Landry Law, PLLC

09/17/2021

This is a grant program that could help many businesses. Due to requiring some employees and being in certain geographic areas, it won't be a fit for everyone, but it's worth checking out if it might be one for yours.

The Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced the Coalition To Back Black Businesses is now accepting applications for its 2021 grant program.

09/11/2021

9/11 is a difficult and important day.

All of us who were in the US then (and many others around the world) remember what happened. I remember where I was, what happened, and the aftermath. I remember learning about it. I remember hearing who was there, had a loved one there, and almost was there. I remember the reactions, both immediate and in the following months.

Many remember 9/11 as a day that brought the nation together. While in some ways it did bring us together positively, it's important to remember the negative ways it brought people together and the negative results of our reactions. Unfortunately, they are just as true, but we do not like to acknowledge them. Many in the US used the terrorist attack as a way to drive racism, xenophobia, fear, anger, and fighting. Horrible acts were committed against people based on their skin tone, religion, or any other "other"ism. When we say the 9/11 attack brought us together, we leave out those of us we hurt in the aftermath. That fear and anger was used to justify horrible acts and widen divides, the results of which we're still grappling with today in many ways.

So today I think of not only the many who died in and the survivors of the terrorist attack on 9/11 and their loved ones but also the many who died or were forced into very different lives due to this country's reactions, leading all the way through today. We have to remember, to accept, to acknowledge, and to work to be better. 9/11 changed the US and our world. We can remember and work to change ourselves and our country for the better.

08/05/2021

Another MA attorney has great advice regarding the current surge and employment law.

(As a reminder, Landry Law, PLLC does not practice employment law. (Instead, I suggest attorneys like Simply Good Law and some others.) Any information in posts by others are not the opinions of or information from Landry Law, PLLC.)

07/28/2021

A big topic today has been Simone Biles removing herself from the team competition - first, speculation and then, discussion of her statement. The mental toughness of athletes is often applauded, but it is often thought of as powering through and focusing rather than truly promoting mental health.

By recognizing where she was, Simone Biles is already miles ahead of most. Taking an action that hurt her in some ways while helping not only her mental health but also her teammates and her sport, though, shows what an impressive person she is. Even with her demons present, she put others first and took difficult actions for the benefit of everyone. This is not the first time she has done so, and it likely will not be the last, even if it is not on the same stage in the future.

Hopefully, this action will show even more people how important mental health is. While most of us will never be on any similar stage, we can take steps towards our overall well-being: financial, practical, legal, tax, health (physical & mental), and more. Having all of these areas being cared for proactively, and knowing when to take steps (like taking a break or checking in with someone), can help us not only in the long-term and in emergencies but also with the peace of mind that they are under control.

Simone Biles already had a clear, strong place in history before today as an amazing athlete, top gymnast, and great person, but today she took a risk and showed that she is even more impressive than we knew.

06/19/2021

Happy !

06/12/2021

Today is Loving Day, celebrating a big step forward in the fight for equality that still continues today.

It is also the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, yet another horrible reminder of how far we still have to go.

Different kinds of inequality, still a fight for equality for all people, regardless of who they are.

05/27/2021

With Massachusetts removing restrictions, there have been questions about what businesses will do. Businesses can still require visitors and employees to wear masks and take other safety precautions, and they can refuse service if someone refuses.*

While Landry Law will be switching to in person signings for those local once the remote signing law is no longer in effect, those signings will be distanced with masks using the setup used during the past months with those who could not do remote. Only those who need to sign the documents will be present.

These necessary meetings will be the only in person meetings for near future, as we encourage all to continue taking safety precautions and protecting not only themselves but their community.

*This is a general statement, not legal advice, and there are certainly nuances depending on specifics.

04/08/2021

What is… special about estate planning for business owners?

At Landry Law, we love working with clients across the business law, tax law, and trusts & estates practice areas. Tax law is essential to both trusts & estates and business law work. Beyond that, handling estate planning and administration for business owners is a crossover that comes with a few special considerations. We’ll go through the top ones here.

First, business owners generally want to be sure to protect themselves, their loved ones, their business(es), and their assets from each other. With proactive and continual planning, this is possible. When initially establishing a plan, it is important to consider the weighting of each in order to establish the foundation and ongoing work. That could be its own series of posts! What is most essential once the plan is established, however, is to maintain it: do all the right things and keep your advisors up to date on changes in circumstances, goals, and plans.

Second, business owners need to have a business succession plan in place. This is discussed in past posts, but having both emergency and long-term succession planning makes sure that your business continues even if you become sick temporarily, permanently incapacitated, or die.

Third, business owners need to incorporate their business into their estate plan. Sometimes, the business owner does not do so, and the existence of the business throws the entire plan, whether based on value or creating a need for probate. In trust planning, many business interests can be transferred to trust, which not only assists in avoiding probate but also allows for the business to truly continue without interruption regardless of any changes (your illness, incapacity, or death, change in plans, or change in who will take care of or inherit the business).

Fourth, many business owners do not discuss the business operations or have the information readily available in any form. As part of your business and estate planning with Landry Law, we go over ways to maintain business records and have conversations with people to let them know how to access it, when to access it, how to get up to speed, and what to do. This can all be done without providing them immediate access or control.

It is a sad reality that many businesses fail due to an emergency happening during the owner’s lifetime (an extended hospital stay, car accident, etc.) or following the owner’s death due to a lack of planning. With planning, you and your loved ones are prepared. The business can continue to operate, preserving its value and operations. You, your loved ones, your business, and your other assets are protected in this way – it all comes down to proactive planning and administration.