The world of business can be competitive, which is why you should have a business lawyer Bethesda, MD residents trust on your side. At Brown Kiely LLP, we have a team of exceptional business lawyers who understand the complexities surrounding litigation, business torts, contractual breaches, and other business matters.
Why Retain A Business Lawyer Bethesda, MD Offers
In challenging business climates, some behavior from others can be unacceptable and lead to legal obstacles or matters that could hinder your overall business performance and objectives. To discourage such conduct, the federal and state governments have developed laws to enable businesses, who’ve suffered economic losses because of unfair practices, to seek damages from the responsible parties involved. Lawyers from Brown Kiely LLP understand the laws that govern such relief. We are prepared to aggressively fight for clients who experienced financial setbacks, as well as defend clients who are facing detrimental business tort allegations.
Understanding Business Torts
A business tort occurs when the illegitimate or wrongful conduct of an individual or other entity causes financial harm to another business. A business lawyer in Bethesda, MD may be able to pursue tort relief for a broad range of unjustified acts which include:
- Interference with contract
- Fraud and/or fraudulent conveyance
- Interference with computer software, hardware, or websites
- Disparagement (i.e. false statements about a product or service)
- Trademark and copyright infringement
- Breach of fiduciary duty (i.e. conflicts of interest, insider trading, fraudulent conduct, etc.)
- False advertising or copying another product or service
Corporate officers, directors, executives, high-level employees, brokers, agents, or owners may be involved in a business tort breach. Proving such allegations or claims generally requires a judicial setting, and may therefore require an experienced Bethesda, MD business lawyer.
Potential Remedies for Business Torts under Maryland Law
A lawyer may seek monetary damages for business tort breaches, which means the defendant, or their insurance company, may be responsible for such losses. These damages should be calculable within reasonable certainty, which can be challenging to translate into specific values. Your lawyer should be able to determine this through a diligent examination of the situation and potential losses. A court may also issue an injunction against the alleged at-fault party, which orders them to cease their tortious conduct or activity.
How a Bethesda, MD Business Lawyer Can Help You With a Breach of Contract
When you work in a business, you may not think you need a business lawyer in Bethesda, MD until you must go to court with someone. However, it can be incredibly helpful to have a business lawyer Bethesda, MD recommends on your side when you are concerned that signed contracts may not go the way they are supposed to. The business lawyers at Brown Kiely, LLP understand that even when contracts are signed, people do not always live up to their side of the bargain. When this is the case, you can work with the attorneys at our firm to create a notice of breach so that you can resolve this problem before it escalates. This type of notice typically takes the form of a letter and would explain to the other party what kind of breach in contract there has been and what the appropriate action is for them to take (like compensation for any damages).
What is included in a notice of breach?
When you send a notice of breach regarding any type of contract dispute, you want to outline the necessary steps and make it very clear what the other party is supposed to do. Your business lawyer Bethesda, MD business owners depend on can explain in detail what is included in this letter, but you will typically see the items included below.
A Date. In this notice, it should be clear when you are sending a notice of the breach to the breaching party. This can be very important, especially if you end up taking this breach of contract to court.
Notice Clause. Talk with your attorney if the contract you are referring to has some type of clause that stipulates how each party should communicate notices. This clause may outline several ways or one way that you can give notice, like through overnight mail or fax. If you fail to follow the correct method, the other party could claim that you did not give them a notice of the breach at all. When this is the case, it could allow them more time to develop an argument or fix their problem.
Explain the Breach. In the notice, you will want to go into detail about the breach and which part of the contract you believe was breached. This likely happened in one of three ways. First, it is possible that the other party did not fulfill their duty (they may not have paid you for your goods or services). Second, the offending party told you that they will not perform their duties. Third, the other party is not giving you the necessary information or tools to perform your part of the contract. It is also possible that there is more than one breach in contract.
Offer a Solution. Once you describe how the other party did not live up to their end of the deal, offer a way to cure the problem, whether it is through a terminating the agreement, seeking damages, or adding a clause that gives the other party more time to fulfill their obligations.
Should there be any specific circumstances that apply to your own situation, a business lawyer in Bethesda, MD can explain to you what your options might be. It is certainly possible that other legal measures may need to be taken in addition to the breach of notice.
How Much Will a Business Lawyer Cost You?
If you’re a new business or a corporation with a lengthy background, you may need a business lawyer Bethesda, MD trusts to help you deal with the laws and regulations behind running a business. The laws are always changing and so it’s important for you to be up to date with the latest news. If you’re a new business, then you need the legal foundation for your business to grow from. Established businesses may also benefit from a business lawyer in Bethesda, MD when it comes to merger or acquisitions or tricky legal issues. No matter why you need a business lawyer Bethesda, MD has to offer, you probably want to know how much it’s going to cost you.
Types of Fees
What you may not know about lawyers is that there are different pay structures to follow. For instance, some lawyers may ask you to pay an hourly fee, while others will charge a flat fee for their work. Others may ask for equity payments. Before you hire a business lawyer Bethesda, MD respects, make sure to discuss payment options. It’s crucial that you know what type of fee your lawyer expects from you.
Hourly Fee
Hourly fees are the most common structure that lawyers use. The hourly rate depends heavily on the lawyers’ preferences. Hourly rates may range between 150 dollars to around 300 dollars per hour. However, this may be more or less depending on location. It’s better to check beforehand about the pricing. If you’re in a larger city, then odds are you’re going to have a higher hourly fee. In smaller towns, however, the fees tend to be lower.
Flat Fee
Some lawyers will provide work at a flat fee. The work that they tend to do for a flat fee includes LLC formation, drafting employment contracts, incorporation, and reviewing business contracts. Keep in mind that these flat fees may vary by location also. Always check with a lawyer in advance.
Equity Payments
Equity payments are becoming more common when it comes to new businesses and lawyers. Lawyers will accept equity instead of a monetary payment. Now, this is risky for the lawyer, of course. Due to a risk, many lawyers pass on this type of arrangement.
When it comes to business law, there are many reasons to have a business lawyer Bethesda, MD entrepreneurs know and turn to for advice. Realistically, the pricing varies by location but also by structure. If you’re curious about how much it will cost you to hire a business lawyer, then contact one today for more information.
Do I Need a Business Lawyer in Bethesda, MD Residents Can Count On?
If you are dealing with a possible business tort situation, it may be advisable to retain a lawyer for legal representation in any proceedings. A lawyer can assist in the documentation, investigation, and act as a voice on your behalf. He or she may be able to recover any losses caused by the business tort, or defend you in court if a claim has been filed against you.
Seek an Attorney for Intellectual Property Protection
A Business Lawyer Bethesda MD Offers Can Provide Intellectual Property Protection
Intellectual property is an invention or process that is developed from creativity of the human mind. Many business owners or creators apply for trademark, copyright or patent protection of their intellectual property. Protecting intellectual property is a key element in the brand of a company or its product. Those who want to know more about their legal rights can benefit from consulting with a business law attorney from Brown Kiely LLP.
We committed ourselves to protecting the creations and innovations of our fellow community members since we opened our doors in 1998. To help strengthen the foundation of your new product or company, we provide the following suggestions. A business law attorney at Brown Kiely LLP will be happy to answer any remaining questions or concerns you have related to intellectual property protection.
Tips for Protecting Intellectual Property
- Educate yourself and team members on trademark, copyright, patent, and trade secret basics. Investing time in doing research of your own regarding intellectual property rights can make you feel more empowered to make big decisions. We can explain these terms to you in depth and how they apply to your unique situation.
- By hiring a business lawyer in Bethesda MD from Brown Kiely LLP, we can guide you through the legal documentation and processes involved in obtaining a copyright, patent, or trademark.
- Perform an audit to target registered and unregistered copyrights, patents, and trademarks to confirm all bases are covered.
- Take advantage of non-disclosure agreements. A business lawyer in Bethesda from our firm can demonstrate how to use them when partnering with others, employees, and contractors to protect your intellectual property.
- Obtain international patents if there are competitors outside of the United States. A US patent cannot protect you from inventors in other countries. We can help you with this.
- Plan and think ahead in regards to the future of the company. Devise your patent strategy and prioritize which aspects of your idea or company needs the most legal protection. We can help you submit the appropriate applications and make sure that you take all of the necessary steps.
Definition of Trademark, Patent, and Copyright
Below we have listed the definitions of four very important forms of intellectual property protection, to help you identify which is most applicable to your property.
- Copyright: Legal protection granted to an entity or author for the original work.
- Trademark: A phrase, series of words, logo or graphic symbol which is used to separate a product, organization or company from others. The goal of a trademark is to prevent customer confusion.
- Patent: Legal protection granted to a person or entity for their inventions, procedures and/or discoveries.
- Trade Secret: Confidential information in regards to the process, design and/or method a manufacturer uses to market their product.
Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets can play an influential role in the amount of monetary income possible for your company. The last thing a creator or business person needs is to have another party steal or replicate their idea illegally or legally if they do not take protective measures. By choosing a business lawyer in Bethesda MD from Brown Kiely LLP, we can help you decide which aspects of your business needs protection.
In order to help prevent your ideas from being stolen or replicated by another party in the near future, consult with a business lawyer Bethesda MD at Brown Kiely LLP for a free consultation. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Brown Kiely LLP Today
Fraud, misrepresentation, tortious interference with contract rights – these are just a few of the legal issues that can impact your business. We have extensive experience in these types of commercial disputes. We will work with you to create the most efficient strategy to maximize your interests and keep your business moving forward. To schedule a free consultation with a business lawyer Bethesda, MD residents respect, please call Brown Kiely LLP at 301-718-4548.