Business Law in Erie, PA
Don’t settle for a lawyer in Erie, Pennsylvania 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.
The Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL) makes it illegal for a business in Erie to engage in fraudulent or deceptive practices. Specifically, these practices are unlawful if they create a likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding during a transaction with a consumer. An Erie consumer can bring a claim under UTPCPL by showing that they relied upon these practices when deciding whether to buy the product or service.
Staying abreast of current commercial laws can be extremely overwhelming, especially as you’re trying to run a business. Keeping an experienced Erie, Pennsylvania 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 Erie, Pennsylvania Business Law Attorney Can Help
Business laws in often come with unique legal challenges. Contract violations are among the most significant issues businesses face, as most transactions with customers or partners rely on legally binding agreements. While contract disputes are common, other legal concerns frequently arise. A skilled business attorney can assist with a range of commercial law matters to protect your interests and ensure compliance.
- 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 Erie, PA is essential to the legal compliance and sustainability of your business.
Areas of Business Law
Specialized business attorneys in Erie 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 Erie, 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 Erie business attorney will also let you know how to register your business in Pennsylvania 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.
The Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) offers prospective business licensees the opportunity to apply for and renew their industry licenses online. For example, an architect in Erie must obtain a license from the Pennsylvania State Architects Licensure Board. Similarly, a nurse in Erie must obtain a license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. The City of Erie currently licenses electricians, plumbers, and HVAC installers.
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 Erie, PA 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 Erie, Pennsylvania 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 Erie, PA 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 Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection can take legal action against businesses that engage in unfair and deceptive practices in Erie. However, the Bureau also provides a mediation program to help resolve consumer complaints in Erie. The program seeks restitution, refund, or other relief for consumers and affected businesses.
Lobbying
A qualified Erie, Pennsylvania 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 industries have banded together to lobby governments to consider allowing autonomous vehicles on public roads for testing and eventual official use.
The Pennsylvania Department of State (PDOS) is responsible for lobbyist oversight and regulation in Erie and across the state. The PDOS provides a Lobbying Disclosure Web Site for registrations, and mandatory quarterly expense reports. Furthermore, the site guides lobbyists regarding compliance with Lobbying Disclosure laws.
There are many other types of business attorneys that your organization in Erie 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 Erie, Pennsylvania 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 Erie 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 Erie, PA 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 Erie 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 Erie, PA 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 Pennsylvania 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!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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