Unless you have a contract or work inside Montana, you likely have an at-will employment relationship with your employer. An employer can terminate or alter your employment relationship as they choose as long as they don’t do so illegally. For example, they cannot fire someone because they filed a workers’ compensation claim under an at-will employment arrangement. Some of the unease that this may cause is offset by Read More

Life is adjusting to a series of changes. Though you didn’t get married to get divorced, it happened, and you handled it. Even after your divorce, it is a mistake to think things will remain how they are. A prime example of this is having shared custody of your children and discovering that your spouse intends to relocate.  There are several common reasons why people may face this scenario: They are relocating for a Read More

As a parent going through a divorce, one of the biggest challenges you may face is child custody. One of the more significant emotional hurdles you will have to overcome is that your former spouse may remarry. If that happens, your child will have a new stepparent in their life. To help you cope with this possibility, those closest to you (and perhaps mental health experts) will explain that regardless of the Read More

People have greater reach now. Twenty years ago, defamation lawsuits were based on what people said in print (e.g., books or newspapers), or what was spoken about on TV. The number of people who had access to these outlets was limited. That is a crucial detail to remember. When someone spoke poorly about you—or said something false—in private, their reach was minimal.  Due to social media and other internet-based Read More

Think about someone you know that is divorced. How did it get brought up? There are scenarios where a married couple sits down for a serious conversation about the future of their relationship. Ultimately, they may conclude that dissolving their marriage is in everyone’s best interest.  However, there are other scenarios (which are just as likely to occur) in which one person states that they no longer want to be in Read More

Resolving disputes is not just a quality of a good leader—it is a trait that needs to be adopted by successful business owners. At the heart of your business is the premise that you make more money than you spend over a designated period. Although that is a deliberately simple business model, it highlights the fundamental premise that you must mitigate your losses.  Profit losses can come in a multitude of forms. One Read More

A severance agreement is a contract between you and one of your soon-to-be former employees. For anyone who hasn’t had experience creating (or receiving) a severance package, it is easy to fall into the assumption that it is merely a sum of money given to an employee you are terminating. That implies that the employer is giving something and receiving nothing. A properly drafted severance agreement can do far more Read More

Being an “at-will” employee means you can be terminated from your position at any point without reason. If your employer chooses to eliminate your position, they can do so without citing a cause. In other words, you could be an exemplary and accomplished employee, but that will not prevent you from being terminated.  When people first learn about at-will employment, they have a significant amount of follow-on Read More

Divorce is a complex and emotionally challenging process for most. In addition to splitting your assets, rebuilding yourself financially, and figuring out your new life, there is the daunting process of child custody.. Because your role as a parent will likely not end when you get divorced, you are left unsure of where your kids will be, how far from you they may live, and how much of their lives you will get to be a Read More

Alimony is also referred to as spousal support. Despite many common misconceptions, alimony is not a form of punishment, nor is it gender-specific. Either person, male or female, can pay alimony to their former spouse.  The purpose of these payments is to prevent one person from enduring an unjust financial hardship. For most marriages, it is rare for both people to make the same amount of money. One either makes Read More