawyer is needed, but the parties […]

HOW DO I FORM MY SMALL BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA?

When opening a new business, it is important to make sure you have all necessary registrations and licenses. Here is a simple overview of the steps you will take when opening your small business in California. 1. Choose your business structure/make a business plan You can structure simply as a sole proprietorship. This means that […]

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT LITIGATION

When clients approach us with a wrong, they often want to jump right into filing a lawsuit against the person who wronged them. Litigation is often the right choice, but it comes with inherent risks. It is important to discuss and understand litigation before assuming those risks. Some common misconceptions about litigation are as follows: […]

Common Mistakes in Small Business Contracting

When a business is served with a lawsuit, the question of “what could we have done differently to avoid this ” is top of mind. There are certain mistakes made frequently by small businesses that are easy to avoid with a little planning ahead. One common mistake is to operate without written contracts. A handshake […]

It’s Just On Paper: Why A Written Contract Is Vital

We frequently have clients come to us with disputes about what is on paper versus what the parties intended. Their friend needed someone to co-sign a loan, and they did it to help their friend buy a car, but now the lender is coming after them for money and they’re upset because “My friend said […]

New Law Regarding Independent Contractor Status

Cautionary Note Assembly Bill 5 is new legislation. As with all legislation, it sets forth general rules that will be picked apart in the coming years by various courts that analyze its provisions. As of today, only one court case has issued analyzing AB 5 (Cal Trucking Association v. Becerra, dealing with the application of […]