| Foreword | p. xiii |
| Introduction | p. xv |
| First Steps | |
| Getting Started | p. 3 |
| Business Ideas-and Funding Them | |
| Clearing the Decks | p. 22 |
| Keeping the Legal Side in Mind Can Save Time and Money | |
| Do You Need A Lawyer? | p. 32 |
| A Quick Guide to When You Need Legal Help-and When You Don't | |
| Choosing a Business Lawyer | p. 41 |
| How to Find the Right Lawyer for Your Company | |
| Buying a Business | p. 50 |
| The Basics, Including How You Can Maximize Your Advantage | |
| Is Franchising for You? | p. 60 |
| Practical, Hands-on Tips for Evaluating a Franchise Opportunity | |
| Understanding and Negotiating the Franchise Agreement | p. 70 |
| Don't Be Intimidated When Confronted by Those Bulky Legal Documents | |
| Setting Up Shop | |
| If Your Business is Ten Feet from the Kitchen | p. 79 |
| Be Worry-Free by Taking Care of These Wrinkles Affecting Home-Based Businesses | |
| Location, Location, Location | p. 87 |
| Your Guide to Protecting Yourself in Leasing Property-and More | |
| Buying Peace of Mind | p. 102 |
| That's What Insurance Is for-but Don't Forget the Legal Dimensions | |
| Types of Business Organizations Which Legal Form Should You Choose | |
| Sole Proprietorships | p. 115 |
| It's Easy. It's Popular-but Know What You're Getting Into | |
| Partnerships | p. 121 |
| They Come in Many Flavors, Including General and Limited-Which One's for You? | |
| Is a Corporation for You? | p. 131 |
| They're Persons Under the Law, Which Opens Up Many Intriguing Possibilities | |
| Limited Trouble-and Paperwork | p. 155 |
| Find Out Why Limited Liability Companies Are Sweeping the Country | |
| So What's the Best Business Form for You? | p. 161 |
| We Lay Out Your Options-the Choice is Yours | |
| A Section About People Dealing with Employees and Customers | |
| Hiring Employees | p. 179 |
| Hiring Without Hassles | |
| Laws Affecting Employees | p. 190 |
| A Short Course on Law in the Workplace-and How Knowing What's Up Can Benefit You | |
| Terminating Employees | p. 203 |
| We Cover Everything from Tips on How to Let Someone Go to Noncompete Agreements | |
| Maintaining a Safe Place of Business | p. 214 |
| For Your Employees, Customers, Business Contacts, and Other Folks on Your Premises | |
| The Legal Side of Dealing with Customers | p. 227 |
| All You Need to Know About the Consumer Protection Laws | |
| Extending Credit | p. 244 |
| Bottom-Line Tips on Accepting Checks and Credit Cards and Offering Your Own Credit | |
| The Check Isn't in the Mail! | p. 261 |
| Collection Do's and Don'ts for Small-Business Owners | |
| Running the Business | |
| Contracts | p. 277 |
| Understanding Legally Enforceable Agreements in Your Business's Transactions | |
| Special Contract Terms | p. 305 |
| Some Tips on What those Strange Clauses Will Mean to You | |
| What If There's a Dispute? | p. 320 |
| Keeping the Lid on Time, Hassles, and Costs | |
| Too Good to Be True | p. 333 |
| Watch Out for These Scams Against Your Business | |
| Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights | p. 344 |
| The Lowdown on Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Service Marks, and More | |
| The Taxman Cometh | |
| Business Taxes 101 | p. 367 |
| Knowing the Basics of Taxation Can Help You Plan-and Save Money | |
| Then There's the State and the City... | p. 385 |
| A Quick Look at How You Can Owe Less | |
| Tangling with the Government | p. 389 |
| You Have Rights-Know How to Use Them | |
| Various Endings ... Some Happy, Some Not | |
| Sink or Swim-Facing Financial Difficulties | p. 395 |
| The Law, and Your Lawyer, May Be Able to Help | |
| Selling a Business | p. 411 |
| There Are Plenty of Possible Arrangements-but You Want the Best | |
| Retirement Planning for the Business Owner | p. 427 |
| The Law Gives You a Lot of Attractive Options | |
| Till Death Do Us Part | p. 442 |
| What Will Happen to Your Family Business When You Die? Plan Ahead to Avoid Disaster. | |
| The World at Your Fingertips | p. 463 |
| The Best Places to Turn for More Information-Including Sites on Doing Business on the Web | |
| Index | p. 467 |
| About the Author | p. 473 |