Plain-English guides to the legal questions growing businesses run into, written by Chris Clark. General information, not legal advice.
A practical 2026 rundown of the DC rules that trip up growing companies, from the non-compete ban and wage rates to licensing, franchise tax and District contracting.
Denver businesses answer to Colorado law and a set of city rules. Here are the 2026 numbers and requirements that most often affect a $1M–$5M company.
A practical 2026 guide to the Tennessee and Davidson County rules that matter most to Nashville companies, from franchise and excise tax to the new noncompete statute.
A practical walkthrough of the North Carolina and Charlotte rules that matter most to growing companies, from annual report deadlines and payday law to non-competes and the new Mecklenburg sales tax rate.
Legal preparation is one of the cheapest ways to protect your sale price. Here’s what owners of $1M–$5M businesses should clean up before a buyer starts diligence.
A strong brand starts with a distinctive name, a clearance search and a federal registration you keep alive. Here are the trademark basics every small business owner should know.
Many LLCs still run on the operating agreement they signed at formation. Here’s what to review in an operating agreement checkup and the events that should trigger an update.
Most expensive contract problems hide in a handful of standard-looking clauses. Here are the red flags to check in vendor and customer contracts before you sign.
The IRS, the Department of Labor and many states each use their own test to decide whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. Here’s how each test works and where the federal rule stands in late 2026.
The cheapest legal help is usually the call you make before a decision, not after a problem. Here are the moments when a small business should bring in a lawyer.
A practical checklist of the contracts a $1M–$5M business should have in place, what each one needs to cover, and the gaps that cause the most trouble.
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