Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Washington DC Offers Pivot Grants for Small Businesses
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging and cold and flu season about to begin, it has become obvious that it is not possible just to sit back and wait for the pandemic to pass. Small businesses, if they are going to continue to operate at all in the current business climate, must find a… Read More »
Probate Disputes About Disinterment of Remains
Most probate disputes are directly or indirectly about money. The parties’ ultimate motivation is usually to determine that they get their fair share of the decedent’s estate. Sometimes there are other issues involved, such as whether the will was forged or signed under duress or undue influence. The parties might even disagree over which… Read More »
What the New Federal Eviction Moratorium Means for Maryland Landlords Who Rent Out Residential Properties
Many federal laws set a minimum standard of duty owed to individual workers or consumers; the federal law requires state lawmakers to adopt the federal standard unless they have a state law already in force that is even more accommodating to its intended beneficiaries. For example, states that have not set their own minimum… Read More »
The Woodley Park Study Hub: A Success Story of Landlords and Commercial Tenants Making the Best of a Difficult Situation
The start of the school year has added another layer of anxiety and stress to the nerve-wracking new normal that small business owners in the District of Columbia have gotten used to. Now in addition to watching the bills pile up as landlords continue to charge rent even though they cannot eviction tenants until… Read More »
DC’s Streatery Winter Ready Grant Program Offers to Keep Diners Warm and Restaurants Solvent This Fall
As the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States exceeds 200,000, and as the novel coronavirus pandemic spills over into cold and flu season, it will be a long time before most diners in the DC area feel comfortable lingering over luxurious meals and friendly conversation in restaurants. Even as restrictions have lifted… Read More »
Maryland Comptroller Proposes $500 Million Rainy Day Fund to Help Small Businesses Get Through the Pandemic
As the pandemic stretches into the back-to-school season, and as going back to school just means another few months of attending virtual class meetings and completing assignments online, Maryland retail businesses are struggling. Customers would love to shop, but is it worth the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, and more importantly, where will… Read More »
Certificates of Good Standing for Maryland Businesses: Don’t Let the Scam Fool You
Fraud and misinformation thrive in uncertain times, and the age of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly qualifies. Small business owners are fearing a dismal future and receiving conflicting information about what is next regarding being open for business, rent payments on commercial properties, tax deductions, and business loans. The unwritten rule of survival for small… Read More »
Does a Handshake Count as a Legally Enforceable Contract?
TV shows about legal disputes often leave viewers with the impression that the only difference between an empty promise and a legally enforceable contract is that the latter is written and signed, whereas the former is merely spoken. You would think that all business agreements are no better than tall tales exchanged over one… Read More »
What’s Next for Commercial Landlords in the Washington DC Area?
As most school districts in the Washington DC area brace themselves for an all-online beginning to the coming school year, workers and employers are adjusting to a new normal. Perhaps the pandemic is making us appreciate in person socializing; you may have even perfected some new recipes that will taste even better when you… Read More »
Pre-Pandemic Tax Deduction May Offer Big Savings for Some Small Businesses
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many small business owners have turned to the Internet, as well as to their small business lawyers, to help them find creative solutions to the challenges the ongoing pandemic presents to economic recovery. Better days will eventually come, but what should small businesses do to stay solvent until those days… Read More »
