With the arrival of another new year, we cannot stress enough how crucial it is for business owners to assess their legal responsibilities and create a legal business checklist to determine what needs to be updated to resolve potential gaps in protection and set themselves up for success. After all, companies and well-intentioned owners and partners like you get sued or end up in legal hot water all the time because they overlooked critical deadlines, outdated or impractical contracts, and potential liabilities they never knew existed.
A huge piece to this puzzle is having a knowledgeable business litigation attorney on speed dial to guide you in the right direction. And we hope you will consider us when that time comes. In the meantime, we have compiled a legal business checklist to focus on in 2025.
This Legal Business Checklist Is a Great Place To Start
- Review contracts and agreements — Conduct a thorough review of all existing contracts, including vendor, client, and employment agreements, to ensure they are up-to-date and legally binding. Identify any agreements that need renewal and renegotiation, and work with your business attorney to clean up any ambiguous or risky language or wording that does not cover all your bases.
- Evaluate insurance policies — Review your company’s insurance coverage to ensure adequate protection for liabilities, property, and potential personal injury claims. Work with your attorney to verify that your policies comply with legal requirements and address new risks your business might face in the upcoming year.
- Revisit licenses and permits — You must ensure all business licenses and permits are current and compliant with existing regulations. Not doing so can open you, your partners, and your employees to legal disputes and potentially costly litigation.
- Discuss and plan for anticipated changes — This can include everything from mergers and acquisitions to downsizing, new services, changes in ownership, and more. If your business is considering significant changes, your business attorney can help facilitate smooth transitions and resolve potential conflicts peacefully and sometimes before they even happen.
- Address and protect intellectual property — Your intellectual property (IP) is a valuable asset that needs protection. Disputes can occur when rights are unclear or infringements take place. Proper registration and vigilant enforcement of your IP rights are crucial to safeguarding your company’s creative and innovative efforts.
If You Do Run Into a Legal Issue, Work With Your Business Attorney
In a perfect world, a legal business checklist will help you review and improve existing processes and company agreements before a dispute arises. Even then, businesses are constantly facing potential litigation that threatens their livelihood. This is also where working with a business litigation attorney can help. Beyond setting you up for future success, they are there for you when unforeseen or unavoidable legal matters arise. Remember, an individual whose business is the party with the claim or being sued cannot represent their business in a lawsuit—as that could be considered an unauthorized practice of law. Furthermore, even if you could represent yourself in business disputes, doing so increases the odds of unintentionally placing yourself at a disadvantage. You could also find yourself in a more costly situation. When business disputes arise, having a legal team with your best interests in mind is essential.
Our team at Nelson Law Group understands the importance of efficiently and effectively resolving business disputes so you can focus on what matters most—your business. We approach each case with a clear, strategic plan, keeping your goals and the long-term health of your business at the forefront.
Call Nelson Law Group Today!!
Cases that seem simple or straightforward rarely are, and you need a lawyer in your corner who can offer you an honest assessment that will help you make the best choices for your case. The Nelson Law Group brings nearly two decades of experience to every business litigation case. Give our knowledgeable staff at Nelson Law Group, PC, a call if you have any further questions.
Our staff is always available. Give us a call today! For more information about Brett A. Nelson, click here.