Social media has quickly become engrained in our society, both in the business world and in our personal lives, and the global pandemic has only amplified this impact. Businesses that have traditionally operated out of a physical store have sought to develop an online presence to reach consumers, and individuals have turned to social media to...
Tips to Prevent Litigation with Employment Contracts
For a business owner, nothing is more exciting than seeing your business succeed and grow out of little more than a personal passion. During this expansion, outside help becomes a necessity, and delegation of tasks becomes routine. Throughout this exciting and often hectic period, business owners often overlook formalities as they try to manage...
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Against Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Losses
On June 1, 2022 the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously found that the Plaintiffs – a group of bars and restaurants led by named Plaintiff Colectivo Coffee – did not have insurance coverage for the financial losses they suffered from the COVID-19 shutdown. This is the first ruling on COVID coverage by our Supreme Court. Colectivo and the group of...
Small Business Bankruptcy: What Do You Need to Know?
After the last two years, dealing with bankruptcy issues is probably the lowest priority on any business owner’s mind. Perhaps you have been able to survive the unprecedented market trends and uncertainty, and now times look to be stabilizing. Having a basic understanding of what’s been called “Sub 5” or “Subchapter V” can help you navigate any...
CARES Act Passed Providing Forgivable Loans to Maintain Business Continuity in Trying Times (Updated March 27, 2020)
By: Michael Van Someren and Lawrence J. Glusman The “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” or “CARES Act” was signed into law by the president on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act has a number of provisions meant to allow employers to receive forgivable loans to pay business expenses and permit them to maintain continuity of operations...
COVID-19 and Contract Enforceability
By: Daniel A. Kaminsky and Alexander T. Kay In the coming days, weeks, and months, it is likely that we will see failures to perform under contracts that are related to COVID-19 (e.g., failures to perform arising out of the ongoing temporary closures of businesses and institutions across the State of Wisconsin, the United States of America, and...

Unlike Diamonds, Easements Are Not Always Forever
By: Brian J. Pfeil Easements are extremely common in our everyday life and serve an important role in offering access to otherwise inaccessible tracks of land due to boundary lines. Strip malls, shopping centers, multi-use buildings and other businesses often share parking lot space through an exchange of easements. Many of us access retail...
New Business Docket to Help Resolve Business Disputes
By D|K's Litigation Team Wisconsin may tweak the way its courts handle business disputes. Beginning July 1, a Commercial Court Docket, or “business docket,” will undergo a three-year trial period in Waukesha County and the Eighth Judicial District (which comprises Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, and Waupaca Counties). After...

Knowing is Winning: How to Trigger Insurance Coverage in Commercial Litigation
By Susan G. Schellinger Quite simply, successful litigation from the plaintiff’s perspective is one that results in a net recovery. Whether or not a business should invest in litigation against a supplier, customer, or competitor is a business decision. That business decision often turns on many factors, but one crucial inquiry is whether or not...
Shifting Sands: Uncertainty Emerges for Businesses Expecting Insurance Companies to Defend Their Coverage
In the wake of recent pro-insurance company rulings in Wisconsin courts, businesses and their owners will need to proceed with extra caution when asking their insurance company to defend lawsuits that may arise from their business dealings. While many suits are typically covered under a policy, all too often an insurance company disputes...