In Maryland an employer can be liable for the negligence of an "agent, servant, or employee." The legal term for this is "respondeat superior." In Latin this literally means "let the master answer." First, while we often hear the word "negligence," what does it mean in this contex...
Running any type of business is challenging, but running a home-based business has its own set of challenges. If you are considering running a home based business you should thoroughly weigh the pros and cons for your type of business and your personal needs. You need a fit for bo...
A historic preservation easement is a type of conservation easement designed to protect a significant historic, archaeological, or cultural resource. An easement is an agreement between a property owner and another party which limits certain rights of the owner. Preservation easements entered int...
If you're a designer, you've undoubtedly pushed out many of your personal creative projects online. In all likelihood, you've spent a lot of your time and hard work to create designs that affect others in a profound manner. All you ask for is recognition and credit for your creative expression — ...
ADVERSE POSSESSION Adverse possession seems to be a particularly unusual legal right. In simple terms, it provides that a person who does not have legal title to a property can obtain it under specified circumstances. The legal require...
Did you know that you can record a judgment from another state in Maryland? Through a simple procedure a recorded out of state judgment becomes legally enforceable in Maryland, increasing your options for collection and satisfaction of a judgment. To record a fi...
HOWARD COUNTY ZONING VIOLATIONS What should you do if you get a zoning violation notice in Howard County? First, some background on the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning ("DPZ") is useful. DPZ's stated mission is: "To create collaborative, innovative plans and implem...
If you are starting a new company in Maryland, particularly a small business, you may wonder, "why do I need a lawyer?" With the abundance of information readily available on the Internet, couldn't you save money on lawyer fees by not retaining a business lawyer from the outset and just hope leg...
Say you've decided to form a limited liability company, commonly referred to as an "LLC." You've heard that an LLC needs an "operating agreement" in Maryland but you don't know what that means or how to proceed. This article will guide you. The first thing is to be sure...
You're an owner leasing commercial rental property or a tenant wishing to lease. You've agreed on the important lease terms such as square footage, rent, and term. So why should you spend the time and money to involve a lawyer you ask? On both sides, it's advisable. Lease...
SDAT OVERVIEW FOR MARYLAND BUSINESSES Anyone doing or planning to do business in Maryland should be familiar with the State Department of Assessments & Taxation ("SDAT"). As a broad overview, SDAT governs business formation and taxation. The SDAT website, http://www.dat.maryland.gov, provid...
Eminent domain occurs when the state takes an owner's real property for public use. The process is called condemnation. This seems unusual to many. Why, they ask, can the government take my property? It's not that simple and there are safeguards in place to protect an owner facing condemnation. ...
If you're a small business owner, the thought of navigating a potential lawsuit can be scary. As a Maryland lawyer and former CPA who represents small businesses and who has also been a commercial and business litigator in a premier law firm in Baltimore, I know both the business side and litigat...
Is the agreement I just entered into a legally binding contract? In general, a valid contract requires four elements: offer, acceptance, consideration, and performance. The process begins when one party offers the terms for the contract. Next, the other party can accept, reject, or requ...
In this age of smart phones with cameras, instagram, twitter, tumblr and the like, anyone who wishes to plan and hold a private event must take extraordinary actions in the planning stages, or settle for the fact that all activities at the event will end up as 140 character tweets or Instagram po...
Q: Do I have a right to get involved in a situation where the state will be issuing an environmental permit for a property that borders mine?A: You usually have a right to a notice of the impending permit as well as a right to publicly air your views regarding its impact. And in some cases, you m...
Real Estate and Boundary Disputes What should I do if a neighbor's structure encroaches my property? As the saying goes, fences make great neighbors. But sometimes fences (or sheds, home additions, driveways, patios, etc.) cause significant disputes when one owner believes the other owner's...
An independent contractor by definition is a person or can be another company even, who is hired to perform a job for another person or business. How, where, and when the job gets done is under the sole control of the contractor, not the hiring company. On the other hand an employee is a person h...
Whether you decide to sell, retire, or leave your business due to health reasons, it is important that you plan for the day you will no longer be able to run your company. Succession planning is a very important part of business planning and is something that you should address when you first go ...
Taylor Legal represented a client in an administrative appeal of a negative employment action imposed by the Howard County Public School System. Through a careful review of the client's personnel record and detailed meetings with the client to review the facts of the case, a considered,...
Have you been notified or heard about a Pre-Submission Meeting in Your Neighborhood? Wondering what this means?
The SBA estimates that up to 50% of small businesses are run out of a person's home. With...
County zoning regulations establish area (bulk) and use limitations for each zoning district.
Benefit Corporations (also known as B Corps) are corporations formed with the intent to create a beneficial public good. B Corps are held to a higher standard than traditional corporations in that they must create social, environmental and community benefits. The first official B Corp was created...
You own a small business. It may have been a good experience or a headache but for whatever reason, you've decided to sell it. You've never done this before and aren't sure what's involved.
