Blogs

Construction

Smart Contracts in Construction: The Future of Deal-Making and Dispute Resolution

The construction industry is no stranger to conflicts, from delayed payments to disputes over terms and conditions. However, the rise of smart contracts, powered by blockchain technology, is transforming how deals are made, and disputes are resolved. These self-executing contracts offer transparency, efficiency, and a significant reduction in administrative headaches. But what exactly are smart…

January 27, 2025

Employment Law

Trump Signs Executive Order to Create Schedule F; NTEU Sues to Block It

Among the campaign promises made by Donald Trump in the run up to the 2024 presidential election was to radically restructure the federal workforce, in part, by taking away civil service protections from thousands of workers. It did not take Trump long to make good on that promise. On January 20, 2025, shortly after being…

January 24, 2025

Employment Law

What Employers Need to Know about the Virginia Minimum Wage Increase in 2025

Effective January 1, 2025, the Virginia state minimum wage increased by 3.4%, rising from $12.00 to $12.41 per hour. While this adjustment may seem modest, it represents a significant bump for employers navigating labor costs in a state where minimum wage changes are tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The 2025 increase keeps Virginia…

January 23, 2025

Employment Law

Kentucky Federal Court Vacates Biden Administration’s Title IX Final Rule

The Biden administration spent nearly two years crafting new regulations that attempted to make clear Title IX’s ban against discrimination “on the basis of sex” also included discrimination-based sex stereotypes, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Notwithstanding the U.S. Supreme Court’s conclusion in the Bostock case that the term “sex” included these other matters in…

January 15, 2025

Business and Financial Services

GovCon M&A Update: How New SBA Final Rule’s Ticking Clock and Other Changes May Reset the Market for Small Business Contractors

After issuing proposed regulations earlier this year and soliciting extensive public comment, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a final rule on December 17, 2024 introducing significant changes to certain of the regulations applicable to small business contractors planning for or actively pursuing merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions. Set to take effect on January…

January 14, 2025

Employment Law

Five Reasons to Update Your Employee Handbook in 2025

An employee handbook is a crucial tool for a business to communicate its policies, procedures, and expectations, and to ensure legal compliance. However, employee handbooks need to be reviewed and updated regularly to achieve these objectives. Here are five reasons to update your employee handbook in 2025: In addition, as workforces increase in numbers, businesses…

January 13, 2025

Business and Financial Services

UPDATE – 12/31/24 Wait…Forget “Never Mind”…The Fifth Circuit Vacates its Stay of its CTA Preliminary Injunction, Puts CTA Reporting Requirements on Hold

On December 26, 2024, the on-again, off-again saga of the reporting requirements for most small business owners under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) took another twist when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided to completely reverse direction. The Fifth Circuit vacated its December 23, 2024, Order that blocked the trial court’s…

December 31, 2024

Employment Law

Wearable Technologies in the Workplace: What are the Risks for Employers?

It is becoming increasingly common for employers, especially in the construction, manufacturing, and warehousing sectors, to outfit workers with wearable technologies, or “wearables” — devices worn on the body to improve worker safety and productivity. Worker safety and productivity are becoming increasingly important line items for employers to control. Consider that the construction, manufacturing, and…

December 30, 2024

Business and Financial Services

UPDATE – 12/27/24 Never Mind…CTA Reporting Requirements are Back Again!

We have written regularly on the requirements of most business owners, subject to limited exceptions, to file disclosure documentation as required by the Corporate Transparency Act. We also updated you with the news that a Texas District Court had entered a nationwide injunction blocking the act on December 3, 2024. Now the latest…never mind, the…

December 27, 2024

Business and Financial Services

LLC Ownership Structures Explained

Choosing the right ownership structure for your Limited Liability Company (LLC) can have a significant impact on how your business operates, its tax obligations, and its growth potential. LLCs are known for their flexibility compared to other business structures, which is why they’re popular among entrepreneurs and established business owners alike. But with this flexibility…

December 27, 2024