Creenan & Baczkowski, PC Law Blog

Dealing with Negative Online Reviews of Your Business

You’ve worked hard to build your small business. Nothing is more frustrating than negative online reviews, particularly if you feel they are unjustified or have been posted in bad faith. There are several steps that you can take to prevent your business’s reputation from being damaged by unfavorable reviews.

Respond promptly and professionally. More and more potential customers are turning to internet review sites like Yelp or Google My Business when they are making decisions about which businesses to patronize.
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The construction litigation team at Creenan & Baczkowski, PC recently obtained court approval of a successful negotiated settlement against the contractor.  The multi-million dollar settlement resulted from C&B persistence in demonstrating the ongoing nature and scope of the structural damages.  

The C&B Team included Jim Creenan, Esquire, Jake Oresick, Esquire, and paralegal Joanne Parise.  

 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's newly updated business resources page- Pa Business One Stop Shop - has many resources for new and existing businesses.

The free resources includes: 

• Free Business Plan Template
• Workshop and one-on-one business counseling
• Link to PA funded business programs to help expand your business.

Many small business owners face a dilemma when  starting out - what address should I use for my official business registration?   

Under Pennsylvania law (15 P.S. Sec. 109), entities required to provide a registered office address in any document filed in the Department of State may enter into a contract for the services of a Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP), and may list the name of the CROP in lieu of providing a registered office address. This option is also available for any corporation or association that does not have a physical location or mailing address in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Our office supported Pro Bono Month and the Allegheny County Bar Foundation's annual Jeans for Justice fundraiser and awareness campaign.  

 Check out the great things lawyers do to help our communities.

http://www.

Nicholas LaCava, a rising senior at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, has completed a summer internship with Creenan & Baczkowski, P.C.  We wish Nick the very best as he enters his senior year of college and continues on his path toward law school.

Did you know?

From time to time, Creenan & Baczkowski, PC hires students to assist in various aspects of the practice, from data and litigation support, file management, and marketing.
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Employee Handbooks should give your employees a clear direction on workplace rules and policies.  When properly drafted, maintained, and enforced, these Handbooks can protect a company from employment related liabilities.

 What are the essential elements?  According to www.thehrspecialist.com, these are some of the must haves:

• Letter from President 
• Brief History
• At Will Acknowledgement 
• Work Hours and Breaks
• Time off, leave, absenteeism
• Use of Company equipment, IT, and personal use 
• Dress code
• Alcohol and drug use
• Misconduct and insubordination
• Sexual harassment
• Pay procedures, bonuses, reviews
• Expense reimbursement
• Probationary period
• Termination and resignations
• Benefits
• Safety Rules

Did you know?

Our Counsel Access Plan members receive an annual review of Employee Handbooks included in the annual service fee.
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The Creenan & Baczkowski, PC trial team of Jim Creenan and Joanne Parise recently filed a $23,000,000.000 judgment by consent in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  The team will now pursue claims against the remaining subcontractor and the contractor's insurer as they seek a full recovery for the client.  

The Creenan & Baczkowski, PC trial team of James Creenan, Frank Jones, and Joanne Parise recently obtained a successful verdict following a three day bench trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, Orphans' Court Division.  The team represented an estate and annuity beneficiaries in the defense of claims of undue influence and lack of testamentary capacity.  As a result, the Court upheld the decedent's estate planning and refused to permit a removed beneficiary from receiving any part of the estate or other assets.  Notably, the case was initially filed in the USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, then transferred to the Western District, and then Courts honored the specialized jurisdiction of the Orphans' Court Division as the proper forum to resolve these types of claims.  

Creenan & Baczkowski, PC proudly announces the addition of esteemed attorney Charles R. Conway to the firm's personal and business planning practices.  

Creenan & Baczkowski, PC proudly sponsored the 2018 "Party at the Palace" - the primary fundraising event for the Palace Theater in Greebsburg, Pennsylvania.  

The Palace Theatre has been a major force in Westmoreland County’s cultural scene for generations. Opened September 2, 1926, as the Manos Theatre, The Palace Theatre today hosts the widest variety of live entertainment in the area in a beautifully renovated 1369-seat facility, located across from the county courthouse at 21 West Otterman Street in downtown Greensburg, PA.