Business Law in Kentucky
Don’t settle for a lawyer in Kentucky who 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.
According to US News & World Report, Kentucky recently passed legislation that protects businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits. The law protects a Kentucky business from a claim that someone contracted COVID-19 while in the workplace. But only as long as the business followed COVID-19 guidelines. However, those protections would not apply if the business engaged in practices deemed as grossly negligent, or as willful misconduct.
Navigating ever-changing commercial laws while managing your business can be overwhelming. Having an experienced business law attorney on retainer—or readily available—can help ensure your operations stay compliant. Addressing compliance proactively is crucial, as even minor oversights can lead to costly legal disputes and penalties.
How a Qualified Kentucky Business Law Attorney Can Help
Kentucky 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 Kentucky is essential to the legal compliance and sustainability of your business.
Areas of Business Law
There are business attorneys who specialize in Kentucky that offer their services to businesses in unique situations. Following are some of the many areas of business law that they tackle.
Organization
If you are developing your business in Kentucky , 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 Kentucky business attorney will help you to prepare the necessary paperwork quickly and professionally. They also help you to 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 business attorney will also let you know how to register your business in Kentucky 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.
Kentucky provides a One Stop Business Portal for business requirements in the state. The Portal allows a business to search by business type for occupational license and permit requirements. For example, a plumber must obtain a license from the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction. As well, The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Food Safety Branch issues Permits to Operate a Retail Food Store.
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, to begin with. Attorneys can help with the process of protecting IP rights through trademarking and copyright. A business lawyer in Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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. For instance, companies that rent products would fall into this category.
Consumer Protection
When most people picture Kentucky 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 Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) safeguards Kentuckians from unfair business practices. The OCP is responsible for enforcing the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act. Specifically, the OCP can bring lawsuits in the public interest to obtain civil penalties, and consumer redress, restitution, and injunctive relief.
Lobbying
A qualified Kentucky company and agents that lobby on its behalf can advocate for changes to laws. However, first, 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.
In 1993, Kentucky enacted the Code of Legislative Ethics, establishing the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission (KLEC). Previously, the Attorney General of Kentucky was responsible for lobbyist oversight. The Commission is now responsible for enforcing the Code, which regulates conduct by legislators, lobbyists, and the employers of lobbyists. For example, all lobbyists must register with the KLEC.
There are many other types of business attorneys that your organization in Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky business stay out of trouble. Steering clear of legal disputes is 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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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