Business Law in Minnesota
Don’t settle for a lawyer in Minnesota 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 Minnesota Antitrust Law of 1971 prevents companies from conspiring with one another to unreasonably restrain free market competition. It is illegal for any business to unreasonably restrain another business’s goods or services in order to increase their own profit or market share.
Staying abreast of current commercial laws can be extremely overwhelming, especially as you’re trying to run a business. Keeping an experienced Minnesota 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 Minnesota Business Law Attorney Can Help
Minnesota 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 Minnesota is essential to the legal compliance and sustainability of your business.
Areas of Business Law
There are business attorneys who specialize in Minnesota 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 Minnesota, 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.
Medical professionals in Minnesota must be licensed and registered with the Minnesota Health Licensing Board. Chiropractors, dietitians, nurses, general practitioners must all be registered and fully licensed by the board.
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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Office of the Attorney General of Minnesota is charged with protecting the populace at large from unfair and deceptive business tactics. Specifically, those that would abuse the relationship between customer and business. If you feel you have been the victim of unfair practices such as fraud or false advertising, you can file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Protections.
Lobbying
A qualified Minnesota 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 industry have banded together to lobby governments to consider allowing autonomous vehicles on public roads for testing and eventual official use.
The Minnesota Lobbyist Handbook states that a lobbyist must not only register with the state, but he or she must file new registration any time they take a job where they are representing a different interest. After a lobbyist is registered, he or she receives a designation number that must be included on disclosure forms when stating how much money was contributed to an individual or venture.
There are many other types of business attorneys that your organization in Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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!
Do you have a different legal concern that requires the help of a lawyer? We have a network of attorneys for any area of the law you need in Minnesota.