“‘Tis the season” and over the next few weeks people will be gathering at office parties and to celebrate the season’s various holidays. Frequently those celebrations may include lifting a cup of holiday cheer…or two. If you are hosting a holiday party where alcohol is available you should keep in mind the potential liability you, […]
Author’s Note: this article was produced with the able assistance of paralegal Michael Roosevelt, whose background in fine arts, printmaking and lithography (See his website here) sparked his interest in this subject. His practical knowledge of trademark law has have helped clients walk through the process of obtaining valid trademarks quickly and efficiently. As new […]
By John H.W. Cole, Esq. In my previous tax planning article I discussed how graduated tax rates worked and how to save on income taxes by deferring taxable income to later years. The saving results from the fact that (1) a portion of income isn’t taxed at all, due to exemptions and deductions, and (2) […]
Tax Planning for Graduated Rates By John H.W. Cole, Esq. This article and several that will follow explore the elements of tax planning. Because a tax plan can be overwhelming when it is all put together my memos will develop the components one at a time. The first component is taking advantage of graduated tax […]
Purchasing a motor vehicle is one of the largest and most important purchases consumers make. Most of us, however, have only a basic understanding of how a car operates or how to keep it in good working condition. When we purchase a vehicle (particularly a used vehicle) or bring it in for repair we find […]
Effective July 1, 2011, entrepreneurs in Vermont have a new business entity to consider when determining how to set up shop. The “Vermont Benefit Corporation Act” creates a new corporate model that encourages “for profit” businesses to focus on solving social and environmental problems. Ordinary corporations have a legal duty to protect their shareholder’s interests above […]
This is the first in a series of articles meant to explore some of the legal requirements for starting a food related business. These articles are meant to be introductory in nature. The food service industry is extensively regulated at both the state and federal levels; more detailed consultation with an attorney before engaging in […]
In a 6-3 decision issued June 23, 2011, the United States Supreme Court struck down a Vermont law which restricted the ability of pharmaceutical companies to obtain information about what type of drugs doctors were prescribing to patients. The information is used by drug companies to more effectively market their products to doctors. Sorrell v. […]
Being called as a witness in court can be stressful. People who have seen courtroom dramas on television and in the movies fear that the opposing lawyer will trip them up, twist their words, or make them look foolish. In my 32 years experience I have found that does not happen to an honest witness […]
> We received a total of 81 responses to our survey about child custody and visitation. You can view the results here and here(We sent out surveys to two separate lists; hence the two results.)Some preliminary comments: first, my comments will compare the results only with Vermont law. Second, I asked respondents about “custody” and “visitation”. Those […]