Amid COVID-19, Are Business Law Matters Moving Forward?

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As COVID-19 unleashed a health crisis on an international scale, an economic crisis has also occurred and has impacted every single Californian/American. While COVID-19’s stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements are still in place in Southern California, questions concerning legal matters have continued well through March, April, and May, 2020. These are some of the most frequently asked questions:

Question: Are business law matters moving forward?

Answer: Yes, absolutely. Here are a few issues and matters that have come across our desks the last few months:

  • I’m opening up a new business, can you help me with the formation process and starting that up?
  • I’m in need of a loan, can you help review my promissory note?
  • I need help navigating the Payment Protection Program (PPP). Can you assist in helping how to maximize this opportunity?
  • My business will need to temporarily close due to COVID-19. What do I need to get in place in order to do this while limiting liability?
  • I’m merging my business and its resources with another local business, can you help with the paperwork involved?
  • Operations have impacted our business only a little, we need help navigating new additional requirements from regulating agencies involved in our industry.
  • My business is still closed but I need to get a few contracts in order, can those be ready in a week or two?
  • My business partner has died and we had no business succession planning in place, the spouse and I need help determining what happens to the business partner’s share
  • I’m looking to secure a business succession plan and have no idea where to start. In case I die, I want my children to inherit the business and if they don’t want it, look for a buyer. Can you help?
  • I don’t know that my operations will make it beyond COVID-19. Can you help assess our business and provide some guidance as to how to either proceed or close our doors.
  • I’d like to file a suit against a non-paying customer and understand the court’s are closed. What are my options?
  • An employee has filed unemployment, but I let him go because he was a bad apple. Is there a way to restrict benefits?
  • During this downtime I have really ramped up my marketing and creating a brand. Can you help protect that and get things in order so that when business re-opens I can have things protected and in place?
  • My commercial landlord is not providing rent relief during COVID-19. What can I do?
  • I operate in a business focused primarily in social gatherings. How can I minimize my losses and adjust to this new normal?

Clearly these are paraphrased but this is a brief, incomplete list of the legal inquiries that have come through this law firm amid COVID-19. For some business owners, it has been a matter of adjusting their operations to new areas of work or entirely new industries. For others, it is business as usual, just slightly delayed or altered.  If you need help with business matters, call in and let’s determine how this office can help.

Amid COVID-19, Are Legal Disputes Still Moving Forward?

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As COVID-19 unleashed a health crisis on an international scale, an economic crisis has also occurred and has impacted every single Californian/American. While COVID-19’s stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements are still in place in Southern California, questions concerning legal matters have continued well through March, April, and May, 2020. These are some of the most frequently asked questions:

Question: Are legal disputes still moving forward?

Answer: Yes, legal disputes have still continued well through the months of March, April, and May, 2020.  This includes our areas which includes business law, real estate law, and estate planning. All three of these areas have seen legal disputes continue throughout the last few months. Though stay-at-home orders has temporarily closed the local court houses, those matters have been placed on hold in the court process. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the case goes away. This pause has simply given disputing parties and their counsel the opportunity to privately negotiate settlements over the last few months. Legal offices have moved their operations remotely to assist with legal matters moving forward. If the parties have been unable to resolve their open dispute, the Court will resume operations shortly.

Not all disputes wind up in court. Some disputes, especially those based on a breach of contract and the like, may require mediation or arbitration. For those requiring these methods, communications between law offices have continued as normal during the last few months. In some cases delays have been experienced for various reasons – delays in communications, delays in mail delivery, delays in attorney-client correspondence – but legal matters have continued.

As of May 15, 2020, here’s the Court’s update: “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Diego Superior Court has been closed for most non-emergency services from March 17 through May 22. More than 87,000 hearings from that timeframe and on the calendar for the coming months will need to be re-scheduled. In the interest of the health and safety of all Court visitors and employees, re-scheduled hearings will be handled remotely wherever possible. The process will vary for each case type and details for the manner of appearance will be included in the re-scheduling notices that will be sent to involved parties.” San Diego Court Opening Announcement. Visit the Court’s website for the most updated information.