Posts by Bob Halagan, Halagan Law Firm, LTD.

Recently I was involved in a business deal where the principals met to negotiate the terms and then brought the lawyers to the table to “document” the deal.  Sounds like the cheapest way to handle a transaction, right?  Not quite. The lawyers saw issues the principals didn’t anticipate and a significant amount of time was…

The starting point for an employment relationship in Minnesota is “at-will,” meaning that an employer is free to terminate an employment relationship at any time for any reason (as long as it’s not an unlawful reason) and an employee is free to quit their job and go to work elsewhere, at any time and for…

As we crawl out of the wreckage of this last recession and look around, we can see the world will in fact survive.  While we have lost many businesses in our communities in the past two years, the survivors are likely to have significant opportunities as our economy recovers.  If you are one of the…

One of the worst predicaments for an employer is to face a lawsuit from a former employee alleging a wrongful termination.  Once an employee has found a lawyer willing to take his case, an employer will need to be prepared for a new budget item:  legal fees and settlement costs which can easily exceed $50,000. …

Some of the most challenging and complex decisions a business owner can make involve when and how to sell a part of their business to an employee.  The decision to sell a portion of your business to an employee may be motivated by the desire to raise capital, or as an effort to retain a…

The most dangerous legal expense a company can incur is the cost of litigation.  Whether you are the party suing or being sued, the costs of litigation can eat up your company’s profits in a hurry if you don’t keep a tight lease on the process and on your own attorney.  You should be very…

There are two situations where a company typically encounters a non-compete:  (1) when it has  valuable employee, information or contacts it wants to keep within the organization; and (2) when a new potential hire arrives with a non-compete that may restrict his/her ability to work for the company.  In either case it is important to…

A little known secret outside of law offices is that very few lawyers actually try lawsuits in front of a judge or jury anymore.  While criminal defense lawyers still actually try cases, most lawyers representing businesses who call themselves litigators are very rarely, if ever, in court for a trial.  Why is that?  Because it…

One of the most difficult challenges in today’s economy, once you find the work, is to make sure that you get paid for the work that you do.  It has become an all too common story to watch once seemingly “safe” businesses disappear, leaving behind them a string of material suppliers, subcontractors and vendors with…

You have a key employee who knows all the business secrets of your organization; how do you make sure he doesn’t take them to your competitors and potentially cripple your company?  A key employee from a competitor is looking for a job and you’d like to hire her; what do you need to be concerned…