Not only is manufacturing and distribution the backbone of Wisconsin’s economy, it plays a prominent role in our 100-year history. We represent many of the area’s largest manufacturers and have grown with them over the course of our histories.
As a full-service business law firm, our attorneys provide a diverse spectrum of services for manufacturers and distributors of locally based operations to internationally based facilities. We have extensive experience advising clients on a wide-variety of issues, including day-to-day operational issues as well as sophisticated transactions that are key to a business’s success.
The challenges faced by manufacturers are real. We understand the competitive and increasingly global marketplace and the pressure to be lean, cost-effective, and proactive. Working as trusted advisors to manufacturers and distributors, our attorneys combine legal knowledge with business acumen to provide clients with decisive, sound counsel.
We work collaboratively as a firm to provide our clients with timely, practical, and cost-effective legal guidance. Clients benefit from an attorney team with experience in all of our comprehensive practice areas. Services include:
- Business succession planning
- Commercial litigation
- Deferred compensation
- Distribution agreements
- Employee manuals
- Employment and personnel issues
- Employment contracts
- Entity formations
- Finance and lease arrangements
- Licensing issues
- Loan and equipment lease documents
- Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements
- Non-disclosure agreements
- Operating agreements
- Purchase and sale of manufacturing and distribution operations
- Purchase and sale of real estate including manufacturing facilities
- Regulatory compliance
- Reorganization strategies
- Risk management strategies
- Shareholder agreements
- Shareholder disputes
- Stock options
- Supply agreements
- Tax advice
- Terms and conditions of sale
- Trademark protection and intellectual property matters
- Warranty and product liability issues
- Work force issues
In addition, Ruder Ware is a member of Meritas, a premier global alliance of independent law firms working collaboratively to provide businesses with qualified legal expertise. Our membership allows us to connect clients to rigorously vetted law firms anywhere in the world.
Posted on June 24, 2020 by Benjamin E. Streckert, Mary Ellen Schill and Amy E. Ebeling
On Tuesday evening (June 22nd), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of the Treasury released revisions to the interim final rule on forgiveness (issued May 22nd) and the interim final rule on loan review procedures (issued May 22nd). The revisions can be found here and are intended to update the rules in light of […]
Posted on June 22, 2020 by Sara J. Ackermann
On June 17, the EEOC updated its COVID-19 Guidance to clarify that unlike COVID-19 testing, an anti-body test would be a prohibited medical examination. The FAQ (at A.7) states as follows: Question: The CDC said in its Interim Guidelines that antibody test results “should not be used to make decisions about returning persons to the workplace.” In […]
Posted on June 19, 2020 by Robert J. Reinertson
OSHA has just issued a “Guidance on Returning to Work” for what it calls “non-essential businesses”. According to OSHA’s press release, the Guidance supplements OSHA’s previously issued guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19 and the White House “Guidelines for Opening up America Again”. The Guidance recommends a phased approach to reopening workplaces, as well as […]
Posted on June 17, 2020 by Mary Ellen Schill, Amy E. Ebeling and Benjamin E. Streckert
On June 16 the SBA issued a revised Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application along with updated instructions. The update in large part reflects the changes made to PPP by the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, enacted on June 5. The new form can be found here, and the new instructions can […]
Posted on June 15, 2020 by Mary Ellen Schill and Sara J. Ackermann
Today the U.S. Supreme Court decided in a 6-3 decision that Title VII provides protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace. Justice Neil Gorsuch and Chief Justice John Roberts joined the four liberal Justices for the majority. Justice Alito, Justice Thomas, and Justice Kavanaugh dissented in lengthy […]
Posted on June 11, 2020 by Andrew P. Raymonds
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will begin accepting online applications on June 15 for its We’re All In grant, which will provide $2,500 in relief to an estimated 30,000 small businesses throughout the state. Funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the grant aims to help small businesses with […]
Posted on June 4, 2020 by Amy E. Ebeling, Mary Ellen Schill and Benjamin E. Streckert
Both the House and the Senate have now passed HR 7010 providing PPP borrowers more favorable terms. We first alerted you on May 27th of possible changes to PPP being considered by both the House and the Senate. Last night in a second vote (the first vote failed), the Senate passed the House Bill 7010, […]
Posted on June 1, 2020 by Sara J. Ackermann
Many of you are reopening (if you were closed) or bringing back staff who were either laid off or teleworking. With this comes MANY questions, such as: CAN we monitor off-duty conduct, and if so, SHOULD we?? If you are a private sector employer, your employees work in Wisconsin, and barring an employment contract or […]
Posted on May 27, 2020 by Mary Ellen Schill, Amy E. Ebeling and Benjamin E. Streckert
As some Paycheck Protection Program loan borrowers approach the close of their eight week covered period (the period during which loan proceeds can be used for certain expenses and the corresponding loan amount can be forgiven), Congress is considering making significant changes to the program that would apply to existing loans and new PPP loans. […]
Posted on May 21, 2020 by Joseph M. Mella
Earlier this week, the Wisconsin Department of Administration announced the creation of the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program. The state has allocated $25 Million to a program to assist residential renters with rent payments and security deposit obligations from the grant the state received under the CARES Act funds issued to all states. To be eligible, […]
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