Yearly Archives: 2015
Groups of Animals
Full disclosure: This article contains nothing about the law (except perhaps the law of the jungle). Once in a while I see a topic that is just plain fun, and feel compelled to share it. So what do you call a group of geese? A… Continue reading
Off-Site Catering has Become Pop-Up Beer Gardens
In recent years Pennsylvanians have seen the rise of the so called “pop-up” beer garden, particularly in the Philadelphia area. These pop-up beer gardens often operate on vacant lots or in open areas otherwise under-utilized and are open seasonally from the late spring to early… Continue reading
Business “Divorce”
Unfortunately, like many marriages, businesses frequently end in “divorce.” The reasons for the demise of a business can range from petty disputes involving ego to deep seated financial problems. Deadlocks as to the direction and operation of a company can cause substantial emotional distress as… Continue reading
Think Like a Credit Manager to Avoid Bad Debts
In business, sooner or later customers or clients will owe you money and will be unable to pay. You can blame your customer, but in some sense, you may be partially at fault. Here are a few tips to avoid (or at least minimize)… Continue reading
Queen’s English Odds and Ends – Some Surprising Meanings
Ingenious/Ingenuous. As similar as they are, they are virtually antonyms. Ingenious means “clever, skillful, or inventive”; while ingenuous means “artless, simple, or innocent”. And while the adjective ingenuity would appear from its spelling to relate to ingenuous, it does not; it’s much closer in its… Continue reading
The Estate Tax and “Permanency”
Since January 1, 2013, estate planners have been able to advise clients on estate and tax planning issues with greater certainty because certain key aspects of the inter-related gift, estate and generation skipping taxes were viewed as “permanent”. As of that date, the $5,000,000 exemption… Continue reading
Understanding Your Property Tax Assessment
When you look at your annual real estate tax bill you may see some terms you do not fully understand and some numbers that appear to make no sense – all seemingly designed to prevent you from fully comprehending your tax liability. Real estate taxes… Continue reading
Management Companies for Liquor Licensees
Pennsylvania liquor license may only be used by the owner of that license, the “licensee.” The licensee may not lease the license or allow an individual that is not recognized by the Liquor Control Board (LCB) as the owner to use that license. However, the LCB… Continue reading
Co-Ownership of Real Estate: Title Matters
In Pennsylvania, title to real estate can be held by co-owners in various ways – as tenants in common, as joint tenants with right of survivorship, as tenants by the entirety and as tenants in partnership. We are commonly asked what the differences are among… Continue reading
Update on Mechanic’s Liens and Union Benefit Funds
In prior newsletters we have discussed the case of the Bricklayers of Western Pennsylvania Combined Funds, Inc. v. Scott’s Development Company. The Superior Court in that case determined that a union’s benefit pension fund was entitled to a mechanic’s lien against real estate on which… Continue reading