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Navigating Local Land Use Procedures By Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group SAALFELD GRIGGS PC Generally, newly proposed development on property, even if “permitted” within the applicable zone, requires the property owner or developer to apply to the city or county for approval of the development. Despite procedural rules prescribed by Oregon law, many …
Regulating Work Place Romances By Randall P. Sutton SAALFELD GRIGGS PC At some time during your working life, you may have dated, or even married, someone you met at work. If you haven’t, then the odds are that you know someone who has. A 1995 survey estimated that 80 percent of all employees have either …
Reducing the Risk of Terminations No one enjoys terminating an employee. As we all know, however, it is essential to operating almost any business. Unfortunately, the myriad of employment laws make many terminations, even well justified ones, legally risky. The key to managing this risk is learning to spot the “red flags” that signal a …
Marion County Rural Zoning Ordinance Changes By Mark D. Shipman Saalfeld Griggs PC On July 28th, Marion County amended its rural zoning ordinance by making significant changes to the commercial and industrial zones. These changes affect those properties outside of Rural Service Centers and Unincorporated Rural Communities. The new amendments codify important Oregon case law …
Prohibiting Employee Discussions of Pay May Violate Federal Law Does your company prohibit employees from discussing pay? Many do, but what many employers don’t realize is that the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), the federal law that governs unionizing and union-related activities in the workplace, can limit an employer’s right to restrict employees from engaging …
Many Rivers to Cross: An Update on Oregon’s Water Wars By Real Estate & Land Use Practice Group SAALFELD GRIGGS PC It may seem like a conundrum to those of us in the moss- covered valley that there is a Water War brewing in our state; but there is. The Secretary of the Interior just …
Pending Employment Legislation: Should Employers Be Worried? By Randall P. Sutton SAALFELD GRIGGS PC The Oregon Legislature is back in session. As in prior years, the new session brings many bills that should give employers cause for concern. Given the even number of Republican and Democrats in the House of Representatives, it is likely that …
Managed/Smart Growth: A New Method of Controlling Land Use By Mark D. Shipman Saalfeld Griggs PC WHAT IS MANAGED/SMART GROWTH? “Managed Growth,” “Smart Growth,” and “Thoughtful Growth” are terms of art now being used across this country by local governments, planning theorists, development associations, and development opponents for new programs looking at the affects of …
Misappropriation of Trade Secrets and Employee Loyalty By Randall P. Sutton SAALFELD GRIGGS PC How the law Protects your Confidential Business Information WHAT IS A TRADE SECRET? Oregon law protects businesses from the disclosure of their trade secret information. However, it is often difficult to determine whether information is, or is not, a “trade secret.” …
Letter of Intent of Contract? Tips to Avoid a Costly Mistake By Real Estate and Land Use Group Saalfeld Griggs PC When parties to a transaction desire to confirm the terms of an agreement without actually drafting and executing a contract, they often resort to a Letter of Intent (“LOI”). Parties often verbally negotiate the …