The Business Dispute Law Blog by Bill Garrison

Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) reached 500,000 users in September and is growing.  The service allows anyone with a computer to access information from federal courts.  [via]

Never do what?  Choose a Business Form silly!  Here are 10 great reasons why:
10. Contracts. Most businesses execute contracts for space, services, and supplies. Businesses often have agreements between partners, investors, and employees. It is important to get it right so you don’t end up in court.
9. Registering, Licensing, and Permits. Some business entities [...]

THE DO’s
DO know the tax and personal liability consequences of a business entity before making your choice.

DO develop a business plan. Your business plan may dictate the options you have in choosing a business form.
DO strictly meet the state requirements if your business entity is required to file organizing documents with the state.
DO ask your [...]

The guys at Weblogs Work are doing a series of interviews with lawyers who blog over the next week.  The first installment begins tomorrow with their interview with Branham & Day.  Here is the lineup:

Part I: Branham & Day
Part II: Denise Howell Esq.
Part III: Mark Hall of Babst, Calland, Clements, Zomnir
Part IV: Robert Williamson Esq. [...]

1. Cost. A sole proprietorship or general partnership can be set up very inexpensively. A limited partnership and a limited liability company are more expensive to set up. Setting up a corporation can be a very expensive undertaking.
2. Ease. A sole proprietorship is easy to set up; sometimes all it takes is opening up [...]

George writes a great law blog focused on labor and employment law.  He is also tells a mean joke.  Here is his latest:  The Consultant and the Shepherd!
A shepherd was tending his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a dust cloud approached at high speed, out of which emerged a shiny silver BMW. The [...]

Rees Morrison form the Law Department Management Blog reminds us of the ‘most telling and honest benchmark’ for legal departments:  TLS/Revenue
"total legal spending, its inside budget plus what it spends on outside vendors divided by its company’s revenue for the year"

The TLS/Revenue metric is best because it is a ratio that all in-house legal departments [...]

Many Texas businesses (who operate exclusively in Texas) are organized as Delaware LLCs (my good friends at Weblogs Work are organized this way).  The low filing costs are cited as the reasoning behind the selection, but the long term costs quickly outstrip the upfront cost savings.  And as Francis Pileggi from The Delaware Corporate and [...]

Normally located in New Orleans, the Fifth United States Circuit Court of Appeals has moved the court to Houston.  For the next two months all federal appeals from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana will be heard at the federal courtshouse in Houston.  In early November the court will move to Baton Rouge (the lack of housing [...]

The Virginia Condominium Law Blog has an interesting Q&A regarding the definitions commonly found in a condo homeowners agreement (these are specific defitions for Virginia – check with a local attorney for your area).  Read the full entry here. 

Common Element:  means all those portions of the property that [...]