Focus Team: Manufacturing & Distribution
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 courses 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 9, 2022 by Mary Ellen Schill
Due to the increase in the cost of gasoline since establishing the 2022 rates last year, the Internal Revenue Service is increasing mid-year the optional standard mileage rates for computing the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business, medical, and moving expenses. Effective July 1, 2022, the optional standard mileage rates will be 62.5 […]
Posted on May 26, 2022 by Sara J. Ackermann
Recently, we have been fielding calls from clients regarding “remote” Form I-9 verification. The current rule is that employers can ONLY verify I-9 forms remotely for employees who are remote due to COVID -19. For the curious, read our FAQ below: 1. What was the rule pre-COVID? The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ALWAYS […]
Posted on May 13, 2022 by Kelly T. Wilfert
Carbon credits have been a hot topic around the country as a potential opportunity for extra farm revenue. However, like any contract, farmers should carefully consider the terms of a carbon credit sale before signing an agreement. There are several terms that could trip up the unwary signer. What is a “carbon credit?” A carbon […]
Posted on May 10, 2022 by Andrew M. Lorenz
In a perfect world, business owners could spend all of their time and money focusing on a singular task: running their business. Despite the best laid plans, however, at some point ancillary concerns will arise and require—at least to some extent—that a business divert its resources to address and correct an issue. One area of […]
Posted on April 29, 2022 by Mary Ellen Schill
On April 29, 2022, the IRS announced the Health Savings Account limits for 2023. With respect to contribution limits, the limits are higher than the ones for 2022 and the required deductible and out-of-pocket maximums have increased as well. As a reminder, these inflation adjusted amounts are effective for calendar year 2023 HSA/HDHP Requirement Cost-of-Living […]
Posted on April 27, 2022 by Derek L. Prestin
An invention developed by a business or individual inventor may have great value to that business or individual, either through the commercialization of the invention or by licensing the invention to others in return for a license fee. That value is greater if the invention can be patented, which prevents competitors from manufacturing or selling […]
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Joseph M. Mella
Over the past several years, many commentators, including members of this firm, have written extensively about the potential loss of recorded easement (or similar) rights due to the passage of time and lack of public notice. Recently, the alarm was raised because of specific provisions within the Wisconsin Statutes that were read to deem easements […]
Posted on March 17, 2022 by Andrew M. Lorenz
Just as things were returning to normal after this past year, a resurgence of COVID-19 cases put a pause on the much-anticipated full return to pre-pandemic life. But Wisconsin shows no signs of reverting to the “stay at home” level of lockdown that we faced in late-spring 2020. With warm weather returning, events will likely […]
Posted on March 3, 2022 by Aric D. Burch
All one needs is a simple financial power of attorney … think again. Wendell knew he needed a financial power of attorney document in order to ensure he named someone to manage his finances and take care of his farm if he was ever unable to do so on his own. But Wendell was busy […]
Posted on February 17, 2022 by Nicole L. Stangl
“Protecting the Farm” is a common phrase associated with succession planning but employment considerations are just as important in protecting an agribusiness. Employment considerations include how to protect confidential information and skilled farm employees. At-Will Employment Wisconsin is an “at-will” employment state. That means both the employee and the employer are free to terminate the […]
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