Are Wisconsin Noncompete Contracts Legal in 2024?
Posted on September 11,2024 in Business Law
Noncompete agreements are contracts between employers and employees that restrict the employee’s ability to work for a competing business or start a competing company for a certain period of time after their employment ends. These agreements can help protect a business’s trade secrets, customer relationships, and other confidential information. However, there has been growing concern that noncompete agreements unfairly limit workers’ ability to seek new
Continue Reading Are Wisconsin Noncompete Contracts Legal in 2024?
Finish Summer Strong While Prepping for Year-End Success
As the golden days of summer start to wane, the mornings greet us with a hint of chill, and the evenings slip into darkness a bit too soon. It’s already noticeable how dark it is by 7:30 p.m. or how it still lingers at 5 a.m. The purpose of this post isn’t to depress you (though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad about the upcoming change of seasons) but to encourage you to finish
Continue Reading Finish Summer Strong While Prepping for Year-End Success
OG+S’s Lego Parallel
This is Erin setting the scene for this week’s post. It’s written by Carter, our high school administrative assistant. It was spurred by our firm’s recent discussions about 1) our culture and how it impacts our actions, and 2) what a target client is. I was happy to see that our people are listening, thinking, and implementing those discussions – even the high schooler. So if he can do it, what’s our excuse if others aren’t? How about you?
Continue Reading OG+S’s Lego Parallel
Navigating the 83(b) Election: Risks and Rewards of Early Taxation
Internal Revenue Code § 83 governs the taxation of property (e.g., stock, restricted stock units, or stock options) transferred in connection with the performance of services. Generally, the property is included in the recipient’s gross income (valued at fair market value minus any amounts paid for the property) when it is transferable or no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture.” In the case of stock subject to vesting requirements, the stock will be included in gross income
Continue Reading Navigating the 83(b) Election: Risks and Rewards of Early Taxation
Keep On Keeping On
As a small business owner, there are lot of plates that you are constantly spinning. How are your customers? Employees? What’s going on with your vendors? Your distributors? And on and on. One thing that often slips through is the actual status of the company. We had an intern this summer, and one of her jobs was to look through a bunch of our clients (not all – we aren’t that mean) and check on their status with either
Continue Reading Keep On Keeping On
The Curious Case of ‘Healthy Soap®’
As the father of a three year old boy, I spend… more time than I would like in public bathrooms. When you’re three, public bathrooms are a real place of wonder. Questions abound: Is there a “stand-up potty?” Is the paper towel machine automatic? What about the sink and soap dispenser, are they automatic too? And why can’t you touch anything in the stall? (Because people are disgusting, that’s why.)
A Legal Curiosity
On my fifth trip to the
Continue Reading The Curious Case of ‘Healthy Soap®’
When Could a Bar or Restaurant Lose its Liquor License?
Owners of bars or restaurants in Milwaukee and other nearby cities in Wisconsin must follow various regulations, including specific laws related to selling and serving alcohol. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) oversees the issuance and regulation of liquor licenses. Losing a liquor license can be devastating for any establishment, and it is crucial to understand the potential reasons for disciplinary action. An attorney with experience in business and restaurant licensing can help defend against the
Continue Reading When Could a Bar or Restaurant Lose its Liquor License?
Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act: Implications for Marital Property and Beneficial Ownership
Wisconsin’s marital property laws impact compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). As discussed in other Ruder Ware CTA Focus Team insights, the CTA requires a “reporting company” to report information about its “beneficial owners” to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). The CTA defines a beneficial owner as “any individual who, directly or indirectly, exercises substantial control over a reporting company or owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of a reporting
Continue Reading Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act: Implications for Marital Property and Beneficial Ownership
When It’s Time to Pay the Piper: Music Licenses and Copyright Infringement
Many bar and restaurant owners are aware of the need to enter into licensing agreements for the music they play over the speakers in their establishments. But with shrinking profit margins due in part to rising food and labor costs, music licenses often get put on the back burner, which could create problems down the road. If an establishment inadvertently lets a license lapse, the establishment could end up facing a lawsuit—the last thing any bar or restaurant owner
Continue Reading When It’s Time to Pay the Piper: Music Licenses and Copyright Infringement
Timing is Key: Navigating Due Dates of the Corporate Transparency Act for Seamless Compliance
A crucial aspect of compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) is understanding the various due dates and obligations. A “reporting company” must meet CTA reporting deadlines to avoid potential regulatory penalties. To avoid such penalties for non-compliance, a reporting company must plan ahead to ensure there is sufficient time to conduct CTA analysis, gather beneficial ownership information, and update any outdated corporate records.
1. Initial Reporting Deadline:
CTA requires a reporting company to submit Beneficial Ownership Information (“BOI”)
Continue Reading Timing is Key: Navigating Due Dates of the Corporate Transparency Act for Seamless Compliance
Stafford Rosenbaum Attorneys Present on Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law for State Bar CLE
Attorneys Erin Deeley, Matthew Fisher, and Isaac Brodkey will present “Wisconsin’s Fair Dealership Law: 50 Years and Counting 2024” to an audience registered through the State Bar of Wisconsin. The presentation will give an overview, key developments since 1974, the current landscape of WFDL decisions and developments, and open WFDL issues that could be addressed in the future. Attendees will also learn about:
- The purposes of the WFDL
- What qualifies as a dealership?
- What qualifies as a
Mitigating Litigation Risk for Small Businesses
In the business world, there is always the risk of litigation–even for small businesses. Unfortunately, as a business continues its operations, the possibility of litigation turns from an “if” to a “when.” Litigation can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. Here are some basic considerations that can help mitigate the risk of litigation for a small business.
1. Put it in writing in definite terms.
As stated in Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come. . .”
Continue Reading Mitigating Litigation Risk for Small Businesses
Alcohol and large truck accidents
Alcohol use and large truck accidents are a dangerous combination. Sadly, this can have serious consequences on the road and many people lose their lives in these crashes.
Understanding how alcohol impairs driving abilities and the risks associated with driving large trucks under the influence is very important.
The effects of alcohol
Alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely by affecting coordination, reaction time, judgment, and overall cognitive function. Alcohol can slow down the brain’s ability
Continue Reading Alcohol and large truck accidents
The Corporate Transparency Act is Here. Now It’s in Court?
I truly thought my hiatus from Corporate Transparency Act blog posts was going to run longer than this. However, recent events compelled the original three-part series (see those original parts here, here, and here) to grow into four parts.
So, what’s all the hubbub?
On March 1, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama granted an injunction sought by the National Small Business Association [NSBA] to prevent the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Continue Reading The Corporate Transparency Act is Here. Now It’s in Court?
Creating a Legally Compliant Health and Wellness Marketing Strategy
Creating a marketing strategy for a health and wellness brand is tough. Creating a marketing strategy that adheres to legal compliance requirements is even tougher.
Developing a marketing strategy to make your brand stand out from the crowd is no easy task in an industry as competitive as health or wellness. On top of that, you need to follow numerous laws, regulations, and guidelines to ensure that your marketing strategy is legally compliant. Not only is adherence to the
Continue Reading Creating a Legally Compliant Health and Wellness Marketing Strategy
New Rules for Independent Contractor Classification
The landscape of worker classification in the United States has seen significant shifts over the years, with legal interpretations and regulations evolving to adapt to changing economic realities. One of the pivotal areas in this arena is the classification of workers as either independent contractors or employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) introduced a new rule, effective March 11, 2024, which revisits this classification framework, reverting to a more employee-friendly
Continue Reading New Rules for Independent Contractor Classification