 As a business owner, you know how critical it is to build up your brand’s reputation and market recognition. You work hard to cultivate an image that will appeal to your customers. So what happens if someone starts selling products or services under your brand name or logo? What if a competitor copies your product designs or marketing materials? Trademarks and copyrights work to legally stop these nightmare scenarios from happening by protecting your intellectual property rights in different ways. Your intellectual property or brand could be your most valuable asset. We’ve already discussed how important trademarks are to businesses operating on Amazon and beyond. If you don't take steps to protect your IP, your hard-built business faces danger from copycats looking to cheat their way up. Depending on the type of business you have, you may need a trademark, copyright, or both to protect your most important IP assets. But the laws around IP protection are not always straightforward. That’s where a knowledgeable business trademark and copyright lawyer comes in to help simplify and streamline the process. By working with an experienced attorney, you can avoid losing hundreds of dollars and months of time to an incorrect trademark application or copyright registration. Plus, you get to rest assured that you’re taking the right steps to secure the future of your business.
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 At some point, it's probably inevitable that your small business will need financing in order to grow. One option is to investigate the Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, including the 504 Loan Program. Whether you need startup funding or capital to run and grow your already established business, this program might be just what you need.
 So you want to purchase a company or business asset. Buying a company is an exciting venture and you may have high hopes for growing and expanding your business. But buyer beware: before signing the dotted line, you absolutely must do your due diligence. A deal that looks promising from the start may have hidden issues that can cost you thousands if not millions of dollars after you complete the purchase. Doing the proper due diligence into a company’s background and operations can save you from experiencing major problems and liabilities down the line. If you fail to do your due diligence, those issues can ultimately overshadow the value of the asset you just purchased. At Holmes Business Law, we take due diligence seriously because it means protecting our clients. While you can and should do your own due diligence, it’s important to hire an experienced business lawyer to make sure you’re totally covered.  So you've got your eye on buying a business. Or you’re ready to sell your own company to someone else. Whichever side you’re on, buyer and seller are both on board and ready to move forward with the sale. You’ve even drafted a Letter of Intent to demonstrate that you’re serious about the business purchase transaction.
An LOI is a great place to start the process of selling or buying a business. But it's far from the only document you'll need to finalize the sale. You must make sure to cross your t’s and dot your i’s in a business sale. The process of transferring ownership will go much smoother if you cover all your bases. But what documents do you need? Your needs will change depending on your industry and the particulars of the business for sale. The best way to make sure you’ve addressed all your issues is to speak to a local Philadelphia business attorney who can help you with your unique transaction.  Business sales involve risks. It’s natural for both buyers and sellers to have hopes and apprehensions about a merger or sale. A business purchase negotiation requires trust between a buyer and seller as they work to come to an agreement.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) is a crucial part of a successful business sale. An LOI acts as an informal way to kick off a negotiation between a buyer and seller in a business purchase transaction. Your Letter of Intent essentially “sets the stage” for your business purchase. The LOI terms will clarify the expectations of both sides going into the purchase. Whether you're the buyer or the seller in the sale, both parties benefit from drafting an LOI early on in the process.  If you’re in the business of selling products, Amazon's marketplace is an incredible platform that makes it possible for you to reach millions of potential buyers online. You can take advantage of Amazon’s consumer base and fast shipping for a small commission from each sale you make.
It's no surprise then that Amazon is so popular with third-party retailers and independent sellers. But the platform’s popularity also makes it a common target for counterfeiters and listing hijackers who pass off fake brand products as the real thing. In our latest video, learn the top three issues buyers encounter when buying an existing business. Is this an instance where you need to engage a pro? Find out in our video.
 For a business looking to fill a specialized position in your company, you may have to look internationally for the right candidate. If you find the best employee for the job outside the United States, they must have the right immigration status to legally work for you.
Fortunately, you’ve got options. For decades, the H-1B visa has been popular with employers and employees alike because of its accessibility, broad requirements, and long duration. The H-1B visa allows a U.S. company to sponsor a highly educated nonimmigrant worker for an initial period of up to 3 years. The H-1B visa offers advantages for both employers and employees. As an employer, you get access to a much wider pool of candidates – literally the best in the world. Meanwhile, the H-1B visa allows an employee’s family to come with them. Plus, they can pursue dual intent for legal permanent residency while they work for you. Of course, the H-1B visa comes with drawbacks, too. For one, approvals are granted by random lottery and there’s a yearly limit – with few exceptions. Whether you choose to pursue an H-1B visa compared to others like the E-2, J-1, O-1, or TN classification depends on what’s best for your business. A local business immigration lawyer can evaluate your situation to come up with a solution catered to your needs. Your lawyer can then help you execute the visa sponsorship and approval process. At Holmes Business Law, we handle business immigration needs for Philadelphia area companies who’re looking to hire international talent. Call us now at 215-482-0285 to talk to a qualified Philadelphia business immigration lawyer about your best options moving forward. Pros and Cons of H-1B Visas for Employers What Are the Benefits of Hiring H-1B Workers? One of the greatest benefits of the H-1B visa is how broadly it applies to workers. Other comparable visa classifications require the employee to invest thousands of dollars, have managerial experience, or hold a master's degree or higher to qualify. On the other hand, the H-1B visa only requires that the candidate:
The bachelor’s degree requirement allows you as the employer to hire a broader field of candidates who might not necessarily have more specialized degrees. H-1B visas are often used by companies in the fields of medicine, technology, engineering, business, and law. As the employer who’s creating the job position, you control the job description. In order for an H-1B employee to qualify for the position, you must write the job requirements in a way that meets both the bachelor’s degree and “specialized knowledge” conditions for H-1B visas. In addition to its broad application, the H-1B visa offers an initial term of up to 3 years, which is generous compared to some other options. For example, the B-1 visa only grants 6 months and the J-1 as little as 1 year. That might work for short-term projects but not for longer employment contracts where you want your employee to grow with the company. At the end of your employee’s first visa period, they can renew their H-1B for another 3 years, allowing for a total of 6 years. This extension may be used just once, with limited exceptions. After that, your employee will have to seek another type of visa. Some other visas may be extended indefinitely – your business immigration lawyer can help you decide which option is the best way forward for your company and the employee’s future. Limitations & Disadvantages of H-1B Visas The biggest drawback of the H-1B visa is its lottery system. H-1B visa candidates are picked at random, with a cap on the number of visas approved every year. Because the H-1B visa is so accessible and popular, the number of petitions far exceeds the cap every year. In 2021, the H-1B visa limit is a total of 85,000. As an employer, you can avoid this limit only if you fall into a cap-exempt category. This usually covers government research organizations, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations. As a result, despite all your best efforts – your chosen candidate may be denied their H-1B visa based purely on luck. If your petitioner isn’t selected, they’ll have to wait until the following year to reapply. There's no telling how long approval may take. Because of the lottery process, H-1B visa applications also have strict deadlines. You must wait until April 1st to file your petition and you cannot begin work until after October 1st that year. H-1B Visa Requirements, Sponsorship, and Approval ProcessWhen you hire an H-1B visa employee, you're not just investing in that worker’s future with your company. You’re also responsible for paying all the fees in the immigration petition process. That includes a $460 filing fee plus any additional program fees that can total anywhere between $500 to $4,000 based on the nature of your company. The H-1B visa process proceeds in the following order:
Immigration issues can be complex, but a business immigration lawyer can help you get the best talent for your team without the hassle. Whenever you apply to sponsor an H-1B visa, you put in a large investment towards hiring that worker. You want to give yourself the best chance at approval from the beginning so that you don’t waste your time and resources. That means providing accurate and comprehensive information in your application and petition documents. Call the Philadelphia offices of Holmes Business Law now at 215-482-0285 to get started on your H-1B petition the right way. Another common question we get, "How Do I Hire Employees?"
First, if you are a business expanding and hiring employees, congratulations! It's a huge step toward growth to hire your first employees. Secondly, many people are very confused by the legal and tax issue surrounding a new hire. There are a variety of issues to consider, from payroll, to I-9 forms, non compete, wage and hour laws and basic HR considerations. Each state has its own set of employment regulations, including wage and hour laws, overtime, sick time and discrimination laws. Plus, there are employment laws at the federal level you have to be aware of as well. Check out this video to learn some basics about hiring employees. If you need help getting the legal blocks in place to hire employees, give our Philadelphia or main line lawyers a call at: 215 482 0285  Covid-19 has affected business owners across the United States.
Many are unsure of how to cope, how to communicate with staff and how to keep everyone safe and healthy. Being able to weather the current crisis requires some important skills and shifts in how one does business. Grab a copy of our free ebook, How to Keep Your Business Healthy During a Crisis. We hope this will help business owners emerge from the current crisis stronger than ever. |
AuthorSarah E. Holmes is a Philadelphia business attorney and strategist that helps start ups and established businesses looking to expand, protect their assets and increase their profits in an approachable, down-to-earth way. When you're looking for a business lawyer in Philadelphia, the Main Line or New Jersey, we can help. Categories
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