Georgia Business Legal Questions

I see no reason why it would not be legal, depending on the business.  For example, some businesses require licenses.  However, it is probably not practical without an adult's help, because minors have the right to void contracts.  For example, it is likely that no landlord will lease you office space because you would not be bound to the lease, while the landlord would be.  For the same reasons, you will have difficulty buying inventory, getting a web site designed, getting a Fedex account, hiring employees, engaging accountants, or acquiring any of the other services and/or materials needed to operate a business.  Moreover, apart from the age issue, you probably have no other business or credit history.  Banks will not be willing to finance your operations, landlords will want extra security, suppliers will require payment in advance, etc.... Read More

Yes, it is possible for her to sue you.  She would have to show that agents of your gym knew or should have known about the hazard and she did not know about the hazard. If your business has an insurance policy, I strongly recommend that you make your carrier aware of the incident. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss in more detail.... Read More

Yes. An employee must be classified properly. If, upon hiring an employee, the employer determines that the employee has non-exempt duties, the employee must be reclassified. Moreover, since employment in Georgia is on an "at will" basis, the employer may unilaterally change the employe's compensation at any time.... Read More

Each state has laws limiting the time period to file suit against a debtor.  The statute does not necessarily terminate the right to continue collections, but merely limits the ability to file suit on the debt. Please see: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/statute-of-limitations-state-laws-chart-29941.html This is not intended to be legal advice, and is general in its nature. No attorney-client relationship exists or is formed by this information. Furthermore, this does not represent the views or opinions of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.... Read More

There are many different paths to practicing law.  Obviously, you will need to graduate from law school.  Law school teaches you how to think like an attorney.  There is no right or wrong path to follow to become a business attorney.  Most attorneys specialize in the area of law that they first start practicing.  Therefore, if you want to practice business law, you may look to apply for jobs with firms practicing in that area after you successfully pass the bar. Good luck. This is not intended to be legal advice, and is general in its nature. No attorney-client relationship exists or is formed by this information. Furthermore, this does not represent the views or opinions of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.... Read More

You don't "owe" him anything. It was your duty to have workers comp insurance in place. You may be liable for the consequences of your failure to have such insurance. It might be a nice thing if you voluntarily paid him his lost wages. As a general matter, an employer is not liable for the harm caused to employees by the supervening criminal acts of third parties.... Read More

Whether an employer is exempt from paying overtime generally depends on the nature of the work done by the employee, not some kind of blanket exemption. You do not specify the kind of work you do, so it is impossible to answer your question. Generally speaking, so-called "non-exempt" employees are required to be paid on an hourly basis and must be compensated at overtime rate for hours worked in excess of 40 per week.... Read More

It is generally true that workers' compensation payments end at age 65. If you are interested in a lump-sum payment, it is possible that you can negotiate one. However, you should expect that any lump sum will be a substantial discount from the total of payments that would otherwise be made to you over the remaining period.... Read More

The wonderful thing about the First Amendment is that it prohibits any government involvement in your efforts to start a church. Basically, you make the rules. At some point, you may wish to have a formal organization for the church so that you can open a bank account, etc., but you are under no obligation to do so. There are no "forms" to fill out. If you want assistance in organizing a corporate body to own church property, an attorney can assist you in doing that. Call or email my office if we can help you.... Read More

Generally speaking, employment in the United States is on an "at will" basis. That means that the employer may terminate or suspend employment at any time for any reason or no reason at all. The courts generally do not engage in a judicial inquiry into whether the employer's decision was a good one or a bad one, as long as the employer does not engage in prohibited discrimination (such as on the basis of race, religion or national origin).... Read More