Good morning, all! Yesterday was a beautiful day, see the photo I took overlooking downtown Grand Rapids. The leaves are already changing color. Today I read a Court of Appeals Case that came out yesterday that provides a good example for business owners. Background – Today LLCs are generally the entity of choice. Most businessesContinue reading “Business Law Update for LLCs: The Words You Use In Your Operating Agreement Matter.”
Category Archives: litigation
Real Estate Law Update: Bill Moves Forward Allowing Single Member LLCs To Evict Tenants without Legal Representation
UPDATE ON PROPOSED House Bill 4463 – Would Allow LLCs to Evict wi thout Legal Representation. House Bill 4463 was introduced in March and referred to the committee on law and justice. The Bill would allow owners of a single-member LLC (or a married couple under certain conditions) to file their own eviction actionsContinue reading “Real Estate Law Update: Bill Moves Forward Allowing Single Member LLCs To Evict Tenants without Legal Representation”
Business Law Update: Another Call to Clear Contract Drafting.
It is Artprize again in downtown Grand Rapids! See one of the exhibits on Monroe Avenue in front of the Venue. Question: Did you know: “Shall” has a different meaning then “May”? One is mandatory. The other is permissive. In business, it pays to be clear in the contract language you use. Check outContinue reading “Business Law Update: Another Call to Clear Contract Drafting.”
Real Estate Investors and Property Managers Should Keep Track of this Bill to Make Veterans a Protected Class in Housing Discrimination.
On August 16, 2017 HB 4872 was introduced into the Michigan House of Representatives. The Bill amend the “Elliott-Larsen civil rights act,” and would provide that veterans are included in the list of those protected by Michigan law against housing discrimination. The Bill would define Military Service as: “STATUS OF BEING AN ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERContinue reading “Real Estate Investors and Property Managers Should Keep Track of this Bill to Make Veterans a Protected Class in Housing Discrimination.”
Cautionary Tale for Real Estate Investors: Yesterday California Investor Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging at Foreclosure Sales.
There are many pitfalls for real estate investors who purchase distressed property. In today’s market, good deals for real estate investors are getting harder to come by. With distressed property becoming a scarce resource and competition ever increasing, some real estate investors have resorted to less than legal acts to boost their profit. Investors should know thatContinue reading “Cautionary Tale for Real Estate Investors: Yesterday California Investor Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging at Foreclosure Sales.”
Business Law Update: Court Lessons on Personal Guarantees.
In the world of lending if a business wants to secure financing, you will be hard-pressed to find a bank that is not going to require some collateral, including a personal guarantee of the debt by the principal owner(s) of the business. businesses don’t want to sign personal guarantees; it’s why businesses take on theContinue reading “Business Law Update: Court Lessons on Personal Guarantees.”
Business Law Update: Lessons From Court on Deadlock Between Business Owners.
This morning was rainy and gray in Grand Rapids. It is one of those days that prompted me to write on a topic that can be downright depressing – when relationships between shareholders go bad. I had a client come in recently and ask me to set up an LLC for him. Client planned onContinue reading “Business Law Update: Lessons From Court on Deadlock Between Business Owners.”
Real Estate Law Update – a Court Case Discussing Laches.
From a lawyer’s perspective, real estate disputes are often messy. The parties are often driven by emotion. The facts are often complex. Simply put – it is usually a mess. Often the doctrine of laches gets raised in such a lawsuit. A few years back I wrote a post about the legal (technically, “equitable”) doctr ineContinue reading “Real Estate Law Update – a Court Case Discussing Laches.”
Real Estate Investors and Property Managers Should Keep Track of this “Bed Bug Bill”
During the school year I mentor students at a local school in the West side of Grand Rapids. This school has a great supportive community behind it – as you can see from the photo I took a few years back. I recall a conversation with one student whose family was transient – moving quiteContinue reading “Real Estate Investors and Property Managers Should Keep Track of this “Bed Bug Bill””
Business Law Update: Business Owners: Bill Would Restrict Non-Competition Agreements with Employees.
On June 14, 2017, House Bill 4755 was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives. If passed it would limit the enforceability of a non-competition agreement signed between an employer and an employee. In my opinion – in some pretty significant ways. I have spent several articles discussing the legal consequences/enforceability issues of non-competes. It appearsContinue reading “Business Law Update: Business Owners: Bill Would Restrict Non-Competition Agreements with Employees.”
Purpose Driven General Counsel 