As every business owner can tell you, there are a plethora of potential small business legal issues that you can face, starting at the very beginning of the business, and continuing almost daily from there. However, the good news is that there is a lot of free information available online to help you deal with the mess. Here, you’ll find a list and overview of recommended high-quality resources for Maryland small business legal matters.
The first place you may want to visit is ChooseMaryland.org. This is the Maryland Department of Business Development and Economics website, and has many fantastic resources, including step-by-step guides to starting a business.
You’ll also find a plethora of documentation and resources for Maryland business law, business-to-government matters, certifications, contracts and permits, and more. If you’re ready to dive right in, you can download the 88-page “Guide to the Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Maryland” to see for yourself what you’re getting into.
Another destination should be Maryland.Gov. When you visit that website and navigate to “work”, you will see a series of resources and links about the business. This will take you to the state’s official website and documentation on everything from labor laws to taxation and more.
The Maryland Department of Appraisal and Taxation website is available at DAT.state.MD.US, and has a wealth of helpful information on Maryland small business legal matters, including filing and registering appropriate new business entities, tax rates and small business finance-legal matters and at down the line from there.
Subsequent websites don’t specifically address Maryland legal matters, but are all about successful small business operations, and addressing general legal issues. The site is Nolo.com, and it includes a “Running Your Small Business” guide. It has in-depth guides on issues such as contracting, eCommerce, business litigation, buying and selling business, and more.
Of course, there are also official federal government websites, such as the US Small Business Administration, and Business.Gov. It will deal with federal matters, but will also provide information for state-level matters, while providing access to appropriate state-managed departments.
Hopefully you now know about a few more places where you can go to learn more about Maryland business law matters. There’s a lot to consider, and whenever you’re in doubt, you should always seek professional legal help. The cost of hiring a lawyer is small compared to the cost of not doing so, and in most cases a free consultation will be available.
