Maryland is the sixth state to adopt a $15/hour State Minimum Wage for its workforce, behind California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. And while the increase will be phased into full effect gradually over the next 5-6 years, ensuring compliance requires an understanding of several factors:

Yes, it is wise to have a copyright policy for your website to protect the content you publish on your website. It is not mandatory to use a copyright policy for websites, but it can prevent people from stealing your work and using it for purposes that might be contradictory to your company’s vision and purpose.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended Tax Day from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. However, what does that mean for individuals and businesses? Our Maryland tax attorney answers common questions about the COVID-19 federal tax extensions in this blog.

Maryland’s new NCICA (Noncompete and Conflict of Interest Clause Act) limits an employer’s ability to use some employment clauses with certain employees.

I am pleased to announce that I am added elder law services to my practice. The addition of elder law services enhances and compliments the legal services I offer to my clients. Thienel Law provides experienced, trusted legal counsel to individuals, families, and businesses throughout Maryland. I focus my law practice on business, tax, and estate planning matters.

It’s important to understand that selling your business has significant tax implications. Knowing what you want from your business is critical in determining how you structure the sale and minimize exposure to heavy tax burdens.

Engaging in estate planning before remarrying can resolve many issues the couples might face. Through open and transparent discussions, each person can develop an estate plan that meets his or her goals and desires while considering the other person’s feelings and needs too.

As businesses seek opportunities for growth and relevance in today's marketplace, 2020’s top trends for small and midsize businesses blend solid basics with modern advances. Together with executive staff, tax planning professionals, and your Maryland business attorney, it is time to redefine your business plan by integrating time-proven strategies in a new and innovative way.

At some point, you and your business will need legal advice from a skilled, experienced attorney. However, many start-ups and small businesses have extremely tight budgets. Most entrepreneurs pay for legal services only after they realize they need an attorney. Unfortunately, they are overlooking a valuable asset for their company – a fractional general counsel.

A holding company is the parent company for one or more other companies known as subsidiaries. The parent company owns the shares and assets of the subsidiaries, but the parent company doesn’t participate in the day-to-day operations of each company. It just maintains oversight over the other companies.

If you are inspired to serve your community and help others, you might establish a nonprofit. A nonprofit organization gives you the ability to raise funds and provide a structure for accomplishing your mission. Consulting a DC fractional general counsel early in the process can help you ensure that you overlook none of the vital steps for starting your nonprofit.

Are you preparing to consult your DC fractional general counsel about selling your LLC (Limited Liability Company)? If so, there are some tax implications you might want to address with your attorney to ensure that you minimize any negative tax implications that could accompany the transfer of your LLC.

Did you have a great idea this year for a new product or service? If you have not created a legal entity for your new company, now is the time to do so. Forming a legal entity for your company offers a variety of protections for you and your business idea. A DC fractional general counsel can help you decide which business entity is best for your company and guide you through forming a business entity, including forming a corporation.

Government work can be very lucrative. However, before you can make money working for the government, you need to learn how to be successful when you bid on government contracts. Working with a DC fractional general counsel to prepare your proposal can increase your chance of winning the contract. Below are seven tips from experienced insiders that can also increase your chance of winning government contracts in 2020.

There are things that you cannot control such as the economy, natural disasters, and the changing needs and desires of consumers. However, you can prepare for some events by purchasing insurance, developing a disaster plan, preparing a business succession plan, and working with professionals such as a Maryland business attorney, accountants, and others to ensure you have adequate plans in place should the unthinkable occur.

This QuickStart guide for starting a business provides you with the basic steps to create a new company to protect your idea and give you the structure you need to turn your idea into a reality. A DC fractional general counsel can provide guidance and support throughout each step up the process.

A sole prop is the simplest and most flexible corporate form – but the personal liability that attaches to all business operations can potentially create a host of problems later down the road.

Pass-through taxation refers to how income from some businesses is taxed. Many businesses in the United States operate as pass-through business entities. A DC fractional general counsel can help you determine if a pass-through business entity is right for your company.

Articles of Incorporation create the legal entity for a corporation. The bylaws define the corporation’s purpose. Articles of Incorporation contain very general information, while bylaws have specific rules and regulations of the business. Bylaws explain the roles and responsibilities of the people who manage the corporation and set rules for the general operation of the company. A corporation’s bylaws also establish shareholder ownership rights. The corporate bylaws establish a structure for the company to ensure that all divisions of the company operate smoothly.

Before negotiating a Purchase and Sale Agreement, it is vital to understand the contents of the agreement. An experienced Maryland business transactions attorney can draft a Purchase and Sale Agreement that is tailored to the individual transaction.