Business Law Update: You have Terms and Conditions, but are they CONSPICUOUS?

Business Owners – ask yourself: When selling or buying, what are in my company’s Terms and Conditions? You can check out some of my prior posts on Terms and Conditions. “TnCs” are important to review closely. TnCs “allocate risk” among the two parties to the contract. In some instances, even if one party never reads theContinue reading “Business Law Update: You have Terms and Conditions, but are they CONSPICUOUS?”

Recent Court Case Provides Good Lessons For Real Estate Investors.

Its Wednesday and I wanted to share a court of appeals case that came out on September 15th. Case: Key Bank v Lake Villa Oxford Assoc, et. al. Lesson: be careful when drafting “personal guarantees” I’ve written in the past about personal guarantees. This particular case involved a real estate development gone bad. Defendant, developer,Continue reading “Recent Court Case Provides Good Lessons For Real Estate Investors.”

Grand Rapids’ Businesses: Lessons from a Recent West Michigan Court Case- Read Those Terms and Conditions.

Business owner – let’s say you just signed a purchase order and agreed to buy some product for your business. The product is not what you expected. In fact, its not going to help you in your business at all. You don’t pay for it. You get sued. You take the contract to your lawyerContinue reading “Grand Rapids’ Businesses: Lessons from a Recent West Michigan Court Case- Read Those Terms and Conditions.”

Business Owners: Think Before you Sign. Recent Court Case Shows Why the Language in Your Contracts Matter.

Here’s to warmer weather! I’ve previously written about the importance of understanding the contracts you sign. I just read a recent Court of Appeals decision that provides a great illustration for business owners to give pause before signing a contract on the dotted line. Check out the case of Solis v Kroger and The Greener Side.Continue reading “Business Owners: Think Before you Sign. Recent Court Case Shows Why the Language in Your Contracts Matter.”

Celebrating Entrepreneurs: National Startup Day

Yesterday August 4 was the 4th Annual National Startup Day Across America. According to the website, National Startup Day Across America was created to: “raise awareness of startup activity and job creation and help catalyze support for your local entrepreneurial community. On the importance of startups in the U.S.: “Startup companies act as entrepreneurial leaders, innovators, and jobContinue reading “Celebrating Entrepreneurs: National Startup Day”

MI Supreme Court in Lawsuit Involving 5 Hour Energy: Commercial Non-Competes Must be Evaluated Under the Rule of Reason.

A while back I wrote a post about the  Court of Appeals Decision: The Non-Compete Lawsuit Involving 5 Hour Energy. To recap, the facts: Parties: Plaintiff, Innovation Ventures, LLC, – the maker of “5 Hour Energy” Defendants Liquid Manufacturing, LLC, K & L Development of Michigan, LLC, and Peter Paisley and Andrew Krause, the presidentsContinue reading “MI Supreme Court in Lawsuit Involving 5 Hour Energy: Commercial Non-Competes Must be Evaluated Under the Rule of Reason.”

Community Development: The Tension Between Real Estate Entrepreneurship and Keeping Families In Affordable Housing.

This morning I read a MIBiz article by Nick Manes titled: “Hungry investors seek Grand Rapids housing deals, rankling longtime residents” The article does a good job of addressing the “tension” that I wrote about in a previous post. New investment in downtown Grand Rapids is exciting. But, as Nick Manes puts it, the flip-side ofContinue reading “Community Development: The Tension Between Real Estate Entrepreneurship and Keeping Families In Affordable Housing.”

About Propaganda Doughnuts’ Closing and West Michigan Business. Working to Build a Better Community.

A few days ago MLIVE posted about Propaganda Doughnuts’ closing on South Division in Downtown Grand Rapids. I was a fan of Propaganda Doughnuts. Occasionally on Sundays after church my family would pick up some doughnuts and go to a park with some friends. I am sorry that I won’t be able to do that any more.Continue reading “About Propaganda Doughnuts’ Closing and West Michigan Business. Working to Build a Better Community.”

Lesson for Businesses: “Words Matter.” Court of Appeals Reverses in favor of Bank of America.

Words Matter. Contracts are about risk allocation. In a transaction, who bears what risk? Back in April I posted on a recent Supreme Court case – Bank of America v First American Title, et. al. If you recall, that case involved allegations of mortgage fraud perpetrated against BOA to the tune of millions of dollars. AboutContinue reading “Lesson for Businesses: “Words Matter.” Court of Appeals Reverses in favor of Bank of America.”

Startups – Don’t Make this Mistake!

Happy Friday! A few months back I wrote a post titled Business Startups: Don’t make these mistakes. I discussed a recent case that highlighted mistakes that business startups can make – including, shutting down a business, then starting a new one just to avoid debts/creditors. Generally speaking, that doesn’t work! A May 3rd Cour of appealsContinue reading “Startups – Don’t Make this Mistake!”