Your trusted source for Iowa business and franchise law insights.
Your trusted source for Iowa business and franchise law insights.
The term, renewal and transfer provisions of a franchise agreement are often overlooked by prospective franchisees. Many people focus on getting into the business but how you get out is just as important. Therefore these provisions must be reviewed carefully.
The term of the franchise agreement determines how long the franchisee will be authorized to…
Ben & Jerry’s co-founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, will speak at Drake University this coming Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. Their talk is entitled, "An Evening of Social Responsibility, Radical Business Philosophy, and Free Dessert for All".
Ben and Jerry took their company from a storefront operation and turned…
The Limited Liability Company is a hybrid form of doing business that combines characteristics of the corporate structure and the partnership structure. It is a separate entity like a corporation and therefore carries liability protection for all of its members/owners, but is generally taxed like a partnership which has the benefit of flow-through taxation.
The…
If you are thinking about starting a corporation, here is a checklist of steps you might consider before starting your business:
1. Find out the availability of your corporate name. You can do a quick search on the Iowa Secretary of State’s Web site to see whether your name is available. If the…
Employers are usually cognizant of discrimination and harassment claims. However, they are often blindsided by retaliation claims. The successful resolution of a discrimination or harassment complaint means you are only halfway home. Supervisors and employees must not retaliate against the employee who complained. This is even more important now because of a recent United States…
Lawpportunities has scheduled its Iowa Blawging Seminar for November 10, 2006 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston, Iowa. Brett Trout and I invite any lawyer interested in blogging or blog law to join us for what we hope is a very interesting and timely conference.
The conference is approved for 7.0 CLE hours in…
Rush Nigut is a featured speaker at the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) Human Resource Seminar this Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at the Wildwood Lodge in Clive, Iowa.
Rush’s topics include defamation, wage and hour issues, retaliation and discrimination in the workplace.
Yesterday I attended the Trade Regulation and Corporate Counsel Seminar sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association. In his presentation on franchising, Mark Hamer of Meardon, Sueppel & Downer, P.L.C. confirmed a growing trend in franchising is that every clause is negotiable. This often includes some of the more troublesome issues for franchisees. This…
Today’s Des Moines Register Business Section contained an article by Patt Johnson featuring the assistance provided by SCORE to local entrepreneurs. SCORE is made up of retired executives that mentor and counsel new entrepreneurs.
People generally think of SCORE in the context of their one day workshops for new entrepreneurs. However, it was also surprising…
In a decision described as a "blockbuster" and a "bombshell", the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled the IRS may not tax emotional distress or professional reputation damage awards unrelated to lost wages or earnings.
The case began when Marrita Murphy sued the Department of Labor…