Blog

• New Year New Wage Increase

  December 8, 2015

  (December 1, 2015) Effective January 1, 2016, the minimum wage in Michigan will increase to $8.50 an hour. This increase was passed in May of 2014 under the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act. The minimum wage is due for an additional increase again in 2017 and 2018, then will be adjusted annually thereafter by the state […]

• Rhoades McKee Achieves Top Metropolitan Rankings in US News – Best Lawyers “Best Firms”

  November 3, 2015

  (November 3, 2015) Rhoades McKee earned “Best Law Firms” recognition in the top three ranking levels established by US News in 18 legal practice specialties for the Grand Rapids Metropolitan area. According to the statement released by US News – Best Lawyers, “receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has […]

• Property Tax Exemptions Recovered

  November 2, 2015

  A principal residence exemption (PRE) exempts a residence from the tax levied by a local school district for school operating purposes up to 18 mills. To qualify for a PRE, a person must be a Michigan resident who owns and occupies the property as a “principal residence.” This “principal residence” issue becomes very significant for […]

• Piercing the Corporate Veil: Can You Be Held Individually Liable for Your Business’ Obligations?

  November 2, 2015

  (November 10, 2015) There are numerous reasons to operate a business in the form of a legal entity, such as a corporation or limited-liability company (“LLC”). Perhaps the most common reason is liability protection. By operating a business in the form of a corporation or LLC, the owners avoid personal liability, instead placing only the […]

• Equipment Lessors Not Covered by Builders Trust Fund Act

  November 1, 2015

  Lamar Construction’s abrupt closure in July 2014 left many people to whom Lamar owed money (including employees, subcontractors and those who provided materials used on Lamar’s jobs) scrambling to try to get paid. Many of those creditors brought claims under Michigan’s Builder Trust Fund Act (“MBTFA”), which imposes a constructive trust on funds held or […]

• Myott Named to Porter Hills Foundation Professional Advisory Committee

  October 8, 2015

  (October 19, 2015) Rhoades McKee Attorney Stephanie Myott has been named to the Porter Hills Foundation Professional Advisory Committee (PAC). According to the Foundation’s website, the PAC “makes recommendations pertinent to attaining philanthropic support from the community to champion the priorities of Porter Hills Foundation.” A member of the Estate Planning and Family Law Practice […]

• A Home-Field Advantage: Protecting Your Business with Forum-Selection Provisions

  October 7, 2015

  (October 8, 2015) Doing business today often involves working with other businesses in different counties, states, and even countries. Indeed, the internet makes it especially easy to find the best, most cost-effective business partners, no matter where they are physically located. And while both businesses typically enter into the long-distance relationship with the best of […]

• Michigan Supreme Court Permits Homeowners to Recover Transfer Taxes

  October 6, 2015

  (October 8, 2015) This summer, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an opinion in Gardner v. Department of Treasury, ruling that homeowners who can demonstrate, when they sell their principal residence, that the state equalized value (SEV) at the time of sale is less than or equal to the SEV at the time of their purchase […]

• Steiner Elected to SBM Environmental Law Section Council Position

  October 6, 2015

  (October 15, 2015) Scott Steiner of Rhoades McKee was elected to serve as the Secretary / Treasurer of the Environmental Law Section Council of the State Bar of Michigan. Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Environmental Law Practice Groups and a member of the Agricultural Services Group, he has also recently completed the State […]

• Can You Recover Attorney Fees in the Michigan Courts?

  September 7, 2015

  (September 1, 2015) Whether it’s the plaintiff walking into the office to discuss filing a lawsuit, or the defendant sitting down to discuss a recent complaint, a common question often pops up at that first meeting: how can I get the other side to pay for my legal expenses? And it’s a fair question, no doubt, […]