Month: February 2018

Articles and information on commercial litigation, business disputes, real estate litigation. Call (954) 440-0901, (561) 406-0440, (813) 510-5800

Florida Business Litigation: “Keeping Trade Secrets Secret”—Part 1: Identifying Your Trade Secrets

February 20, 2018

By: The Carlin Law Firm, PLLC

As Fort Lauderdale business litigation lawyers, we see it all the time—especially in Florida. A business owner frantically visits us because a former employee has hijacked the business’s customer, supplier, or inventory lists; started their own company or other competing business venture; and basically assumed the identity of the business from which it departed. In other situations, a former employee may steal (and then use as his or her own) a secret recipe or formula that makes the client’s business uniquely special. What can a business do to protect itself from becoming the victim of theft of trade secrets? READ MORE

Florida Business Litigation: “Owners” without Stock or Membership Certificates—Do They Have Rights?

February 27, 2018

By: Justin C. Carlin, Esq.

It’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to invest their time, energy, skill, and capital into an established corporation’s or company’s business with the understanding that, upon investing into the business, they will become owners of the business entity.  When this happens, the business entity may not provide the investor with stock or membership certificates evidencing his or its ownership, and may later claim that the investor is not an owner entitled to distributions or anything else related to ownership in an interest, but rather merely an employee.  Does such an investor have any recourse to reclaim his or its interest in the company or corporation?  In Florida, the answer is: Yes.  READ MORE