Mission statements are a formal summary of the aims and values of an entity, whether that is a company, organization, or individual. What is it that makes you tick? Your touchstone? This should guide you when making decisions about your business. We have talked about strategic planning in the past (1, 2, 3 and 4). … Read more
A DUNS (or D-U-N-S®) Number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses. Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. (“D&B”) created the Data Universal Numbering System, or DUNS Number, in 1962 as a way to identify business entities on a location-specific basis. It is a proprietary system that is maintained solely by D&B including a registered trademark for D-U-N-S … Read more
I admit it, one of my favorite things about craft beer is the clever names. There are puns, odd references, and just plain silliness. It just tickles my fancy. But they are also trademarks, and as more beers come on the market, there are more chances for conflict. These disputes have been highlighted by several … Read more
Giving Tuesday was created as a vehicle to channel all of the good will and spending from the holiday season into charitable organizations. A charitable organization are usually tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and, thus called 501(c)(3)’s. Organizations that are accepted by the IRS to be tax exempt under section … Read more
In the running for the most asked question of 2016 is “How do I pick a good lawyer?” I have been asked this again and again by people. My best answer is “Ask questions!” First, ask people you trust: Who do you use? Do you like them? Do they listen to you? Are they … Read more
A stereotypical date night out includes dinner, drinks, and maybe dancing to a band. Turns out that is also a stereotypical list of licenses you need to get if you are starting a place where people will enjoy those behaviors. The license that I, at least, hear the least about is the Entertainment License. In … Read more
Turns out, it isn’t girls who run the world, but contracts that do. Sorry, Beyonce You can barely get through a week without agreeing to one whether it is getting a cell phone, signing up for a new social media account, or getting an oil change. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory … Read more
In August, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals declared that non-solicitation provisions are restraints of trade and must be narrowly tailored as such as part of the case The Manitowoc Company v. Lanning. OK. So….what does that mean? First, it means that if the parties want to spend even more money, they can ask the Wisconsin … Read more
I have a friend who has completed multiple Ironman competitions (7 of them, I believe). For those not aware, an Ironman competition is a triathlon organized by the World Triathlon Corporation. It consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run, done in that order and without stopping. It is … Read more
Capital letters are special things. They mark the beginnings of sentences. They show proper nouns are distinct from other nouns. They help differentiate a title from a sentence and an acronym from a word. All sorts of magic! In contracts, they have an additional job: They show that a term is defined somewhere within that … Read more