Business Law

• Recent Ruling Clarifies Possession for Medical Marijuana Caregivers

  May 8, 2017

  (May 9, 2017) The air just got a little clearer for medical marijuana caregivers when it comes to determining how much of the drug they can keep on hand for patients. The Michigan Court of Appeals, in People v. Manuel, ruled that it’s the “dried” weight, not the “drying” weight, that counts when determining whether […]

• Recent Ruling Reinforces the Importance of Understanding Contract Terms

  December 2, 2016

  (December 2, 2016) An opinion issued recently by the Michigan Court of Appeals highlights the need for business organizations to pay special attention to not only the language of contracting documents, but also to understand the meaning and consequences of any documents incorporated into those contracts “by reference.” In Naturipe Foods, LLC v Siegel Egg […]

• Business Court Weighs in on Employee vs. Independent Contractor Dispute Regarding Insurance Coverage

  September 13, 2016

  (September 13, 2016) There are a number of legal issues that can be triggered depending upon whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. The Kent County Business Court recently addressed this issue in a somewhat unusual setting when it determined that a worker was an independent contractor of defendant, rather than an […]

• Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

  September 6, 2016

  5 Ways to a Messy Business Divorce (September 6, 2016) As business litigators, we routinely review corporate documents such as operating and shareholder agreements. Most times, those documents are signed with the best of intentions and when the owners are simply trying to make sure they are “on the same page.” But when a dispute […]

• Michigan Supreme Court Clarifies Standard Applied to B2B Noncompetition Agreements

  July 19, 2016

  On Friday, July 14, 2016, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an opinion addressing what standard must be applied by courts reviewing noncompetition agreements in business-to-business transactions. The case, Innovation Ventures LLC v Liquid Manufacturing LLC, involved a noncompetition agreement found in contracts between Innovation Ventures, LLC (“Innovation”), the maker of “5 Hour Energy” drinks, and […]

• 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 […]

• Court Sends Warning Signal to Michigan Business Owners Regarding Shareholder Oppression Litigation

  June 2, 2015

  (June 25, 2015) A recent decision by the Michigan Supreme Court raises two important points for Michigan businesses and business owners: issues of shareholder oppression and any potential remedies for oppression are decided by the judge, not a jury, and a violation of a shareholder agreement or other governing corporate documents can create a claim for […]

• An Overview of Buying or Selling a Business

  February 10, 2015

  Buying or selling a business can seem like a daunting task. Business owners are often neck deep in the operations of the business and may not have thought about details that should be addressed to maximize the business value. The buyer, on the other hand, may be interested in owning a business, but not know […]