The Four Mistakes: Avoiding the Legal Landmines that Lead to Business Disaster

Trachtman, president of a Philadelphia law firm and founder/operator of a consulting outfit, condenses 30 years of experience helping businesses out of legal trouble to outline four of the most common mistakes. Trachtman says that business, "in substantial part," is "the art of foreseeing and managing risk," but that the risks posed by our laws and legal system often go unnoticed until lawsuits are threatening to bring down a successful company. Including chapters on documentation, the employee-employer divide, "competition v. protectionism," and facing problems appropriately ("mountains that should have been molehills"), Trachtman cites actual cases and up-to-the-minute changes in legislation, offering proactive strategies through a sustained, fictional lawsuit narrative. This attorney's toolbox shows that a little knowledge on employment law, even if some of it is technical legalese, goes a long way; Trachtman's contention that Congress and the Obama administration have promised to make it easier (and more profitable) for employees to sue employers means it's more pressing than ever for business owners to grasp the legal issues at hand. (Apr.)