General Partnerships Will Go On… And On
If you haven’t been following Texas Supreme Court blogs (and who hasn’t), you probably missed the Court’s February 2015 opinion in American Star Energy and Materials Corp. v. Stowers et. al. But small and large businesses alike should take notice because this decision simultaneously strengthens the concept of an unfiled general partnership while extending how […]
Defamation in the Workplace – An Increasing Trend
Business personnel matters often are touchy, if not contentious. As demonstrated by recent media reports involving the City of San Antonio and its recently fired director of Public Health, different stories might emerge about why an employee is let go. These situations are a prime risk for employers given an increasing trend in employment litigation: […]
Social Media Accounts are Business Assets Too!
When business owners list their business assets, they might not consider including the company’s Facebook page or Twitter account. Yet, in an increasingly digital world, that social media account you worked so hard to build could be considered business property in court. While essentially marketing tools, social media accounts are akin to customer or subscriber […]
Open Carry: What You May Not Already Know…
As most Texans know, they now have the right to openly carry a licensed handgun in a belt or shoulder holster. But did you know that the holster is important? It is still generally an offense to openly display a handgun in public. While it must be a holster attached to the shoulder or hip, […]
Saying No to the Public Info Act Just Got Easier
The Texas Public Information Act, or PIA, guarantees access to Texas records. The law is similar to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at the federal level, and aims to provide Texans with sweeping access to information in the interest of open government. If a question arises about whether information should be released, the law […]
HIPAA the Mighty Hippo
If you mention potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) to a hospital or physician, they’ll likely recoil in horror as though facing the gaping maw and tusks of a hippo. As most medical professionals know, HIPAA gives individuals rights over their health information and sets limits on who can look […]
Music Sets You Free, for a Fee
An old story goes that a famous musician dined at a restaurant, heard his music playing, and refused to pay the bill. When the restaurant owner asked the musician if he did not enjoy the aroma of the meal, the atmosphere, and food itself, the musician in turn advised they had not paid for his […]
How Accurate is Your Professional Profile?
We’ve all experienced it or heard it: someone’s profile on a professional social media site was misleading. A potential job candidate may have exaggerated their skills or misstated their job history. We have a fairly broad right to free speech online, and online social profiles generally won’t expose us to liability for information we present […]