Taxes… Taxes… Taxes are at the forefront of our conversation. Are you a winner or a loser under the new paradigm? How do you better your positioning; change your business structure, your estate planning? Businesses and corporations are clearly winners under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Cuts Act). Businesses Preferred. Our country’s federal [...]
As 2017 draws to a close, it is time to start planning for 2018. As a small business owner, now is a good time to check the legal aspects of your business to ensure you in good standing. Here are a few items every small business should complete as part of your year-end legal [...]
The current legislative session is now at a close. Governor Brown has approved or vetoed the bills sent from the legislature. Unfortunately for employers, this year was fairly active for labor and employment laws. Below is a partial list, not exhaustive, of the biggest developments from this year’s new laws. Unless otherwise noted, these laws [...]
At the end of September, California enacted a number of new bills intended to make it easier for developers to build affordable housing projects throughout the state. What do these mean for central coast residents, developers, and investors? SB 35 - Streamlined Local Approvals for Affordable Housing California requires local jurisdictions to develop long term [...]
When real property changes hands, California imposes two separate taxes – the annual real property tax and a documentary transfer tax. The annual real property tax is reassessed to fair market value when a property changes ownership. The transfer tax allows a county or city, or both, to charge a tax when real property is [...]
This case revolves around whether a trademark can be registered before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) even though the mark is disparaging. The Lanham Act prohibits the registration of many kinds of marks, but in this case, preventing the registration of disparaging marks directly challenges the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause. During [...]
Every January, employers must become familiar with new employment laws that have been passed at the state and local level. Below is a brief summary of some of the most relevant, in my opinion. Should you have questions about any of these new requirements, please contact any member of our Labor and Employment Practice Group [...]
November 2016 Twenty years ago, California voters were the first to decriminalize the use of medical marijuana. Tuesday, those voters approved Proposition 64, making California the largest single market for “legal” recreational marijuana use in the United States. With certification of that vote by the Secretary of State, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act will [...]