Nobody wants to be involved in litigation. If you are reading this, chances are you have taken an active role in protecting your business from needless lawsuits by scrupulously following the law, treating your employees as the valuable assets they are, and working with talented tax and legal professionals to ensure you are thoroughly protected [...]
Frustrated by disapproval of a conventional bank loan? Annoyed by the lack of creative financing options for your commercial real estate investments? Real estate developers and investors should consider the benefits gained from alternate real estate financing options before pursing their next development. While traditional mortgages remain the most common financing option for commercial real [...]
There are dozens of laws requiring California landlords and property managers to give residential tenants written warnings about hazards and potential hazards associated with the housing environment. In the last twelve months legislation for two more of these laws has taken effect. New Flood Hazard Area Disclosure Effective July 1, 2018, California Government Code section [...]
Owning residential or commercial property you rent to others comes with an inherent risk of liability. While maintaining adequate insurance can protect landlords against many conceivable risks, it cannot completely insulate the landlord from liability. All insurance policies have limits, exceptions and carve-outs. In some cases injuries to tenants or guests, for example, could result [...]
Over the past several weeks, you have probably been receiving e-mail from various online service providers announcing updates to their privacy policies. While these e-mails often claim that they are being done because the organization values your privacy, there is actually a deeper root. On May 25, 2018, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation [...]
In Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, the California Supreme Court adopted a new standard to determine whether a worker is properly classified as an employee or an independent contractor. The simplified standard, known as the ABC test, looks at three required factors to determine a valid independent contractor who would not be subject to one of California’s wage orders and other employer obligations: [...]
Three months after the devastating Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides, we continue to see questions regarding disaster recovery, especially from business owners. Last month’s Advisor covered insurance issues; this month, I want to focus on other strategies for weathering the aftermath of what has been a tough six months for our community. While insurance is [...]
At some point, the records management policies and practices of all businesses are tested. Thus, it is critical that businesses have a comprehensive records management policy and that managers and staff have a complete understanding of such policies and procedures. Not surprisingly, California law requires employers to keep certain records for specific amounts of time. [...]
The Thomas Fire and ensuing mudslides devastated our community and caught many businesses by surprise. In addition to the tremendous damage and loss of life they wrought upon us, these disasters have demonstrated the importance of having a good business insurance policy. Standard business interruption insurance policies typically cover profits, fixed costs, temporary relocation, reimbursement [...]
Rebuilding the local business scene is going to take more than just hoping for the best. Thankfully, the Santa Barbara community is making moves to preserve local businesses and bring tourism back. FLAS Partner Trevor Large, in his capacity as President of Hospitality Santa Barbara, has taken an active role in collaborating with the City of [...]