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.
This is the second of a series entitled: "When you don't need a lawyer." Why is a lawyer writing – again -- to tell you when you don't need to hire a lawyer? Because it's a question that many potential clients ask themselves all the time, and one that I frequently answer.
Why is a lawyer writing to tell you when you don't need to hire a lawyer? Because it's a question that many business owners ask themselves all the time, and one that I frequently answer. This is the first in a series of articles that will hopefully guide you as I frequently guide my clients. En...
What is an Easement? An easement is the legal or equitable right of someone to use the land of another for a specific or special purpose, often to travel over the land in question to reach another area of land. An easement is a legal right if it was created by a legal instrument, like a deed. A...
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OR EMPLOYEE? Are you an independent contractor or an employee? How do you find out and why does it matter anyway? "Independent contractor" and "employee" are not just insignificant names or labels in Maryland. This distinction is legally important and just cal...
Franchise law is complicated. According to the Maryland Attorney General, Maryland is one of about 15 states that requires "registration" of franchise offerings. What is a franchise? Maryland Annotated Business Regulation Code, Section 14-201 defines it as follows: ...
If you are "self employed" you must pay "self employment taxes." According to the IRS, you are self employed if you are a sole proprietor, independent contractor, member of a partnership, or are otherwise in business for yourself, including part-time businesses. The term "self...
The contract might seem incredibly simple. You found a great form online, you've gone over the details several times and it looks like you might be able to come to a final agreement. Good intentions have been expressed on both sides. However, as the saying goes, “business is business.”You might b...
There are a series of steps involved in recording a deed in Maryland. While the overall process is uniform, counties can differ in the technical requirements and costs. A deed to be recorded can be prepared by an attorney licensed in Maryland or by one of the parties named in the deed...
From the Baltimore Sun: Merriweather Post Pavilion adjusts request for noise limits
Our practice areas include zoning law and liquor license applications. Interestingly, Baltimore City is undergoing an update of its zoning code and a proposal has been made to eliminate liquor stores which had previously been allowed to operate as a nonconforming use in areas where the zoning pro...
From the Baltimore Sun: Proposed legislation would make residents members of CA
Zoning or rezoning in Howard County is primarily conducted in two ways. Approximately every ten years, the County Council undergoes a legislative process called comprehensive zoningduring which county officials review the entire county zoning map, hold hearings, and, ultimately, making ...
From the Tampa Bay Times: New Tampa homeowner wins judgment against homeowners association
Howard County's Department of Planning and Zoning announced today that it will launch the countywide rezoning process and will be accepting proposals for zoning map and regulation amendments between October 15 and December 14, 2012. For more information, see the announcement sent out by the count...
This past April, Maryland passed a law approving corkage. Corkage is the practice of bringing your own wine to a restaurant that already has a wine menu. Corkage allows patrons to enjoy a wine that is not already stocked by the restaurant. This differs from some Baltimore restaurants BYOB practic...
