Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1222245
8 UCW MARCH 18-24, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM LEGALLY SPEAKING According to the Small Busi- ness Administration, nearly 98% of businesses in North Carolina are small businesses, and 46% of North Carolina employees work at small businesses. According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, North Carolina has routinely ranked as one of the best states in the nation in which to start a business. One essential professional new entrepreneurs can have on hand is a business attorney. Unfortunately, many new business owners only contact an attorney after a legal prob- lem arises. Below is a look at how new businesses can benefit from the counsel of an experienced business lawyer. As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure." Choosing a business structure is is one of the most critical business decisions any entrepreneur will have to make. Different business structures have different liability and tax implications, which could have a drastic impact on the potential of a business to grow in the future. A sole proprietorship, for example, is very easy to set up, but comes with a large amount of liability risk, mean- ing that if a claim is made against the business, then the business owner's personal assets could be at risk. A corporate structure, on the other hand, exposes the owners (or direc- tors) to very little personal liability. Drafting agreements and con- tracts Many business owners only talk to a business attorney once a dispute has arisen, usually with a fellow business partner, employee or client. Such disputes, especially if they end up in court, can be costly. Many of these disputes are the result of poorly written or nonexistent business con- tracts and agreements. An attorney can help new business owners draft business start-up agreements, includ- ing employment contracts, buy-sell agreements, partnership agree- ments, shareholder agreements, and so forth, to provide greater peace of mind. An attorney can also help draft and review any business contract. Complying with the law Businesses must comply with a maze of laws and regulations, includ- ing environmental, work safety, tax and employment laws. ese laws and regulations can be notoriously complex, and most business owners may not be aware of all of their legal and regulatory obligations. However, ignorance of the law is no protection from the fines and penalties that can result from violating it. at is why business owners need a business attorney on hand to ensure they are compliant with all the rules and regu- lations that may affect their businesses. Entrepreneurs should focus on growing their business and protect- ing that business by getting good legal guidance upfront. By talking to an attorney first, new business own- ers will have the advice they need to set up a business for success. Starting a small business by REBECCA BRITTON REBECCA BRITTON, Cofound- er of Britton Law. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Many business owners only talk to a business attorney once a dispute has arisen, usu- ally with a fellow business partner, employee or client. Let's put things in perspective. Coronavirus 2019, coming from Wuhan, China, is the latest incarna- tion of the war between viruses and humanity. Viruses and bacteria have existed for Millenia, viruses being robotic molecules and bacteria being live one-cell creatures; both want to inhabit, multiply and damage or kill the human body. It is a drama worthy of zombie movies. e good news: Mankind is win- ning. Observation and human intelli- gence via the microscope, which was invented in 1590, and the electron microscope, which was invented in 1931, have allowed these entities to be visualized, given a name and analyzed for their weak spots. us, antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines were born. However, it has been a struggle and a learning curve. As of this writing, 63 people have died in the United States from COVID 19, whose source is the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) COV-2 virus, under research in the Wuhan Virology Lab of China. Identified city clusters are Seattle, Washington; Santa Clara, California; and New Rochelle, New York. Over 3,600 are now infected. e vulnerable are the over-age-60 group with underlying lung or organ disease and the immuno-compromised. Yet, compare that to 2009 with the Swine flu (H1N1) where the protected were the over-age-60 group and the vulnerable were the children and young people. In the course of one year, 60 million cases and 12,000+ deaths occurred in the U.S. Even more dramatic, compare that to 1918 with the Spanish Flu, also an H1N1 viral type. at was a devastating time. World War I was in full force. More American soldiers died from that influenza (58,000+) than perished in battle (52,000+). Deaths occurred in training camps or while serving in Europe or on their return home. Vintage war photos show nurses wearing cloth masks or gas masks while caring for the ill. Stateside, Americans could die within 24 hours of symptom onset. at such mortality was high in healthy young people of ages 20-40 was unique to this disease. Pharmaceutical measures were absent 100 years ago; simple advice was fol- lowed. Open air was considered the healthier tactic than staying indoors; teachers held classes in front of bleacher-sitting stu- dents and religious services were held on church steps or gardens. Of course, pa- rades and public crowds were canceled. Globally, 33 million people died by month nine; an estimated 100 million died by month 18. Five hundred million were ultimately infected. at was one- third of the world population at the time. Odd that it takes a crisis to remind people of how lucky we are to live in this current century and to follow common sense like washing your hands and covering your cough. It is amazing how social etiquette — to include elbow- bump greeting, social distancing of 6 feet, e-learning and e-working, drive-by health testing — is being molded by a health crisis. We are living in his- toric times. Evolutionary measures that would have taken a generation are hap- pening overnight. So … humankind continues to win. Global cooperation and common sense will shorten this bell-shaped curve of infection. ere is no need for hysteria. is 100-nanometer terrorist mol- ecule will be defeated. Ironic terminology that its invasion has gone viral. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pan- demic-resources/ to learn more. OPINION Hysteria versus caution by LINDA MCALISTER LINDA MCALISTER, Up & Coming Weekly Marketing Representative.. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Viruses and bacteria are not new to humankind.