When business owners think about selling their company, most of the attention goes to the deal itself—valuation, tax efficiency, negotiation strategy, and closing mechanics. But there's a quieter question that many founders don't ask until after the deal closes: What does life look like after t...
Business Law Blog
Why Growing Businesses Like Sarah’s Need Outsourced Legal Counsel
Not every business needs a full-time, in-house lawyer. But many growing businesses reach a point where legal issues become too frequent and too important to handle reactively. This is especially true for companies that have moved beyond the startup stage and are now managing employees, contract...
Why Smart Businesses Separate Their Brand Into an IP Holding Company
For many businesses, the most valuable asset they own is not their equipment, inventory, or even their operating company. It's the brand. That brand may include: trademarks and logos proprietary systems or methods training materials written content recipes, formulas, or...
Why Your Holding Company Structure May Not Be Protecting Anything
Many business owners are advised at some point to create a holding company structure. The advice usually sounds something like this: “You should separate your businesses and assets into different LLCs.” So the owner does exactly that. They form a holding company and several subsidiary LLCs...
The LLC Isn’t the Protection—Your Behavior Is
Many business owners believe that once they form an LLC, their personal assets are protected. Unfortunately, that belief is often wrong. An LLC can provide powerful liability protection—but only if it is respected as a separate legal entity. Courts do not automatically shield owners simply beca...
The $1,000 Paycheck That Turned Into a $37,000 Lawsuit
It happens all the time in small businesses. An employee quits or gets fired, and suddenly there's a dispute about money. Maybe the employee damaged equipment. Maybe they never returned tools or uniforms. Maybe they still owe the company for an advance. The owner thinks: “Fine. I'll just deduct...
When LLC Managers Refuse to Share Information: What Members Can Do Under Louisiana Law
Members of closely held LLCs often assume they will have access to the company's financial information and records. In reality, disputes frequently arise when the managers or controlling members refuse to provide documents or access to information. When that happens, minority members can feel stu...
Why Your Insurance Quote Exploded After You Moved the Property into an LLC
Many business owners are advised to move property into an LLC for liability protection. That advice is often sound. But many owners are shocked to discover that after transferring property into an LLC, their insurance premium increases dramatically—or coverage becomes harder to obtain. If that...
Minority Owners Get Burned Every Day: 7 Contract Terms That Actually Protect Them
Buying into a business as a minority owner can be exciting. It can also be dangerous. Minority owners often assume: they will be treated fairly, they will receive distributions, they will have access to information, and the majority owner will act reasonably. But without...
S Corp Salary Mistakes: How Owners Trigger IRS Problems Without Realizing It
S corporations can be one of the most powerful tax tools available to business owners. But they come with a rule that many owners misunderstand: you must pay yourself a reasonable salary. If you don't, you may be saving money in the short term—while creating an IRS audit problem that can cost fa...
What Happens to a Business When an Owner Dies? (And Why Most Plans Fail)
Most business owners assume that if they die, their spouse or children will “take over” or “get the business.” But legally, that's not always what happens. In fact, when an owner dies without a clear succession plan, the business often enters a dangerous phase where: ownership is unclear, ...
The 5 Most Common LLC Operating Agreement Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
Most business owners form an LLC because they want protection, flexibility, and simplicity. But many skip the most important document the LLC has: the Operating Agreement. An Operating Agreement is not just paperwork. It's the rulebook that controls what happens when money is made, when owners d...
Understanding USERRA: What Employers and Service Members Need to Know
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is a federal law that protects the civilian employment rights of individuals who serve in the uniformed services. While many employers are generally aware that military leave is protected, fewer fully understand the scope of t...
Associate Employment Agreements: Best Practices for Louisiana Law Firm Owners
Hiring an associate attorney is a major step for any law firm. The terms you set at the outset shape the firm's culture, protect your business interests, and lay the foundation for a productive long-term professional relationship. At Business Law Group, we are proud to represent law firm owners ...
Do Living Wills Need to Be Notarized in Louisiana?
When clients are working through estate planning or end-of-life decisions, one of the most common questions we hear is deceptively simple: “Does a living will have to be notarized in Louisiana?” The short answer is no — but the details matter. What Is a Living Will Under Louisiana Law? In Lou...
ICE Is Renewing I-9 Enforcement Efforts: What Immigrant-Owned Businesses Need to Know Now
At Business Law Group, we are proud to represent immigrant-owned companies across a wide range of industries. Our clients include green card holders, visa holders, and naturalized citizens who have lawfully built businesses, created jobs, and contributed meaningfully to their communities and the ...
Do I Have to Pay My Louisiana Employee for Jury Duty service?
Louisiana employers are often surprised to learn that the state does require some paid jury duty leave, but that requirement is far more limited than many people assume. Here's what Louisiana law actually says—and just as importantly, what it does not say. The Short Answer Yes—but only for one ...
FMLA Coverage vs. Employee Eligibility: Where Employers Most Often Get It Wrong
Employers regularly misunderstand their obligations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)—especially when they operate across multiple locations, use remote employees, or experience high employee turnover. The most common mistake is failing to distinguish between whether the employer is c...
How to Revoke an S-Corporation Election for Your LLC (and What Louisiana Requires)
Many business owners elect S-corporation tax status to reduce self-employment taxes and optimize compensation. But circumstances change—income fluctuates, payroll becomes burdensome, or a simpler tax structure makes more sense.If your LLC elected to be taxed as an S-corporation and you now want t...
Putting the Cart Before the Horse: The Top 5 Mistakes Founders Make When Starting a Company
Starting a business is exhilarating. Founders are fueled by ideas, adrenaline, and the vision of what could be. But in that rush, it's easy to misallocate time, money, and energy—often focusing on the wrong things too early. At Business Law Group, we see this pattern again and again: well-meaning...
Using a 1031 Exchange With the New Accelerated Depreciation Rules: A High-Impact Strategy for Real Estate Investors
Real estate investors have long relied on §1031 like-kind exchanges to defer capital gains taxes when selling investment property. With the advent of new accelerated depreciation rules—including expanded opportunities for bonus depreciation and faster cost-segregation classifications—investors no...
Can Managers Share Tips in a Tip Pool? What Employers and Employees Need to Know
Tip pooling is common in restaurants, bars, salons, and other service-driven industries. But one question regularly causes confusion—and legal trouble: Can managers or supervisors participate in a tip pool? The short answer is almost always no. But like most wage-and-hour rules, the details matt...
Can I Gift My Employee Ownership in My Company?
Business owners often ask us: “Can I give my employee an ownership interest in my company for free?” It's a great question — and one that comes up often when employers want to reward loyalty or incentivize key team members. The short answer is: you can, but it's not truly “free.” Giving an emplo...
What Hospitality Operators Need to Know about the IRS’s New Information-Reporting Guidance on Tips & Overtime
If you run a restaurant, hotel, resort or other hospitality business, the recent release of Public Law 119‑21 (the “OBBBA”) and the resulting IRS guidance in Notice 2025-62 mark important new compliance developments around reporting of tips and overtime pay. While many of the changes will not ful...
2025 Louisiana Successions Update: What Families Need to Know
Louisiana's 2025 legislative session brought important updates to succession and estate law. These changes affect how wills are executed, how probate proceedings unfold, and how heirs can protect their rights. At Business Law Group, we stay on top of these developments so you can plan with confid...