Ever wonder who owns that land along the freeway located beside your property? Typically, it’s referred to as the “right-of-way” and it’s owned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). What is a Right-of-Way? A right-of-way is defined as an easement granted or reserved over the land for transportation purposes, this can include highways, public […]
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Due Diligence When Buying Property With Billboards
Buying property can involve a lot of twists and turns. When a billboard exists on a property the sale has an added layer of complexity that must be thoroughly investigated. When we work with clients interested in real estate with billboards, no part of the process is more important than completing due diligence. Due diligence […]
Read more...If It’s Not In Writing—It Never Happened
A recent case brought to mind the importance of documentation in business endeavors, especially those with personal roots. We had a client who was very successful at property investing. His brother-in-law was eager to learn and the two of them bought a few properties together. Unfortunately, the brother-in-law had a drinking problem and passed away […]
Read more...Not Just Words
The art of using the right words is one that lawyers master in order to accomplish their clients’ wishes. Contracts are not simply words on a page. Each word and the collection of them as a whole is carefully selected to convey meaning and precision. Legal jargon can be complicated. Lawyers undergo extensive training to […]
Read more...Three Reasons To Choose A Concierge Law Firm Service
The mid-sixteenth century word “concierge,” alluding to a caretaker and guide, has been extended to many disciplines outside of the hospitality industry — including the legal profession. Law firms that provide subscription-based services are becoming increasingly popular in today’s on-demand economy. This growing niche within the legal industry has been named “concierge law”, echoing the […]
Read more...What is a Confiscatory Business License Tax? How Does it Affect Your Billboard Lease?
Similar to any business endeavor, governments impose taxes on billboard operators. While the tax is normal, some taxes can be confiscatory and designed to regulate business instead of raising revenue. There are over 400,000 billboards spread throughout the country. While each billboard uniquely markets a particular product or service, all billboards are subject to federal, […]
Read more...Billboard Lease Basics
At Hamlin Cody, our Billboard lawyers have extensive experience handling transactions and litigation concerning billboards and other forms of outdoor and out-of-home advertising. There are an estimated 368,000 billboards across the country. Over the years, we have represented billboard companies and people who lease their land to billboard companies. Whatever your status, it is important […]
Read more...What To Do If There Has Been Trespassers On Your Billboard Property
When you own and oversee a billboard, there is no clear guarantee that trespassers will avoid your billboard property. Our billboard lawyers have litigated disputes between landowners and billboard companies involving claims of trespassers. Unfortunately, many of us have seen billboards that have been defaced or altered by trespassers. If you do have a billboard […]
Read more...OAAA Seminar – Billboard Leases to Record or Not to Record
Our attorneys, Richard Hamlin and Marnie Christine Cody were co-presenters at a recent OAAA webinar entitled “Billboard Leases to Record or Not to Record”. During the webinar, they explain the pros and cons of recording billboard leases using a real-life situation with a number of twists and turns. The webinar was highly rated by the […]
Read more...Billboard Law: Unfair Competition
Unfair competition is a deceptive or wrongful business practice. In California, any illegal act may constitute unfair competition. To constitute “unfair” competition, an act must be inherently wrongful. Simply offering a product at a lower price, or offering to pay higher rent is normal competition. There is nothing “unfair” about that. On the other hand, […]
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