Blog

Contracts and Agreements

Good contracts are like instruction manuals for business relationships. The contract will outline each party’s rights and obligations, and provide a roadmap for how to resolve any disagreement or dispute. Unfortunately, not all contracts are “good contracts,” and even “good contracts” do not (and cannot) anticipate or address every possible risk or outcome. In other words: Each contract is different, and there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to any legal question about contracts. Accordingly, the information on this site is generic in nature and is not based on your (or any) particular contract or situation, so it may not apply (or may apply differently) to your given circumstances.

Gratitude

Prior to wrapping up the firm’s weekly all-hands lunch meeting, we invite each other to share a gratitude with one or more members of the team. On any given day, one could feel grateful to loved ones, colleagues, mother nature, or simply life itself. Quite often, our team members extend gratitude to one another – […]

We are now a Certified B Corp!

Catalyst Law is thrilled to share that the firm is now a Certified B Corp! We are dedicated to serving our values-driven clients with high-quality and friendly legal services, while at the same time positively contributing to our community, remaining mindful of our impact on the environment, and ensuring that our firm’s practices are consistent […]

The Basics of a Good Estate Plan

I. Form of Ownership. A good estate plan should include a review of how your assets are titled.  The form of ownership can affect the availability of estate tax exemptions, creditors’ rights, and which document controls how the asset is distributed at your death. II. Last Will and Testament. A written Will is a legal […]

Six Legal Considerations for U.S.-Based Non-Profits Operating Overseas

Many non-profit organizations may advance their charitable missions with cross-border operations. Non-profits operating internationally should consider these six issues: 1. Grantmaking Generally, a U.S. based public charity (as opposed to a private foundation) can make a grant to a foreign charity if the granting organization retains “discretion and control” over the use of funds raised, reviewing […]

Our Partnership with Geezer Gallery

One of the highlights of 2017 is the new artwork up on the walls thanks to our new partnership with the The Geezer Gallery. A local nonprofit organization, the Geezer Gallery showcases artists, age 60 and above, in its gallery and other locations in the community. As a participant in the new Art Vault program, […]

Moratorium on IRS Guidance: What’s next?

At a conference in New York sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute on February 13, 2017, Treasury and IRS officials discussed two new Trump administration policy changes limiting substantive IRS guidance for “a while.”  The first policy is the administration’s unusual “one-in, two-out” executive order, which generally requires agencies to eliminate two regulations for every […]

Social Enterprise

Part 1: Structuring a Social Enterprise: For-Profit Options

Choosing a Legal Structure for Your Social Enterprise At Catalyst Law, we define a “social enterprise” as any organization that has elements of “doing well financially by doing good.”  Under this definition, social enterprises can take many forms – from strictly for-profit businesses to nonprofit organizations, with several options in between.  This six-part series will […]