Malpractice Insurer Not Required to Defend Valuation Firm for Claim Alleging Securities Fraud
Great Am. Fid. Ins. Co. v. Stout Risius Ross, Inc. In this suit, the defendant (Stout) was initially sued over its valuation of the stock of a paper company in connection with the ESOP for that company. Stout demanded coverage for that suit from its malpractice...
Plaintiff Fails to Convince the Court That Physical Loss or Physical Damage Has Occurred; Virus Clause Applies and Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Is Granted
Family Tacos, LLC v. Auto Owners Ins. Co. Summary In this business interruption case resulting from mandatory shutdowns to control COVID-19, the court grants a motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s claims. Plaintiff operates two restaurants in Ohio, which has incurred...
Oregon Appellate Court Disallows Discounts for Lack of Control and Lack of Marketability
Dipak Patel, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Siddhi Hospitality, LLC, et al. Plaintiff, Dipak Patel, was a 25% owner in defendants’ two entities, franchised hotels. Believing that his fellow LLC members were not treating him fairly, the plaintiff filed suit against the...
Turn Customer Complaints Into Value-Building Opportunities
Have your customers been complaining about such issues as service disruptions, back-ordered products, unreturned phone calls, curtailed business hours, and unexpected price increases? Thanks to labor shortages, rising costs, and supply chain disruptions for many...
Deciding When to Raise Your Prices…and by How Much
A price increase is sometimes unavoidable — and now might be one of those times as many businesses are dealing with cost increases, supply chain bottlenecks, and labor shortages. The key to implementing a price hike with minimal loss of customers is timing. It's hard...
Take Advantage of Tax Breaks for Small Businesses
If you own a small or medium-sized business, it may be eligible for significant tax breaks that aren't available for larger entities. Here are three examples to consider as you file your tax return for 2021 and plan for 2022. QBI Deduction The qualified business...
Court Denies Motion to Exclude Rebuttal Testimony of Damages
SL EC, LLC v. Ashley Energy, LLC The matter at hand was a motion to exclude rebuttal testimony of Barton DeLacy regarding a sale transaction of a historic steam power plant in downtown St. Louis. For the reasons described below, the motion was denied. Background...
New Benefits Study: How to Fill Risky Gaps in Coverage, Knowledge
Employers and employees may not see eye-to-eye on many topics, including the adequacy of their paychecks. When it comes to wages and salaries, the amounts are relatively cut-and-dried. However, the value of contingent compensation elements — such as health benefits —...
Court Issues Partial Summary Judgment in Favor of Party Alleging Breach of Contract
Paganelli v. Lovelace Background Parties’ agreement. The defendant, and counterclaimant, Richard Lovelace, was an estimator and project manager for Safe Environmental Corp. (the Company). He eventually became a vice president but was not involved in the finances of...
8 New Year’s Resolutions for Small Business Owners
Have you compiled a list of New Year's resolutions for your small business in 2022? Resolutions don't have to be limited to your personal life. Consider how you can improve your role as a small business owner in the upcoming year. Of course, everyone's list will be...