Blogs to Help Your Business Succeed
In this blog, the Zana Tomich, Noel Sterrett and the business attorneys of Dalton & Tomich, PLC weigh in on matters of importance to small and closely held business and nonprofit leaders in the Detroit area, Chicagoland, Northern Illinois and beyond. We hope the information here is helpful to you.
7 Provisions Michigan Business Owners Should be Wary of When Negotiating a Commercial Lease
Many of us, and even us lawyers, go through life giving little thought to many contracts we enter into. The cellular service company’s terms of service, the car rental agreement, the waiver form from a youth sports organization—even if we take the time to read […]
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Michigan Employers: Create Separate Agreement to Arbitrate, Non-Compete, and Non-Disclosure Contracts if Your Employee Handbook Contains a Contractual Disclaimer
Michigan employers should create and use employee handbooks. Handbooks provide employees with important information about the company and its customs, rules, culture and benefits for employees. Handbooks create clarity for employees and can provide certain protections for employers. But realizing these and other benefits isn’t […]
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Buying a Business in Michigan: Is an Asset or Stock Sale Right for You?
Warren Buffett famously said: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” With inflation, declining GDP growth and volatile markets, there’s a lot of fear out there right now. And that means there are entrepreneurs and investors who are heeding Buffett’s […]
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Dos, Don’ts, and 7 Common Sources of Funding for Small Businesses in Michigan
As inflation soars and economic growth slows, more Michigan small businesses may be looking to secure outside funding to keep their business operations humming. The process of identifying and securing funding, however, can be intimidating and costly if mistakes are made. There are many funding […]
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Who Owns Your Small Business’ Intellectual Property? The Answer May (unpleasantly) Surprise You
Almost every small business, no matter how small, has some form of intellectual property to protect. It might be a trademark (e.g., a logo), a copyright (e.g., a user manual), a patent or other form of IP it owns. Or, at least, thinks it owns. […]
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It’s Time for Small Businesses to Prepare for the New Corporate Transparency Act
One of the benefits of owning a small business is that small businesses are exempt from many federal rules, regulations, and other forms of red tape that their larger counterparts are obligated to comply with. However, starting as early as late 2022, small business owners […]
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Michigan Supreme Court Clarifies Direct vs. Derivative Claim Standard in Murphy v. Inman
When a corporate shareholder alleges harm due to acts or omissions by corporate officers and directors, the question of whether the shareholder must bring a “direct” or “derivative” claim often arises. A direct claim asserts that the defendants harmed the shareholder. Derivative claims, on the […]
Read MoreThe Potential Benefits of Treating Your Companies as a “Controlled Group” Come with Legal Risks
In general, for a company that offers its employees health insurance benefits, the more employees there, the lower the premium costs are per employee. So if a business owner owns more than one business, it might be tempting to try to bundle all the people […]
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Will Upcoming Changes from Credit Reporting Agencies on Medical Debt Actually Make Things Worse?
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, recently announced that as of July 1, 2022, they will make changes to the way medical collection debt is reported. These changes may provide some initial benefits to consumers. But it’s unclear whether they […]
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5 Scenarios Where it’s Critical to Call Your Business Attorney
We may not always like it, but us business attorneys know that you business owners are often out there wheelin’ and dealin’ with handshakes and a hope for the best, and in many cases that works out okay. We would like you to more frequently […]
Read MoreAbout Us
The business and employment attorneys of Dalton & Tomich take your business just as seriously as you do. Attorneys Zana Tomich and Noel Sterett are trusted by closely held family businesses and others across Michigan and Northern Illinois as invaluable partners and counselors. We guarantee all your calls and emails will be returned within one business day so you can focus on what you do best: running your business.
Drew PatrickOwner & President, Skidmore Studio
Having worked with Zana for 10 years, I can attest to her professionalism, her pragmatism, and most importantly, her integrity. I always get sound, thoughtful advice and guidance. From routine filings & updates to the highly unexpected, Zana’s there to help, always responding quickly and […]
Read MoreChanel HamptonFounder & CEO, Strategic Community Partners
We highly recommend Dalton & Tomich! As a start-up firm that has rapidly grown across the country in under 5 years, Dalton & Tomich has been integral to our sound, credible, and excellent in standard infrastructure. As we’ve scaled, Zana has been right by our […]
Read MoreLuis HermosilloProfessional Photographer, Northern Illinois
As a professional photographer in the wedding industry, reliable communication is very important to me. Noel was very knowledgeable and quick to respond to all of my questions and not just that, he also gave me suggestions when reviewing and updating my contract. The entire […]
Read MoreMeredith SimpsonPrincipal, Group eX
Zana’s expert guidance has helped us to move forward with clarity and confidence in our business endeavors. She helped us create a new business entity, and a few years later to navigate a tricky buyout—all with a clear path forward for business growth. Her calm […]
Read MoreMorgan FedroHealth Coach, WellTours LLC, Oak Forest, IL
Noel’s guidance was much appreciated when redrafting my client contract. He was very professional, respectful of my time and potential costs, and was sincere with his advice. I trusted that he had the highest good for my business in mind. I will seek out his […]
Read MoreAmanda LewanCo-Founder & CEO, Bamboo Detroit
Zana’s expertise in employee law has helped us refine and build a stronger operations and hiring strategy at my company. As a business owner of a small and fast growing company, I very much appreciate Zana’s ability to always step into any situation quickly and […]
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