If you were hurt in a Michigan car crash, you may have to take time away from work to recover. Depending on your job and the length of your recovery, your employer might tell you that you have to use paid leave—forcing you to exhaust your sick days and vacation time on an accident that was not your fault. Using Paid Leave After an Accident You should never have to lose time, money, or health to another person’s negligence. Unfortunately, not even the most vigilant motorist cannot avoid every accident. If you were hurt in a Metro Detroit car crash, your employer might accommodate your recovery ..read more

You have a great idea for a business that you know will be profitable. However, you need money to start your small business. One option available to you may be a private placement memorandum. What Is a Private Placement Memorandum? Private placement memorandums (PPMs) are legal documents that small businesses can use to raise capital from private investors. These private transactions allow small businesses to sell stock or security even though the securities are not registered and sold in a public stock exchange. Your business may raise an unlimited amount of capital from accredited investors ..read more

Some of your employees will learn valuable or proprietary information about your business. Understandably, you want to prevent them from sharing important details with your competitors. You had them sign a non-compete agreement when they were hired, but will the agreement be enforceable if the employee leaves your business? Enforceability of Michigan Non-Compete Agreements Non-compete agreements are usually enforceable in Michigan if the agreement places only reasonable restrictions on the employee and protects a legitimate business interest of the employer.  If there is a disagreement ov ..read more

You are in a challenging position. Your child doesn’t want to go to their scheduled custody or visitation time, but your custody agreement requires you to send your child with their other parent. What you do next may depend partly on your child’s age and reason for refusing to see the other parent. You Need to Make Your Child Reasonably Available  As a parent, it’s your responsibility to make your child reasonably available for visits or shared custody. What “reasonably available” means may change as your child gets older. For example, your toddler may have a tantrum when it’s time to go ..read more

Your marriage is over, but both you and your former spouse remain committed to your children. As your family dynamic changes, one parent may want to relocate out of state for a job, to be closer to extended family, or for personal reasons. Whether you are the parent seeking to relocate or you intend to remain in Michigan and want your children close by, it’s essential to understand how a court will make a decision to allow a parent to relocate with minor children. Michigan Moves Generally, a parent seeking to relocate with children does not need the court’s permission to move to a new home in ..read more

You have a critical choice to make. There are many business attorneys practicing law in Michigan. As a business owner, you get to decide which lawyer to hire to help with your unique business needs. Here, our experienced Bloomfield Hills business lawyers want to provide you with the essential information you need to make an informed decision to benefit your business now and in the future. When to Hire a Business Lawyer If you own a business and you do not have an attorney, now is the time to hire one. You should find a business lawyer before something goes wrong. While a business lawyer may re ..read more

By now, you may have heard different terms describe your divorce. If you are over the age of 50, you may be facing a gray (or grey) divorce, a silver divorce, a diamond divorce, or a silver-splitter. Whatever you call it, a divorce is a big change—whether you’ve been married for several decades or just a few years. You face different issues in your 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s than you do when you are younger. Your children are likely grown and child custody and child support are no longer concerns you need to address. However, other issues may become more complicated if you divorce later in life. 6 ..read more

Motorcyclists are often thought of as daredevils who like to take risks. Unfortunately, this bias can interfere with your motorcycle accident settlement or court recovery if you aren’t aware of it. Where Does Motorcycle Bias Come From? The insurance adjuster, judge, or jurors may have seen other riders portrayed on TV or in movies or driven near other riders on the road, but they don’t know you. Their views come from motorcyclists weaving in and out of traffic, speeding, and wearing black leather riding gear.  They may think that motorcyclists are part of gangs who don’t care about the ru ..read more

Your employees are an integral part of your successful business. Fair and well-drafted employment agreements can prevent misunderstandings during their employment and provide for smooth transitions when they leave your company. What to Include in Employment Agreements Some common things to consider including in Michigan employment agreements are: Job descriptions. A well-drafted job description allows you and your employees to understand the scope of the job and the job expectations. Compensation. Your employees should know how they will be paid and when they will be paid. You should speak wi ..read more

If you were never married to your child's other parent, child custody can't be decided during divorce proceedings. However, the court will still step in to determine custody if you live in separate households and don't agree how to split your parenting time. Child Custody Issues for Unwed Parents Some child custody issues are the same for both married and unmarried parents, while some issues are different. For example: Paternity must be established. One of the most significant differences for unwed parents is that Michigan courts presume that the mother should have primary custody of the chil ..read more