Adhering to the letter of the law should be at the top of every company’s daily checklist. New ventures expose your firm to legal risks if done incorrectly; the variety of scenarios that could end up in a lawsuit can be bewildering. With this in mind, more firms are retaining a business litigation attorney in Los Angeles to help them steer clear of such risks. Whether it’s a copyright dispute or contract preparation, having an experienced attorney on-hand to help draft the finer points of a complex agreement can save time and money. Catanese & Wells, a boutique firm serving clients across Los Angeles for the past 25 years, knows the possible pitfalls. Below are just a few real-world examples of what can happen if legal counsel isn’t consulted before making big decisions at your company.
Trade secrets and confidentiality: Tesla, the California-based electric automaker, has recently launched a legal effort to take down a rival that it alleges “poached” former employees. According to a recent CNBC article, Rivian was accused of encouraging new workers to steal “Tesla trade secret, confidential, and proprietary information — information that is especially useful for startup electric vehicle company.” For its part, Rivian did not offer comment on the lawsuit to CNBC so we can’t be sure what the internal discussions are. Moreover, Tesla has initiated similar lawsuits in the past so we can safely assume the company knows the value of a savvy business litigation attorney in Los Angeles.
Agreement over employment contracts: Companies looking to retain a business litigation attorney in Los Angeles are trying to cover all their bases. When one considers the frequency with which lawsuits over employment contracts are filed, it’s easy to see why proactive planning is so important. Lawsuits recently lodged by the state of California’s labor commissioner against ride-share companies Uber and Lyft claim that classifying workers as “independent contractors” has deprived them of “unpaid wages and other compensation that drivers are entitled to.” According to the Los Angeles Times, the ride-share companies claim that these workers are independent and want flexible schedules. Thus, they have been given the current classification that’s now in legal limbo.
Legitimacy of copyright claims: In a twist that proves just how complicated copyright cases can be, Paper magazine is fighting a lawsuit filed by a photo tech firm that seeks more than $4 million for use of certain images. News of the lawsuit, which was filed in California federal court in June 2020, adds that the magazine’s digital presence has been crippled due to take-down requests filed by the photo company. The magazine, which saw its Instagram account go dark due to the pending lawsuit, claims that it’s being held hostage and the plaintiffs are “intentionally interfering with [Paper’s] business.” In today’s digital-first publishing landscape, a social media account that’s now unreachable can have profound economic impact. Thus, bringing aboard a business litigation attorney in Los Angeles can help limit the risk.