Month: September 2013

Before the main content, I wanted to mention that Shakfeh Law's Tampa office has been open for a little more than a year. During that year, we have represented local, national, and international clients in cases ranging from homeowner's associate disputes to breaches of million dollar contracts for clients with locations across the globe. We hope to continue to serve clients who need legal representation across the Tampa Bay Area.

Back to business. Lawyers will often put emphasis on the quality and airtightness of a partnership agreement. The two benefits of a good partnership agreement are that (1) it clearly establishes the duties of the business partners so everyone knows what to do and (2) it may help protect the legal rights of one against the other in case there is a falling out. However, even in cases where an aggrieved party is legally correct, pursuing rights in court is a big headache.

Let's examine the case of Daryl Dogood and Charles Ponzi when they go into business together. They agree in clear terms in an airtight contract that profits will be split 50/50. However, Daryl takes all the money and runs off with it (the key to humor is surprise) to the remote country of Uncollectablestan. Getting a judgment against Daryl would not be hard. However, it could become hard if Daryl put up a fight and made Charles go through a bunch of procedural loops. In the end, Charles could likely get his judgment. However, after getting ...

If you're in the Chicagoland area, come to our Business Law 101 Seminar at the MECCA Center. It will benefit all types of businesses, new and established. Whether you run a medical practice, accounting firm, or are in the hospitality industry, this seminar is for you. This event is FREE and open to the public. Visit our facebook event to learn more or RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/660994640579239

Florida is known for having one of the broadest public records laws in the United States. It extends to businesses who have certain government contracts. Until recently, this only applied government contracts in excess of $10 million. The latest legislative session removed the requirement and now it applies to all government contracts.

Failing to comply with a public records request has very serious consequences. The most prominent ones are having to pay for the costs and attorney's fees of the party brining suit against you and even having your contract cancelled.

I just returned from vacation in England where I availed myself to the jurisdiction of a monarch. If I committed a crime or breached a contract, the issue would have been brought before a Crown Court.

Similarly, in the United States, people and corporations are not subject to the courts of states they have no contacts with. However, making contacts with another state can subject you to the jurisdiction of their courts. This might include doing business in that state. It depends from state to state because each state has its own laws regulating which out-of-state entities are subject to their courts, commonly known as the long-arm statute. However, at the very least is that there must be 'minimum contacts' with the state seeking jurisdiction. In summary, when doing business outside of your state, you should consult an attorney to determine whether you may be hailed into court in that state.