Category: Business Law

  • How Do You Handle a Breach of Contract?

    How Do You Handle a Breach of Contract? Our Breach of Contract Lawyers Explain Your Legal Options Are you presently party to a contract where the other side is not living up to their side of the deal? Or perhaps worse, is the other side in a contract claiming that you are not performing according to the terms of an agreement? If either of those are the case, you may be involved in a contract dispute. Before you take any action, it’s important to first understand your options. Discuss your situation with our breach of contract lawyer in Seattle. You’ll find our business attorneys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess have the depth of experience and knowledge you need to ensure your legal rights are protected. What Is a Contract? A Legal Def

  • How Do I Create an LLC in Washington State?

    If you own a business and decide that a limited liability company (LLC) is the right structure for you, you may wonder, how do I create an LLC in Washington State? It’s simple and inexpensive. The hard work is deciding which business form works best for you and coming up with an effective ownership agreement. An LLC is one of many types of legal entities that can own and operate a Washington State business. Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess can help you decide if an LLC is your best choice, given your priorities and the nature of your business. You have liability protection like a corporation, but an LLC is easier and less expensive to form and run. It can own and run just about any business. There can be one or multiple owners. LLCs are oft

  • How Much Does it Cost to Set Up an LLC in Washington State?

    If you’re thinking about starting a business, you may wonder, how much does it cost to set up an LLC in Washington State? The cost of filing forms and paying fees to set up a limited liability company (LLC) is tiny, compared to all the other expenses you may face when starting a business. The business law attorneys of Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess offer a wide range of services to those who own or plan to start a business. Our attorneys have more than a hundred years of combined experience helping business clients of all sizes. Call us today at 206-621-1110 to learn more. Is an LLC Right for You? An LLC is a business structure with many of a corporation’s benefits and with the tax advantages and flexibility of a partnership. There are se

  • How to Classify an Independent Contractor vs. an Employee

    How to classify an independent contractor vs. an employee is an increasingly important issue for businesses. Up to a third of the American workforce may be self-employed full- or part-time. A major question for these individuals and the companies for which they provide work is how many of them are, under the law, employees? Why Classification of Workers Matters With every employee comes costs, taxes, local, state, and federal rules, regulations, and statutes. You may be tempted to apply an “independent contractor” label to avoid all this expense and hassle. But that could subject you to far greater liability if the person, according to the law, is an employee. Because of a successful complaint to a government agency or the filing of a lawsuit,

  • Obama Administration Establishes New Mitigation Policy in Form of “Net Benefit Goal”

    The Obama Administration circulated a memorandum on Nov. 1, 2015 that directed designated federal agencies to modify existing policies to incorporate a “net benefit goal” to reduce the impact of utilizing natural resources. The revised approach was to be adopted by the EPA; Secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, and Defense; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The memorandum establishes new federal mitigation principles based on the net benefit goal. Put another way, the policy creates a “no net loss” objective when the applicable agencies utilize sensitive, scarce, or important resources, or this goal does not conflict with agency objectives and natural resource goals. The policy will steer agencies toward zoning to limit t

  • Independent Contractor or Employee?

    Construction projects tend to involve many different workers doing many different jobs. Sometimes, construction companies hire employees who only work on that particular company's projects. In many other situations, however, crews can be made up of independent contractors,1 sub-contractors, and other self-employed workers. Recognizing the legal distinction between an independent contractor and an employee is highly important as wrongly classifying a worker can have many negative legal implications. For example, employees have many rights and protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA),2 Title VII,3 and other employment laws with which employers must comply. These laws do not apply to independent contractors, however. This distinction has im

  • Business Taxes Can Be Complicated

    Just as every individual must pay their annual taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS),1 every business must also pay taxes. There are many different types of business taxes and how you should file your tax returns largely depends on the type of business you own. For example, some business types are taxed as follows: Sole proprietorship or Partnership – claim business profits and losses on personal tax returns (pass-through taxation)2 Corporation – file separate corporate tax returns Limited liability company – can either opt to claim business income or losses on your personal returns or can be taxed as a corporation For this reason, which taxes are best for you should be considered when you are choosing what type of business entity

  • Does Your Business Website Need a Privacy Policy?

    Conducting business on the internet is extremely convenient, but can also be risky due to the threat of hacking, identity theft, and other types of fraud that may cause a consumer injury. For this reason, many people are wary to engage in transactions on websites they do not trust or that do not seem secure. One important step in assuring consumers that your website is safe is by having and posting a thorough and quality privacy policy. What is covered by a privacy policy? The following is information that should always be included in a business website privacy policy: The type of information the website collects, including names, contact information, and credit cards numbers. How the information is collected, including using cookies, acco

  • Preparing For Business Succession After You Die

    There are an estimated 23 million small businesses1 throughout the United States and our economy and job market in part depends upon the success of the businesses. If you own your own business, you not only want the company to thrive while you are alive, but also likely after your death. While all of us dream of retiring and effectively passing on the family business to the next generation, unfortunately many people do you not get the opportunity to do so. If you suddenly fall ill, get in an accident, or pass away without a clear plan for your small business, all of your hard work may be in jeopardy. For this reason, you should always address business succession as part of your estate plan. Durable Power of Attorney First, you should always set out a

  • How Can a Small Business Attorney Help Me?

    Running a business inherently implicates certain laws and regulations. Even if you operate as a sole proprietor and work in a relatively low-risk industry, simply conducting business exposes you to legal liability. Many people who are self-employed or own a small business are hesitant to consult with a business law attorney because they assume that it will be expensive and believe that they can handle their legal needs themselves. The fact of the matter is that consulting with a small business attorney is an investment that can help a business operate more efficiently and in a way that may save you thousands of dollars in the future. As a result, anyone who is currently operating a small business or considering starting one should discuss their options

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