Dec
27

Shifting Responsibility through Use of Independent Contractors versus Employees

Mainstream media has recently focused a lot of attention on businesses that utilize independent contractors (think Uber, Lyft, or AirBnB). This has even gone so far as to lead some to speculate that traditional employment may be in jeopardy. While this is a significant exaggeration, the overuse of the independent contractor label is very real.

The use of independent contractors by businesses fits much better, or at least more cleanly, in some business models than others (see Uber’s particular, recent legal troubles for an example). The traditional use of independent contractors, often...

Feb
21

Forcing a Contractor to File a Mechanic’s Lien Often Makes for Poor Negotiation Strategy

Various news outlets recently have been reporting on yet another story involving President-elect Donald Trump (big surprise there). Luckily this story was not a political one, was not unverified, and touches on an important issue concerning mechanic’s liens in construction law.

The basic story is that at least three contractors have filed mechanic’s liens against the Trump International Hotel totaling at $5 million dollars in unpaid labor and materials (see, for instance,...