Business Law in Burlington, VT

Don’t settle for a lawyer in Burlington, Vermont that lacks the experience and deep knowledge of commercial law that your business deserves. We can connect you with an experienced business law attorney to handle your case.

What Is Business Law?

Business law regulates the conduct of merchants, persons, and businesses who engage in commerce, trade, and sales. Business law is also commonly referred to as commercial law. It covers a broad area, such as real estate laws, safety laws, food laws, and environmental regulations.

Residents of Burlington enjoy the protections of The Vermont Consumer Protection Act. This Act covers unfair and deceptive business practices, including antitrust laws. For example, the Act provides for strict rules around consumer contracts and automatic renewal. Specifically, a contract cannot renew automatically unless the consumer accepts the contract and takes an affirmative action to opt into the renewal provision.

Staying abreast of current commercial laws can be extremely overwhelming, especially as you’re trying to run a business. Keeping an experienced Burlington, Vermont business law attorney on retainer or at least a simple phone call away can help ensure your business remains compliant. Compliance issues can lead to costly damages, so a proactive approach is always best.

How a Qualified Burlington, Vermont Business Law Attorney Can Help

Burlington business laws are often associated with unique legal issues. One of the most substantial parts of business law is contract violations. When transactions occur between customers and businesses, this usually involves a contract. Still, some legal concerns and problems happen more often than others.. Here are some additional aspects of commercial law that a business attorney can help with:

• Starting a new business
• Protecting intellectual property
• Protecting trade secrets
• Terminating a business
• Transferring a business
• Tackling unfair competition
• Addressing consumer complaints
• Handling marketing and advertising disputes and violations

Costly commercial disputes often cover multiple areas of business law. This is why hiring experienced commercial law lawyers in Burlington, VT is essential to the legal compliance and sustainability of your business.

Areas of Business Law

Specialized business attorneys in Burlington offer their services to businesses in unique situations. Here are some of the many areas of business law that they tackle.

Organization

If you are developing your business in Burlington, a lawyer can help you decide whether you list your company as a limited liability company or a corporation. They will also assist with the paperwork you need to file for your business.

Contracts

When you need to form contracts with your suppliers, clients, customers, and your employees, a business attorney will help you to prepare the necessary paperwork quickly and professionally. They also help you respond to any contracts that other organizations or people want your business to sign.

Licenses and Taxes

While the accountant that your business has will prepare and file the tax returns with your business, your Burlington business attorney will also let you know how to register your business in Vermont for state tax identification and federal tax identification numbers. They also provide you with the knowledge that you need to understand any tax consequences and defend you in court, if necessary.

Most business professionals in Burlington must obtain a license from The Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR). For example, the OPR issues licenses to a variety of professions, including land surveyors, midwives, and well drillers. The OPR also licenses dietitians, social workers, real estate brokers, and psychoanalysts.

The City of Burlington Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) regulates land use, development, and zoning for all commercial and residential property in the city. P&Z administers several types of permits and helps interpret zoning laws for people planning to start a business in Burlington.

Intellectual Property Rights

When an individual creates something, they have some automatic rights to their ideas. However, if someone steals the idea, they may have a difficult time proving the idea or creation was theirs, for starters. Attorneys can help with the process of protecting IP rights through trademarking and copyright. A business lawyer in Burlington,  VT can also help you seek reparations from companies that infringe on your IP rights or defend you against accusations.

Property Law

Physical properties also need protection. In Burlington, Vermont in most instances, this refers to immovable property, such as real estate. Property law governs the use, sale, transfer, or rental of this type of property. Some business attorneys may include premises liability in this area, such as slip-and-fall accidents. Property law may cover moveable assets as well. Companies that rent products would fall into this category.

Consumer Protection

When most people picture Burlington, VT businesses going to court, they imagine businesses or business people suing each other. This certainly happens quite often, but companies and consumers sue each other too. Consumers often sue companies for defective products or false advertising. Companies, in turn, may sue consumers for libel or slander.

The Consumer Protection Unit (CPU) of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office protects consumers in Burlington who have experienced unfair or deceptive business practices. The CPU can use mediation to resolve individual consumer complaints. However, the CPU may also file suit against a Burlington business that has violated the Vermont Consumer Fraud Act or related laws.

Lobbying

A qualified Burlington, Vermont company and agents that lobby on its behalf can advocate for changes to laws. However, they must have a deep understanding of the following:

• What the current laws are
• How the current laws affect the business
• What changes might provide better opportunities for the business

This is an especially common hurdle in the world of tech and engineering. For instance, the tech and transportation industry have banded together to lobby governments to consider allowing autonomous vehicles on public roads for testing and eventual official use.

Under Vermont law, all lobbyists in Burlington must register and file reports with the Vermont Secretary of State through the Vermont Lobbying Information System. Additionally, the residents of Burlington can search the System for any information filed by lobbyists and lobbyist employers across the state.

There are many other types of business attorneys that your organization in Burlington may benefit from using. If you’re not sure about what type of business attorney your company needs, use the form below to get connected with the best legal help in your area.

Work With an Experienced Burlington, Vermont Business Law Lawyer

Hiring a business law attorney near you can help you to resolve many commercial issues that may emerge. In addition to this, commercial law attorneys in Burlington can provide you with legal research, legal advice, and any other types of services that your business needs to protect itself or to fight a claim.

A commercial law attorney is also beneficial if your business needs to file a lawsuit or if you’re ever in a situation where you have to attend a court hearing. Additionally, a business law attorney in Burlington, VT will help you determine the best course of action for your business if you are ever in violation of any laws.

Most importantly, a business attorney helps your Burlington business stay out of trouble. Steering clear of legal disputes is almost always less costly than trying to find your way out of one. While it is not always possible to avoid business litigation, doing all you can to avoid one can go a long way to protecting your business.

Are you looking for a business attorney in , VT to defend your business interests? We can connect you with an experienced and passionate lawyer at no cost to you. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Vermont state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!