Massachusetts And New Hampshire Law Blog

What are the hurdles of a high asset divorce?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in high net worth divorce on Wednesday, October 3, 2018.

Residents in Massachusetts who have a high net worth are also going to run into unique hurdles during your divorce. Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP, are here to explain what sort of troubles you may be facing due to your assets.

As you know, when you get a divorce, your assets will be divided between you and your spouse. This can be a headache for anyone, especially when it comes to things like retirement savings, 401k plans, or military benefits. However, divorce only gets more complex as your net worth grows. A few of the things you'll have to worry about that other couples might not necessarily have include:

Stocks and bonds
Investment properties
Commercial real estate
Business ventures
Residential homes and properties

The plaintiff's civil litigation process, one step at a time

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in civil litigation on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

At Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP, our civil litigation clients count on us for more than tenacious representation. They also view us as a source of knowledge about the Massachusetts legal process and appreciate our willingness to walk them through every step of the way.

There are some questions we see repeated, one of the most common relating to the amount of time a given claim will take. This is simple to ask, but it is nearly impossible to provide an answer with any level of accuracy. Instead, we try to present our strategies and explain why we think these actions will result in the quickest and most favorable conclusions for our clients.

Beating the pressures of wealth and divorce

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in high net worth divorce on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.

Wealth has little effect on the harmony between people in a marriage, after a certain amount. In fact, there is evidence that certain levels of wealth are more conducive to combative divorces. Understanding the pressures involved could help people avoid this type of trouble in their own divorces here in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

An amicable divorce is generally preferable -- just because things go smoothly at the end of a marriage does not necessarily mean one side or the other is getting a better deal. It often simply means that the parties temporarily set aside emotional and social concerns and focus instead on the issues before the court: division of assets, custody of children and spousal support agreements, for example.

What should you do as a victim of workplace sexual harassment?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in sexual harassment on Monday, September 10, 2018.

When you show up to work in Massachusetts, chances are, your objective is to get your job done and then get back to the things you truly enjoy. When you are a victim of workplace sexual harassment, however, the trickle-down effects can prove considerable, and they can affect your emotions and overall well-being both inside and out of the workplace. Regrettably, workplace sexual harassment is not at all uncommon in America, but that does not necessarily mean it is easy for victims of this type of behavior to come forward.

Per USA Today, there are several steps you may want to consider taking if you are experiencing sexual harassment at your place of business. Arguably one of the most important things you can do is act quickly. Why? First, there may be statute of limitations laws that dictate exactly how long you have to make a case against your employer or colleague. Second, the sooner you respond to your aggressor's actions, the greater your chances of being able to compile strong evidence against that person.

Getting justice and keeping your career

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in sexual harassment on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

High-level seats in companies are usually reserved for competitive, dedicated and connected individuals. If you have made it to an executive or managerial position -- or if you have your eye on one -- then you probably have a keen instinct and a drive to succeed. You are also probably dedicated to maintaining a strict professionalism -- a principle that could lead you to intense disappointment should a co-worker step over the line, entering into the territory of sexual harassment. At Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP, we are proud to consult with Massachusetts professionals about these issues in order to preserve reputations, stabilize situations at work and pursue results that align with career goals.

The first thing we usually try to impress upon our clients is that many people experience sexual harassment. We know that this type of behavior is no reflection on performance levels, competence or any objective quality our clients have. Rather, it is an injurious action engendered by subjective prejudice.

The Consumer Protection Law and your company’s practices

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP on Saturday, September 1, 2018.

If a consumer accuses your business of violating the Consumer Protection Law, your company may face serious repercussions. Massachusetts law may inflict punishments on your business and its stockholders that may halt your company’s success.

It is essential, if your business finds itself involved in a lawsuit that claims it violates the Consumer Protection Law, that you hire an experienced business litigation attorney. Understanding business practices that may lead to penalties helps your business avoid disputes in court. If you happen to face accusations, knowing the general steps in a litigation process may prepare you for fighting for your business in court. To avoid conviction, you want to have the best defense willing to prove that your business engages in legal and honest business practices.

Creating a family business succession plan

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in business succession on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

As the owner of a Massachusetts family business, you may find that your work offers many benefits. You may, too, have plans to leave your business in the hands of a trusted family member or close confidante once you are no longer able to run it yourself, but you may be unsure about what, exactly, the process of doing so entails. At Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP, we have a firm understanding of the important steps today's family business owners must take in order to craft an effective family business succession plan, and we have helped many clients navigate the process involved in doing so.

According to Inc., many members of the baby boomer generation are either retiring or getting ready to retire, and this means there will likely be an uptick in the number of people looking to leave their family businesses behind to their loved ones. However, only about 44 percent of families who plan to transition a business have an established, written succession plan in place.

When could you sue someone?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in civil litigation on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

If you believe someone has wronged you, your best option is often to find some way to work out your dispute with the other party through conversation or mediated negotiations. You may find that, even without bringing the discussion into a public court, you are able to resolve your issues. However, certain opponents could prove intractable, requiring a stronger impetus to cooperate with your requests. In these situations, you might consider legal action.

Not every dispute would necessarily be a feasible case. Beyond fulfilling the requirements for filing suit, you would likely have to provide sufficient evidence of the wrongdoing in question in order to have a good chance of success. It would, therefore, probably be most efficient to analyze your situation meticulously before filing documents and paying fees.

Converting a business as part of a succession strategy

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in business succession on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.

Business owners could transfer ownership of sole proprietorships in Massachusetts via a sale of the business assets. This type of sale, like almost any other, would require some planning to minimize tax burden. After some analysis, planners might discover that a conversion, such as incorporation, is advantageous from a financial perspective.

There are several cases in which a succession plan might include incorporation. The most common is associated with long-term planning. For example, the 15-year outlook of most sole proprietorships includes significant expansion. Larger businesses often carry higher risk for their owners. This increased scale of liability -- combined with the fact that sales of business interests might be simpler to execute than asset sales -- often prompts sole proprietors or unlimited partners to include a conversion to limited liability corporation to their leadership succession plan.