United States copyright laws protect an original work of authorship, so the creator has the legal right to control the release, use, and distribution of their creations. If you are unsure whether you need to copyright your material, it helps to understand the basics of copyrights. This primer has answers from our Maryland business attorney to frequently asked questions about copyrights.

A common question clients ask attorneys is whether they need to file trademarks for their intellectual property. However, many people are unfamiliar with what trademarks protect, how to register a trademark, or how trademarks benefit their business. Our Maryland business attorney answers these questions in this primer about trademarks.

You might know your company inside and out but not know how to start when you decide to sell your business. Not to worry. Here are the top 5 tips when selling your business that could help you avoid making mistakes or having regrets later.

On August 7, 2022, the United States Senate Passed the Inflation Reduction Act (“the Act”) along party lines by a vote of 51 to 50. The House of Representatives passed the bill without changes, and President Biden signed it into law on August 16, 2022. Experts and politicians disagree about whether the Act raises or lowers the deficit.

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust nearly everyone into a different way of working and doing business than ever before. People had to quickly adapt to working from a home office instead of going into the office every day. Many places are open again, but with some significant differences.

If most people realized how much risk they face every day when owning a small or medium-sized business (SMB), they might think twice about being their own boss or having an ownership interest. Thankfully, there are ways to protect yourself and your personal assets from getting taken by a creditor or someone to whom you might have liability.

For many, part of the American dream is about starting your own business. If you work hard enough and smart enough, you just might make a bundle doing what you love. One roadblock holding many people back is not knowing how to start a business.

When your company ventures into the online world of the metaverse, you will want to plan the expansion of your business carefully so the potential financial rewards do not get offset by some of the various problems inherent in this arena. The first step of your metaverse planning should be to educate yourself on the risks. The second step is to develop a strategy to protect your assets and minimize liability exposure.

Most people are not content simply to walk away from a company they built without having any input about who will follow in their footsteps and how the business will function in the future. If you have partners, you should have a plan to make things go smoothly if one of them suddenly retires, dies, or has to leave the company. A business succession plan can address both of these issues.

While trying to describe the Metaverse with precision is a bit like trying to nail Jello to the wall, it can be even more challenging to discuss tax issues of the Metaverse. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not yet provided much guidance on the taxation of operating in the Metaverse, but you can bet they will find a way to tax Metaverse transactions, capital gains, and profits.

If you do business within Maryland involving selling, lending, leasing, renting, or creating bailments of any consumer services, goods, or realty, you need to understand the Maryland Consumer Protection Act to make sure you do not violate its requirements. Consumers could file a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General’s Office or sue your company directly for money damages and their attorney fees.

Parting ways with an employee who has been with your company for several years or longer can be unpleasant and uncomfortable. A well-thought-out severance package can soften the blow for the employee and help your business avoid legal claims and a damaged reputation. With the difficulty many industries are experiencing in recruiting, hiring, and keeping top-quality personnel, a fair severance package is necessary to stay competitive.

The economy is recovering from the hits it took during the last couple of years when the pandemic turned lives upside down. Despite the uncertainty caused by global events, many entrepreneurs are finding this is a good time to launch or grow their businesses.

Having the right kinds of business insurance can make the difference between staying in business after a catastrophe and watching your life’s dream of owning a business disintegrate. When you own a business, you likely search for ways to cut expenses, but saving a few dollars on insurance premiums could cost you everything.

Some business arrangements are still made with a handshake. Business owners discuss working together on a project or joint venture. A few colleagues have an idea and decide to develop it. Unfortunately, they could inadvertently create a joint venture or partnership if they do not consult a Maryland business attorney before they embark on their business deal.

Business owners need to consider liability protection as a priority when creating a business entity. Creating a separate entity for the business can protect the business owner from personal liability. Our Maryland business attorney discusses the concept of the corporate veil, how to create it, and what happens when a company’s owners fail to maintain the corporate veil. Keep reading to learn more about why you may need to seek legal advice now instead of when your company is sued by a creditor, employee, or another party.

When you launch a startup business, you will likely need to recruit some serious talent to make the business venture work. You will want people who know what they are doing and are experts in their field. Usually, these people already have jobs, so you might have to lure them away from their existing job security.

A fiduciary is someone who owes a fiduciary duty to another person to act in that person’s best interest. Generally, the fiduciary duty relates to a financial matter. It is the highest legal duty a person can owe to another person. Fiduciaries have a duty to act with honesty and loyalty in all matters on behalf of the person they represent.

Probate is the judicial process of distributing a person’s assets to heirs. If the person had a Will, the property is distributed according to the Will. However, when a person dies without a will, the Maryland intestate laws determine who receives the person’s property. Below are frequently asked questions about the Maryland probate process answered by our Maryland estate planning lawyer.