Jun 13, 2012

Business by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

A Maryland startup company lawyer will be an essential crutch for you to lean on when and if you have dreams of opening up a new business or venture of any kind. Below, find a quick list of 5 important reasons why you should seek the professional legal advice of a business formation lawyer instead of trying to handle the task on your own.

May 23, 2012

Resources by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

What to Know to Stop Car Repossessions in Maryland If you are behind on vehicle payments, your vehicle creditor may decide to repossess your vehicle. According to car repo laws in Maryland, once this happens, the vehicle will be impounded, and it will be your responsibility to make payments to become current on the note, as well as pay repossession costs and storage fees, if you want to recover your vehicle. Should you choose not to recover your car, the vehicle creditor may sell the car at auction. Once the car is sold at auction, the creditor may still sue you for the deficiency. For example, if you owed $10,000.00 on your car note, and the creditor sells the car at auction for $5,000.00, the creditor may later sue you for the remaining $5,000.00, plus attorney’s fees and interest. This could result in a judgment entered against you for the deficiency amount, which could subsequently result in a garnishment of your wages or bank account. It is always best to stop a car repossession in Maryland before it gets underway, but sometimes it is not possible. If you are in danger of losing your car to a repossession or your car as already been repossessed, you should consult an attorney. Contact the Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein, LLC to schedule a free consultation. We’ll provide you with all of the information you need to know on Maryland repossession laws, how to stop car repossession, and what your options will be […]

May 23, 2012

Bankruptcy by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

Wage Garnishment Bankruptcy: How to Stop Wage Garnishment Creditors have a wide array of options at their disposal when trying to collect on judgments. One of creditors’ favorite tactics is to place a garnishment on your wages. This can generally happen thirty days after a judgment is entered. According to wage garnishment laws in Maryland, creditors can, and often do, take up to 25% of your net wages per pay check if a judgment has been entered against you. The IRS can take even more than 25%. It’s important to be prepared and informed about potential courses in action so that you can fight to stop wage garnishment and protect yourself and your assets.

May 4, 2012

Resources by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

What you need to know about Maryland’s Facebook privacy protection legislation Several weeks ago, the Maryland General assembly passed an important piece of legislation with regards to Facebook and other popular social networking websites. At its core, the bill states that employers are prohibited from asking current and potential future employees their social networking website user names and passwords. Maryland became the first state to pass this specific type of bill, and is therefore leading the charge in terms of privacy protection. However, as of now the bill has still not been signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley. Another bill, which never made it out of committee in the past session, would have offered similar protections to students and student athletes.

May 3, 2012

Business by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

Most Common Small Business Legal Help Topics & Issues There is a near infinite range of small business law issues in Maryland that business owners will have to deal with at one point or another. Whether you’re seeking breach of contract lawyers to file a lawsuit on your behalf, or you need small business legal help with business formation or anything else, use this guide to learn a little bit more about some of the most common business law issues.

May 3, 2012

Business by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

Potential business owners should always take the time to learn how to start a business in Maryland before they jump right in. Learning about the process, what’s involved and what kinds of things you’ll need to accomplish will help you avoid trouble down the road and make the correct decisions from the start. Some of the best small business legal advice is simply to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible. Of course, if you want to move forward with how to start a small business in Maryland, you should consider hiring a startup company lawyer to ensure nothing is missed or done improperly.

Mar 19, 2012

Bankruptcy by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

As you prepare to file for bankruptcy in Maryland, there are many different steps you’ll need to take, and things you’ll need to think about. Certainly, at the top of that list is finding the right bankruptcy attorney. Maryland, like all states, also deals with many specific types of bankruptcy, and various chapters, codes and regulations. Which type of bankruptcy in Maryland is best for you, your interests and your financial future? Should you be specifically looking for Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorneys, and what does “Chapter 7” even mean to begin with? Find the answers to some of these introductory questions with this guide to bankruptcy in Maryland. The United States Courts Bankruptcy Basics guide lists six different bankruptcy Chapters, and needless to say, there are numerous factors and regulations involved with each. However, if you’re an individual, you can begin eliminating many of these right from the beginning. For example, Chapter 12 bankruptcy only deals with family farmers and family fishermen, and Chapter 15 deals with cross-border cases. Chapter 9 is actually for municipalities, and Chapter 11 is primarily for businesses. In essence then, you only have to be concerned with Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Maryland. Chapter 7 deals with the liquidation of your assets, and the removal of as much debt as possible. Chapter 13 deals with debt adjustments, and restructuring your debt to reasonable payment levels over a specific period of time. Which of these you need up pursuing will largely depend on your […]

Mar 19, 2012

Bankruptcy by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

Filing bankruptcy in Maryland can be a daunting process when you don’t know where to begin. Therefore, one of the best steps you can take as you begin the process is to learn more about what’s involved, and from that point you’ll have a better sense of how to move forward. While specific Maryland bankruptcy laws and codes may be frequently updated, although their core regulations and standards are easier to become familiar with. In addition to the below information, there are also plenty of useful websites where you can find tips and helpful advice ranging from new bankruptcy laws for Maryland and the general process of filing bankruptcy in Maryland. For example, you can visit the Department of Justice website and read their bankruptcy law information sheet, the District of Maryland United States Bankruptcy Court site, and take a look at their information as well. In addition, be sure to ask yourself the following 5 questions before filing bankruptcy in Maryland: Is bankruptcy best for you? Just because bankruptcy is an option, it doesn’t mean that filing for bankruptcy in Maryland makes sense for all people or families, at all times. Furthermore, if you’ve filed for bankruptcy in the past, you may not be currently eligible to do so again. Therefore, before filing bankruptcy in Maryland, you need to evaluate all of your options, and determine if bankruptcy is really the most effective solution. What do you qualify for? As mentioned, individuals who have previously filed for bankruptcy in […]

Mar 15, 2012

Bankruptcy by The Law Offices of Brandon Bernstein

It’s never easy facing financial difficulties, and when you need to find a bankruptcy lawyer in Maryland and don’t know where to begin or who to trust, the process only becomes more challenging and stressful. There are plenty of Maryland bankruptcy lawyers out there, of course, but when you’re searching for somebody to handle your own situation, here are a few useful pointers to help you narrow down the selection. 4 Quick Tips to Find Bankruptcy Lawyers in Maryland Evaluate your needs: The first step in the process should always be evaluating your own needs. You may not know the ins and outs of bankruptcy laws, but doing some basic research on your own will help inform you, and will let you know if you should even be on the hunt to find a bankruptcy lawyer in Maryland to begin with, or if there’s another, better solution. There are many useful resources out there, including the Bankruptcy Basics Guide from the United States Courts website, to help fill you in on the basics. Think local, reputable and experienced: When you want to find a bankruptcy lawyer, you always want to think local and reputable. That can be easier said than done, but a great way to start is by utilizing resources such as consumer review websites like Yelp, local listings on Google, and more. Find and read ratings, look into testimonials and attorney background, and more. Also, be sure to find one of the Maryland bankruptcy lawyers who has a […]