Employment & Labor

Do You Have a Legally Valid Will? Putting together a will can be a daunting and complicated process. There are many requirements involved in creating a valid will, and the fear of doing something wrong can be paralyzing. After the death of the testator, a will may be challenged, which makes the process of writing […]
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Get out and do things with other people. We live in a large world and the pleasure from experiencing new people, places, and things provides energy, ideas, and motivation This also includes going away and hopefully disconnecting. When you do this you remember how important experience is and it can change or empower your thinking.

If you’re the workaholic it’s even more important for you to do this. And yes, I mean you should stop checking email from the time you wake up until you go to sleep. Focus on the people you’re with and new experiences. This is when
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How External Investigators Evaluate “Conduct Unbecoming” CasesEmployee discipline in “at-will” employment is fairly simple—an employee can be disciplined for any reason or no reason, just not for an unlawful reason (race, sex, religion, whistleblower retaliation, etc.).  In public employment and unionized workplaces, however, the dynamic is different.  Due process rights and collective bargaining agreements usually mean discipline can only be imposed “for cause.”  This puts employers and rule-makers in the position of having to list, justify, and possibly negotiate what “for cause” means.  As a practical matter, there is no list comprehensive or exhaustive enough to cover every conceivable act
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In the competitive landscape of business, we often become consumed by working harder and longer than others as some type of badge of success. In the legal profession this comes in the form of billable hours, client demands, and the relentless pursuit of career advancement. Yet, a recent event has caused me to think about an uncomfortable truth about my profession and business in general: our time is fundamentally limited, and no amount of legal or business expertise can negotiate an extension on life’s most binding contract.

The unexpected passing of a 35-year-old attorney who was a friend of mine
Continue Reading Work Hard, Play Hard: A Perspective on Life Balance

Many times when a new client walks into my office they’re avoiding something. Maybe it’s a tough conversation with a business partner, a challenging negotiation with a vendor, or that dreaded discussion about succession planning. Through those interactions I’ve observed a universal truth, which is that the conversations we resist most are typically the ones we need.

Hard conversations create clarity where ambiguity festers. In my practice, I’ve watched businesses fail because founders avoided discussing their diverging visions on important issues until irreconcilable damage had been done. I also have witnessed struggling businesses grow and succeed after partners finally addressed
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Lang Thal King & Hanson ranked #5 in the category of construction litigation in Ranking Arizona in 2025. Thank you for your support!

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Sometimes inspiration comes from interesting places. I heard the above quote last night spoken by a character in a movie. The quote is from Dolly Parton, and it struck me. It clearly encourages self-discovery and intentional living generally, but I looked at it in the context of the professional realm and finding your authentic business or professional self. By this I mean finding your competitive advantage(s). Dolly didn’t directly result in my finding my authentic attorney self, but her words speak to what my professional practice has become over time in profound ways.

When I first entered the legal profession,
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Organizations lose approximately $3.6 billion annually to fraud, with median losses reaching $250,000 per incident. What’s more concerning is that these schemes often go undetected for an average of 18 months, causing significant financial damage and lasting reputational harm.The Fraud Triangle—a proven framework examining pressure, opportunity, and rationalization—offers organizations a practical approach to understand, prevent, and detect fraudulent activities before substantial damage occurs.The Fraud Triangle ExplainedThe Fraud Triangle breaks down the three essential elements typically present when fraud occurs: Pressure Pressure is what often drives individuals to commit fraud. Pressure can stem from personal financial hardships, addictions, demanding performance
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This month’s VM Recommends brings us selections from Senior Attorney Investigator and Adjudicator, Christina Petricca.What is a book you would recommend? I read Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale a while ago and it is still one of my favorite books.  The Nightingale is a historical fiction that describes the difficulties faced by two sisters during World War II. The book moves between present day and the past and each chapter leaves you hanging to find out what happens next. I’ve read several of Kristin Hannah’s books and I really enjoy her writing style. What is your favorite place to visit
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In the high-stakes world of business, happily not all professional interactions are confined to conference rooms or phone calls. Sometimes, the most transformative conversations happen during something as seemingly casual as a walk through your building or your office. I’m talking about the strategic pedestrian encounter. Think of it as a nuanced art form that can reshape professional relationships in a subtle manner.

Last week, I was walking through the lobby of my building when I ran into an attorney from another law firm. What began as a chance encounter quickly evolved into a exchange of insights and a plan
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How To Split Equity Among Co-Founders When starting a company, one important decision to make is how ownership in the company will be shared. Because each co-founder will likely contribute different amounts of time and money to the startup, they may question what will be a fair split. Knowing how to split equity among co-founders […]
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At Van Dermyden Makus, many of our attorney investigators have experience conducting investigations into allegations of misconduct made by employees against elected officials.  These investigations present unique challenges and require special skills to navigate.  Elected officials are not employees of a public agency.  Therefore, they cannot be compelled by an employer to participate in an investigation into complaints made against them.  Nor can they be disciplined by the public agency.  Nevertheless, California employers have a legal obligation to take steps to prevent harassment, discrimination, and retaliation against employees.  An employer can be held liable for not promptly and thoroughly investigating
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A fundamental truth that separates successful ventures from failed ones is that when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, the only viable path forward is straight through the difficulty. This isn’t just motivational rhetoric. Instead, it’s a practical philosophy that acknowledges that significant business problems don’t disappear on their own and that you can’t get around them through clever maneuvering.

The business landscape is littered with cautionary tales of companies that attempted to sidestep fundamental challenges rather than addressing them directly. Whether it’s a product that fails to meet market expectations, a cash flow crisis that threatens operations, or a leadership conflict
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Overview Of The Federal Estate Tax Exemption Sunsetting In 2026 The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has considerably affected gift, federal estate, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) taxes. One of its key aspects was the increase in tax exemption limits for these transfers. Specifically, the exemption amount surged from $5,490,000 in 2017 to $11,180,000 in […]
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