Growing your business or non-profit is an exciting time! But growth can also mean growing pains:
  • Is my new hire an employee or an independent contractor?
  • Can I hire an unpaid intern?
  • I don't have to pay overtime, do I? What about "comp" time?
  • What records should I be keeping? For how long?
  • How do I handle poor performance and other disciplinary issues?
  • Can I monitor what my employees do online or outside of work?
  • Can I drug test my employees? What about medical marijuana?
  • Can I fire_____?

Independent Contractors: Small Business Growth or Trap?

  • Discover the difference between employees and independent contractors (and why it matters).
  • Learn the factors that must be considered before making someone an independent contractor.
  • Six (6) things that must be addressed in your independent contractor agreements.
  • Learn how to deal with those pesky tax forms.

Structuring a Social Enterprise

We discuss the differences between for-profit and non-profit social enterprises and how to choose the right structure for your mission. Then we turn to the complicated legal and tax issues surrounding non-profit social enterprises. We get into the nitty gritty details surrounding unrelated business income to make sure you don't jeopardize your non-profit's tax-exempt status. And we discuss creating a separate entity for liability purposes.

Legal Audit and Risk Assessment: A Reality Check for Small Businesses and Non-Profit Organizations

Big corporations can afford to hire teams of in-house attorneys to handle their legal needs. As a small business or non-profit organization, you probably can't afford to have an attorney on your payroll full-time. But you still need to know what legal risks you're potentially facing, you still need to avoid expensive surprises, you really need everything to work within your budget, and you still need to have your legal questions answered (including the questions your didn't even know to ask).

Join me as I walk you through the Legal Audit I take my General Counsel clients through. Together, we'll:

  1. Establish your goals for the next year
  2. Review your organizational structure
  3. Make sure you are maintaining your limited liability protection
  4. Look for red flags in your business contracts
  5. Look for more red flags in your HR policies
  6. Review past, present, and threatened litigation
  7. Discuss ways to protect valuable intellectual property
  8. Plan for your business to continue on without you