Legal: Ideas & Advice for Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, Startups - Yahoo! Small Business

Mobile electronic dog’s nose helps security professionals detect illegal chemicals

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:52:31 -0400

Vaporsens is a new tool that acts like an electronic version of a sniffer dog, detecting drugs and explosives.

Questions About Health Reforms? Ask the SBA

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:00:00 -0400

The agency has trained partners and employees to guide businesses through the upcoming health care reforms.

Platform analyzes tweets to provide data in the case of emergencies

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:11:33 -0400

Twitcident is helping first responders to better work out how to proceed by filtering Twitter updates about an incident by relevancy.

5 Startup Naming Rules From SXSW

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:30:00 -0400

When naming a business, don't fall into the trap of making it so incomprehensible that your brand is lost. Consider these steps to find the best name for your business.

Boston scheme encourages residents to look after the city’s fire hydrants

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:20:35 -0500

Residents can volunteer to take responsibility for a nearby water dispenser under the city's Adopt-A-Hydrant program, keeping it free of ice in the winter.

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Your Business

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:00:00 -0500

Here's a look at three entrepreneurs who have changed company names and the lessons they learned.

How the IRS Classifies Independent Contractors

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:00:00 -0500

The Internal Revenue Service scrutinizes the use of contractors carefully, so don't let worker-classification rules trip you up or you could wind up extra taxes, penalties and interest. Here's how to avoid tax problems with 1099 workers.

Push for Entrepreneur Immigration Reform Grows on Capitol Hill

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:41:00 -0500

Republican and Democrat Senators are backing immigration reform affecting startups.

Immigration Reform Proposals Hold Promise for Entrepreneurs

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:19:00 -0500

The move to overhaul immigration is likely to include measures supporting entrepreneurship and small-business owners. Any changes will probably be part of a broader reform package.

Government-created app suite aims to improve experience of Brazilian city

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:03:10 -0500

Passaporte Curitiba features a range of apps that aim to improve users' experience of the city.

NYPD launch citizen crime reporting app

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 06:17:35 -0500

New York Police Department has launched its own app, providing information and interactivity to those living in the state.

In Boston, a food truck-inspired roaming City Hall van

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 08:19:29 -0500

The City of Boston’s City Hall To Go scheme is bringing civic services to residents in their neighbourhoods via a roaming van.

In Ottawa, vinyl covers combat graffiti on traffic control boxes

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:39:36 -0500

A new program for Ottawa's frequently vandalized traffic control boxes uses brightly colored vinyl covers to both deter graffiti and make it easier to remove.

In London, smart street lights will be controlled through iPads

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:51:58 -0500

Westminster City Council in London is investing in iPad controlled streetlights to save energy and aid engineers.

In Cairo, crowdsourced app challenge seeks to ease traffic congestion

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 06:43:12 -0400

The Egyptian government is calling on citizens to come up with a way to solve the capital's traffic problems through the Cairo Transport App Challenge.

Citizen polls printed on posters gather replies via text message

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:59:32 -0400

Textizen is a nonprofit civic-minded system by which citizens can respond via text message to quick polls posted around the city.

5 Tips to Spot a Lie

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 01:10:48 -0400

Deception expert and former CIA trainer Janine Driver shares her secrets for uncovering the truth.

Common legal problems businesses should avoid.

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:00:00 -0400

Small businesses make legal mistakes all the time — some of which can be disastrous and difficult to recover from.

Four Types of Business Bankruptcy

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 17:00:00 -0400

When a business prepares to file for bankruptcy, it needs to decide which specific chapter of the law to file under — Chapter 7, Chapter 11, or even in some cases Chapter 12 or 13. Businesses considering bankruptcy should carefully explore their options with the help of an experience bankruptcy lawyer.

What Are Representations and Warranties in a Contract?

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:00:00 -0400

Every contract has representations and warranties, which are basically the underlying matters or facts as they are being presented in terms of the contract.

What Is a Force Majeure Clause?

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:00:00 -0400

The force majeure clause in a contract excuses a party from not performing its contractual obligations due to unforeseen events beyond its control.

Protect your business against workplace discrimination claims

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 05:00:00 -0400

Everyone agrees that workplace discrimination has no place in the business world. But not everyone understands today's discrimination laws.

Supreme Court healthcare decision: Small business advocates react

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:06:37 -0400

Some applaud, others decry the status of the Affordable Care Act, but all vow to keep working for improvements.

What Must a Contract Contain to Be Legally Binding?

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:00:00 -0400

To be legally binding, a contract needs two essential components: 1) an agreement, and 2) consideration.

How to select a principal trademark

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:41:41 -0400

One of the first requirements for establishing a franchise system is to develop and adequately protect your company's "principal trademark."

Six mistakes to avoid when drafting a contract

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:00:00 -0400

Learn how to avoid the most common mistakes small business owners make when drafting a contract.

Brainstorming a great business name

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 06:00:00 -0400

The right name for your company is out there. Here's how to find it.

Avoid age discrimination in the workplace

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:00:00 -0400

It is against the law to discriminate against workers on the basis of age, but age discrimination can be hard to identify and even harder to prevent.

Ocean City Resort Uses Trademark Infringement Lawsuit to Bolster Position for Franchising

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:00:45 -0400

Seacrets, an Ocean City, Maryland resort with a national reputation, recently succeeded in a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against a luxury hotel chain. The result, which included punitive damages and a permanent injunction against the competing hotel, is helping pave the way for Seacrets to move forward with its plans to expand nationally through franchising.

How to Conduct Discovery for Your Court Case

Thu, 31 May 2012 05:00:00 -0400

Discovery is the pre-trial phase in a court case during which each party can use certain methods to obtain information and facts and gather evidence about the case in preparation for trial. It is the principal fact-finding method in the litigation process. Almost all trial courts allow a wide scope for discovery, the theory being that all parties should go to trial with as much knowledge as possible, and that the parties should not be able to keep secrets from each other. This broad right can

Workplace ageism is rampant

Wed, 30 May 2012 19:45:59 -0400

Age discrimination can make employees of all ages feel less interested and happy in their jobs.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: A Quick Guide for Small Businesses

Sun, 06 May 2012 22:00:00 -0400

Sarbanes-Oxley is a key piece of legislation that can affect firms of all sizes. Here's what you need to know about the act and its requirements.

Where Can I Find Lawyers That Will Take a Case on Contingency?

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:00:00 -0400

A contingency fee is an arrangement for paying an attorney a percentage of the money obtained for the client after settling or winning a case, instead of paying by the hour or by the job. Contingency fee arrangements are most common in personal injury cases. The contingency fee for a successful attorney ranges from 20% to 50% of the amount recovered. Attorneys may not charge contingency fees when representing defendants in criminal cases and are rarely permitted in family law cases. Since perso

Should You Settle Your Lawsuit out of Court?

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:00:00 -0400

Unless you have filed a lawsuit to make a very important point concerning an issue critical to society at large, it is almost always a good idea to settle out of court. Parties to lawsuits are encouraged and urged to settle their differences even from the very beginning of litigation. The following points should be carefully considered when you are contemplating settling your lawsuit out of court instead of going to trial: Amount the lawsuit is worth; Length of trial; How long it will ta

Understanding and Making Proper Use of Trademark Symbols

Wed, 02 May 2012 11:00:43 -0400

TM, SM, and (R): Which trademark symbols to use and when to use them.

Preparing Your Evidence Before You Go to Court

Wed, 02 May 2012 04:00:00 -0400

Evidence can be defined as testimony, writings, material objects, or other things presented that are offered to prove the existence or nonexistence of a fact. Evidence is what is used at trial to prove the elements of your case or the elements of your defense. The time to begin preparing your evidence is as close to the time the events (facts) occurred as possible that caused you to consider bringing your lawsuit or caused you to believe you would be sued. Before you prepare your evide

Is There A Duty Of Competence in Franchising?

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:00:37 -0400

Most franchise agreements do not spell out a franchisor's duty of competence to a franchisee. What's in the works in court and what it means for you.

Steps to Take When Firing an Employee

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:00:00 -0400

The word "fired" clearly has negative associations in the workplace, but if you're a manager, you need to be prepared to let people go if they're underperforming or causing significant problems for the company.

Business Laws That Small Businesses Should Worry About

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:00:00 -0400

It's important to know the laws most likely to affect your business.

Preparing for a Business Sale with a Letter of Intent

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:00:00 -0400

Letters of intent (LOIs) are nonbinding agreements that give the purchaser an opportunity to take a closer look at the revenues, expenses, and operations of a business before drawing up a formal contract.