Business Law in Madison, WI
Don’t settle for a lawyer in Madison, Wisconsin 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.
The Wisconsin Consumer Act protects Madison residents from unfair or deceptive business practices. The statutes prohibit false advertising and require Madison businesses to act in good faith. In addition, the Act gives consumers the right to cancel any transactions within 3 business days. Furthermore, Wisconsin’s antitrust laws prevent monopolies and price fixing.
Navigating the complexities of commercial law can be daunting, particularly when you’re focused on managing a business. Having a seasoned business law attorney in Madison, Wisconsin readily available—whether on retainer or a quick call away—can be invaluable in maintaining compliance. Non-compliance can lead to costly setbacks, making a proactive approach essential for safeguarding your business.
How a Qualified Madison, Wisconsin Business Law Attorney Can Help
Business laws in Madison come with their distinct challenges. Among the most significant issues is contract violation. Most transactions between businesses and customers involve a contract, yet certain legal concerns arise more frequently than others. Here are a few additional areas where a skilled business attorney can provide support:
- 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
Complex commercial disputes frequently span various aspects of business law, making it essential to have experienced commercial law attorneys in Madison, WI on your side. Their expertise is key to ensuring your business remains compliant and sustainable.
Areas of Business Law
Specialized business attorneys in Madison 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 Madison, 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 your business accountant will handle preparing and filing your tax returns, your business attorney can guide you through the process of registering for state and federal tax identification numbers in . They will also ensure you understand any tax implications and provide legal defense if your case requires going to court.
Wisconsin does not issue general state business licenses. However, certain types of businesses are required to have regulatory licenses. These are issued by various state agencies, such as the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health Services. In addition, many businesses will need a City of Madison business license. Some of these industries include recycling, theaters, and taxis.
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 Madison, WI 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 Madison, Wisconsin 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 Madison, WI 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 Wisconsin Department of Justice investigates complaints against businesses in Madison. The Department can pursue criminal charges against offending businesses to enforce the laws. However, most civil actions must be brought by individual consumers in Dane County Court. Keep in mind that the statute of limitations can range from 2 to 6 years depending on the specific laws involved. A qualified Madison business law attorney can best help you be aware of, and meet any deadlines.
Lobbying
A qualified Madison, Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin has both licensing and registration requirements for lobbyists in Madison. All individual lobbyists are required to have a Lobbyist License. In addition, Madison organizations that hire lobbyists or engage in lobbying activities must register with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. The Commission also enforces Wisconsin’s ethics, reporting, and disclosure laws.
There are many other types of business attorneys that your organization in Madison 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 Madison, Wisconsin 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 Madison 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 Madison, WI 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 Madison 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 , WI 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 Wisconsin 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.
If you would like to know more about other areas of law in Madison, WI, we’ve also got you covered!
