All too often, friends or family members start a business with the best intentions.  Rarely do the optimistic entrepreneurs anticipate a potential major disagreement about how to run the business. After all, in the beginning, they go into business together because they want to be in business together. Sometimes, despite these good intentions, over time …
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In the past 10 years, the legalization of marijuana and other cannabis-related products have expanded tremendously throughout the United States. Currently, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, while 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and over. Additionally, cannabidiol (CBD) got …
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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memorandum clarifying the one-year foreign employment requirement for an L-1 visa for intracompany transferees. Previously, USCIS inconsistently applied this requirement when a foreign national was in the United States in one status but sought to change to L-1 status. An L-1 visa permits …
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Two of the Trump administration’s new immigration policies go into effect today. Beginning today, October 1, 2018, foreign national students who had been working under a regulation known as the “cap-gap” are no long authorized to work. The announcement can be found here. The “cap-gap” period starts when an F‑1 student’s status and work authorization …
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Stella Lellos published an article in VC-List entitled, “Startup Term Sheets: Suggestions for Successful Negotiation.” The article highlights the importance of a term sheet, describes some of its important terms and discusses the perspective of the venture capitalist who will lend money to an early-stage company. Click here to read the article. …
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Due to a recent Supreme Court decision, internet sellers may now be required to collect and remit sales taxes in states in which they have no physical presence. In the landmark case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., decided on June 21, the Court overturned its prior decisions that had provided that an out-of-state seller …
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Stella Lellos co-wrote an article for USLAW Magazine entitled, “Small Business-Big Options: A Cross-Border Perspective on Establishing a High-Growth Business.” Click here to read the article. …
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The H-1B visa program has come under intense public scrutiny over the last year. In response to perceived abuses in the H-1B program, President Trump issued the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order, which directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to advance policies to help ensure H-1B visas are awarded to only the most-skilled …
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A new audit regime, effective January 1, potentially shifts tax liabilities among partners. Starting in 2018, the IRS will be authorized to collect tax deficiencies directly from a partnership (including LLCs taxed as partnerships). This will result in current partners bearing tax liabilities relating to prior taxable years, even though the partnership may now have …
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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) changed its policy on visa renewals. USCIS will no longer defer to prior visa approvals and will instead treat each renewal application as if it were an initial application. This represents a major turnaround to an immigration policy that had been in place for 13 years. Since 2004, …
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