Category:

Business and Insurance

Running a successful contracting business in California requires more than just skill and dedication to your craft. To truly safeguard your business assets, you must consider the future — not just for day-to-day operations, but for the long-term continuity of your business. Business succession planning is a critical tool to ensure your contracting business continues […]

One of the most overlooked methods of asset protection for small businesses is found in the registration of trademarks and service marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). Many business owners might presume that their legal rights are fully protected by the mere use of their business name for years. After all, if you’ve been using the name for decades without issue, no one can suddenly come along and force you to stop using the name, right? Well...not necessarily.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been sudden and severe. Worldwide, populations are dealing with a public health crisis, which has abruptly impacted the economy. As cases continue to increase across the United States, both the federal government and state governments, including California, are directing people to “shelter in place” and “socially distance” from […]

Earlier this year, the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, started mailing out reminders to all vehicle owners who have a diesel vehicle previously registered with the DMV and having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 14,000 pounds or more. Many vehicle owners were surprised to find that the CARB reminder only provided them […]

There are occasions when a meeting (pre-litigation) among parties to a dispute with similar and/or opposing interests can be productive. Many contracts require parties to a dispute to “meet and confer” prior to initiating a formal claim. The purposes of such a meeting may include reviewing and discussing the issue, identifying any common interests and […]

Many contractors contentedly accept the insurance policies presented to them by their insurance carriers. However, it is a much better practice to be an active participant in choosing the most appropriate coverage for your business and the specific jobs that you are performing. Use the following tips to be sure your company has the best and most comprehensive coverage.
Many contractors, subcontractors and suppliers are suffering at the hands of those who fail to pay for the work or materials they supply to construction projects. This is a brief outline of ten tips to keep in mind when dealing with delinquent construction accounts.
Many businesses are surprised to learn that there is a Bankruptcy Code provision, commonly referred to as the “Preferential Payment Rule,” which generally provides that where a debtor makes a payment to a creditor and the debtor files bankruptcy within 90 days thereafter, the creditor can often be forced by the Bankruptcy Court to pay all the sums paid by the debtor back into the bankruptcy estate for distribution to general creditors. When the creditor is an “insider” with the debtor the time period increases from 90 days to one year. This Rule is found in U.S. Bankruptcy Code section 547. The impact of this rule is often devastating to those who have received payment and disbursed it to their own creditors and no longer have the funds to pay to the bankruptcy court.