About Us
We protect your assets. Business law, contracts, business startups, LLCs, corporations, trademarks, wills, trusts, probate. Certified mediator.
Recommendations Received (3)
"Jocelyn is absolutely great! She gives a unmatched level of service to her clients and shows..."
Read more
"Jocelyn is absolutely great! She gives a unmatched level of service to her clients and shows this when she makes their concerns her own. She is always a professional who is a pleasure to work with. Whether you have a business or personal matter you can rest assured you're in good hands with Jocelyn!"
"Awesome Service and competent."
Recommendations Given (6)
"Vince is a joy to work with on projects. Not every jeweler wants to take on the task of..."
Read more
"Vince is a joy to work with on projects. Not every jeweler wants to take on the task of restyling family heirlooms. In fact, most jewelry stores just want you to buy something new. Always enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Looking forward to working with him on my next reinvented piece of jewelry!"
"Shawn is very pleasant and enthusiastic. Also, very smart. It is a joy working with her. "
Recent Activity
As a lawyer and a landlord, I can state that a lease will not protect you. I have had iron clad leases that specified no pets and tenants who raised puppies inside of my houses. Tenants who painted the interior. Tenants who sliced up the linoleum in the kitchen. Tenants who removed the...
(more)
As a lawyer and a landlord, I can state that a lease will not protect you. I have had iron clad leases that specified no pets and tenants who raised puppies inside of my houses. Tenants who painted the interior. Tenants who sliced up the linoleum in the kitchen. Tenants who removed the carpeting from the house. Tenants who never changed the air filter for the furnace. First, get a credit report and an eviction report. Had one potential tenant that was "on disability", had a conviction for drug distribution and was being evicted by his current landlord. He didn't understand why I would not rent to him. I recommend that you periodically inspect your houses --change the air filters; install new batteries in the smoke detectors; check the gutters. Anything that will get you out to the house to make sure the tenants are keeping up the property. Rest assured that your tenants will never read the lease they signed and have no idea of what their obligations are to you as the landlord. To summarize: excellent lease, regular inspections, credit report & eviction check.
1 Reply
I would first conduct a criminal background check and a driver's license check on the person to see exactly what charges were brought against them. (see www.BackStoryScreening.com) For example, a person who embezzles probably should not be handling cash. A person who is violent should not be...
(more)
I would first conduct a criminal background check and a driver's license check on the person to see exactly what charges were brought against them. (see www.BackStoryScreening.com) For example, a person who embezzles probably should not be handling cash. A person who is violent should not be waiting on customers. Someone with a DUI may not make a good delivery person. You have to place the person in a suitable position. Otherwise, I would hire a felon if that person fits into the organization. Many people on the sex offender's list were drunk and urinating in public. Some people on the sex offender's list are violent sexual predators. You have to look at the facts and circumstances of each situation.
My first suggestion would be to trademark your brand with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The second suggestion is to put the copyright notice on your advertisements. At the bottom of your webpage, each blog post, each Facebook post and every ad insert
©2019 Joanna Mastrocola (or your...
(more)
My first suggestion would be to trademark your brand with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The second suggestion is to put the copyright notice on your advertisements. At the bottom of your webpage, each blog post, each Facebook post and every ad insert
©2019 Joanna Mastrocola (or your company name).
Why? It's free and it gives you immediate copyright protection. Anyone stealing your copyrighted materials can be sued.
The one caveat to copyright law is that you cannot protect an idea, only the expression of the idea. Your ad must be a creative expression. It must be of some length. A short phrase or title is not protected by copyright law (but may be protected by trademark law). If you cover these caveats and if this company is stealing your ads wholesale, they can be sued.
Once your protections are in place, then a cease and desist letter, citing the relevant law, can be sent to the offender with a threat of a lawsuit.
Oh no! My father was the milkman!
(more)
Oh no! My father was the milkman!
The most basic estate planning tools are a will to dispose of your property after death (probate is much more difficult without a will), a health care directive in case you are incapacitated and cannot make medical decisions, a living will to specify whether or not you want to be kept alive by...
(more)
The most basic estate planning tools are a will to dispose of your property after death (probate is much more difficult without a will), a health care directive in case you are incapacitated and cannot make medical decisions, a living will to specify whether or not you want to be kept alive by machines, a financial power of attorney in case you are incapacitated so that someone can pay your bills, (if you do not have a financial power of attorney, the court will appoint someone to pay your bills), and a cremation form if you wish to be cremated. There is also the issue of a trust if you have a disabled person or a minor in your care. If you are living with a significant other, rather than a spouse, the significant other can claim a common law marriage exists and demand a portion of your estate.
As a lawyer I do not charge for the initial consultation. I agree with David Castro. After the initial consultation, you should expect to pay an hourly rate dependent upon the complexity of the review. Most attorneys are happy to tell you their hourly rate over the phone. You should not...
(more)
As a lawyer I do not charge for the initial consultation. I agree with David Castro. After the initial consultation, you should expect to pay an hourly rate dependent upon the complexity of the review. Most attorneys are happy to tell you their hourly rate over the phone. You should not expect any legal advice during the initial consultation. You aren't a client until you have signed a retainer agreement and paid a retainer.
As an attorney, I request a retainer so I know the legal fees will be paid. Contractors usually request a substantial deposit so that their costs are covered. Often a letter from an attorney is enough to get some movement on payment but can get pricey. Filing in small claims court is a good...
(more)
As an attorney, I request a retainer so I know the legal fees will be paid. Contractors usually request a substantial deposit so that their costs are covered. Often a letter from an attorney is enough to get some movement on payment but can get pricey. Filing in small claims court is a good idea. Its an easy process too.
We bill both by the hour and using a flat rate. For estate planning, probating an estate and business creation, we use a flat rate for predictable matters. Some probate matters are unpredictable, such as a determination of heirs, and we have to billed hourly for those types of cases. For...
(more)
We bill both by the hour and using a flat rate. For estate planning, probating an estate and business creation, we use a flat rate for predictable matters. Some probate matters are unpredictable, such as a determination of heirs, and we have to billed hourly for those types of cases. For trademarks, copyrights, contract negotiations, and mediation we use an hourly rate. I collect a retainer in advance before beginning any work. I have had "good friends" fail to pay their legal fees and so now we just won't start work without a retainer. We bill our clients monthly so they know how much of their retainer is left.