Dissolution of Marriage in Colorado
by Catherine Reynolds Colorado has a standard Dissolution of Marriage (colloquially called a divorce) process that allows everyone, even those without an attorney (also known as pro se parties), to…
Creating Emergency Plans, Part Two
This is part 2 of our blog posts on creating emergency plans for your business, inspired by an Emergency Preparedness presentation that I gave for the Business Bootcamp at the…
Creating Emergency Plans
I have worked with the Arvada Chamber of Commerce and Samantha Geerdes for the last few years giving a presentation to their Business Bootcamp along with Lisa Smith of Team…
Independent Contractor Factors: What Your Business Needs to Know
Many small businesses prefer to start their expansion by using independent contractors (such as Polaris Law Group) rather than hiring internal employees (like an employed in-house counsel). However, under Colorado…
What is the Difference Between an Employee and a Contractor?
Under Colorado Law, an individual is presumed to be an employee unless there is a written agreement that the individual is an independent contractor. The written agreement must comply with…
What Can Be Copyrighted? How To Protect Your Original Works of Authorship
One of my favorite types of intellectual property to work with are copyrighted works. Copyright is a protection that is provided in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the…
The Four General Categories of Intellectual Property – What You Need To Know
One of the most common things that happens for me with initial consultations relating to Intellectual Property is that I will get a call or an e-mail saying that the…
Attribution is NOT Enough – What You Need To Know About Copyright Use
Copyright uses, fair uses, and infringements are a vastly misunderstood source of law with significant misinformation out there in the universe. One piece of misinformation that I have seen get…
Minimum Wage and Exemption Law – Overtime Requirements
On July 15, 2020, the Colorado Department of Labor updated the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order (COMPS ORDER) #36. Included in this COMPS ORDER are the requirements for…
Is Your Business Ready for Colorado EPEWA Effective 1/1/21?
What is The Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA)? Colorado is introducing a new wage discrimination law, the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (“EPEWA”), which becomes…
What is Dispute Resolution? Why My Business Might Need It.
Many people don’t know what “dispute resolution” means in a legal context. They understand what litigation is, but often don’t know there are alternative processes. What is Dispute Resolution? Dispute…
What Makes an Effective and Enforceable Contract?
I get questions at presentations about whether businesses or individuals can make a contract without an attorney. You absolutely can, but whether you should is another matter. What Elements Do…
What Does Personally Identifiable Information Mean For My Business? Is It Important?
What Is Personally Identifiable Information? Privacy is all the rage these days and data privacy laws have made changes in leaps and bounds in the last several years. Most privacy…
Protecting Fan Fiction in the United States and Japan. Is there a place for US?
Learn more about protecting fan fiction in this article written for the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy, Winter 2015 edition, by Samantha Peaslee. Susan sits down at her…
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) & the Paycheck Protection Program
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law H.R. 748, also known as the CARES Act. One of the important provisions of this new law is the Paycheck Protection…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 14
If before quarantine, you were experiencing real growth but found yourself without time for everything you need to do, the odds are good that you’re at the point in your…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 13
Sam with Polaris Law has one thing that she desperately wishes she had more time for, all the time – reading. Even quarantine has not given her the reading opportunities…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 12
Many business owners are also, in a way, teachers. They educate about their industry or the unique expertise that they have developed over the years. Several small businesses that Polaris…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 11
The corona virus quarantine has led to decreased income for many businesses. This may be an excellent excuse to audit your company and see where you can save money. Has…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 10
Did you create a business plan or similar projections when you first started your business? Now might be a good time to do a status report or comparative report. See…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 9
All small businesses have at least some intellectual property. They may have original works of authorship (photos, videos, blogs), inventions, a creative logo, or business information that is secret and…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 8
Best practices for small businesses are often just that – “best” practices that we will achieve one day. For now, most of us get along with “good enough” practices. Now…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 7
Businesses are becoming concerned about money. Luckily, your business is not alone in this. The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering federal disaster loans for working capital to eligible small…
My Quarantine Business Retreat – Day 6
Employment law is changing every day as different CoVid-19 response measures get implemented. Make sure that you’re up to date with the latest. Check out the most recent updates for…
Turn Quarantine into a Business Retreat
Stuck working from home for the next two weeks? While some businesses may experience minimal disruption working from home, others may find the quarantine leaves them with an uncomfortable amount…