Tag: Hecht Walker attorneys

Hecht Walker, P.C. Helps Win Lawsuit Over Clayton County and Unpaid Wages for Police

Posted by Hecht Walker, P.C.
Posted on June 21, 2018


Attorney Greg Hecht from Hecht Walker, P.C. assisted Clayton County law enforcement to win a $1.5 million settlement. Georgia County law enforcement settled the lawsuit that was targeted at their police officers and sheriff’s deputies, who claimed they were suffering from unpaid wages.

Clayton County will pay the $1.5 million to about 345 current and former police and law enforcement officials for attending mandatory and unpaid roll calls. Greg Hecht reported that the roll calls would last about 15 minutes. Roll calls are important tasks for police officers, and they include look out alerts, training, information about crime trends, etc.  This settlement covers three years of roll calls, even though the practice dates back decades. Hecht explained that the settlement partially consisted lost wages as well as damages. The County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jeffrey E. Turner and the rest of the commission approved the settlement with no dispute, stating that they wanted to ensure all workers were paid equally and fairly.

Greg Hecht and our other attorneys at Hecht Walker, P.C. have represented several clients in employment disputes, including unpaid wage issues. Contact us today if you would like more information on employment law or if your business is interested in filing an employment lawsuit.

What Are Some Different Types of Dispute Resolution for My Business?

Posted by Hecht Walker, P.C.
Posted on June 7, 2018


A business may face some sort of legal dispute during its operation. These kinds of disputes might catch business owners off guard, and they might realize they need some legal assistance to solve these complicated problems. Fortunately, there are a few dispute resolution options for businesses to choose from, and whatever they choose will depend heavily on their circumstances.

What Are the Three Kinds of Dispute Resolution for Businesses?

  • Mediation: This type of resolution involves a neutral third-party, also known as a mediator. The mediator will work with both parties to reach some sort of mutually agreeable solution to the problem. This option is great for businesses that want a cheaper and faster resolution. However, it’s important to know that mediation doesn’t create a binding agreement, and either party could back out of the agreement at any time.
  • Arbitration: This type of dispute resolution is sometimes seen in business contracts as the preferred resolution. Arbitration involves each party presenting proof and data to a neutral third party, which in this case is called an arbitrator. The arbitrator will then study this evidence and decide on the correct resolution for both parties. Arbitration can be binding, which means there is no appeal permitted for either side. Whatever the arbitrator chooses is the final decision.
  • Litigation: Litigation can be considered as the most lengthy and complicated dispute resolution process, but it does have advantages over mediation and arbitration. Litigation will allow either party to summon witnesses, gather legal evidence, and cross-examine the other party. This is a great option if the business wants to seek monetary damages and believes the dispute needs to be put to an immediate stop in order to prevent any further harm. This resolution option should only be picked if one or both parties is completely unwilling to negotiate. Litigation can be expensive and take weeks, months or even longer to resolve.

The attorneys at Hecht Walker, P.C. can handle any sort of business litigation or other business disputes in the Atlanta area. Contact us today for a free consultation.

How Can I Lower My Commercial Property Taxes?

Posted by Hecht Walker, P.C.
Posted on May 21, 2018


There are many difficult struggles involved in owning a business, and one of these is the problem of constantly making sure your business is staying profitable. If your company is in a state with a high property tax, it’s helpful to know how you can reduce your property tax burden. The last thing any business owner wants to do is to sell or close the business because of uncertainty related to managing property taxes. There are a few things you should know that may help lower your commercial property taxes as a business owner.

How Can I Keep My Commercial Property Taxes Low?

  • Understand that property tax is not a fixed cost: A big mistake that business owners might make is to treat their commercial property taxes just like their income taxes. Income tax is a fixed cost, but property tax is a variable amount. Oftentimes, a company will attempt to focus their property tax filing on making sure their taxes are being paid on time without really examining whether they’re paying a fair amount. It will be up to you, as the business owner, to decide if local taxing jurisdictions have overstated your property’s tax value.
  • Ensure your property is in the right jurisdiction and maintain correct asset records: Sometimes, certain personal property will be put under your personal name instead of your business name. If you move your property across state lines, or if certain machinery is moved or discarded, records need to be properly kept in order to avoid paying unnecessary personal property taxes.
  • Know how to classify your assets properly: There’s a big difference between taxable and non-taxable real estate and personal property. Make sure that you’re classifying each piece of personal property correctly when you report it to your tax jurisdiction.
  • Shop around in neighboring jurisdictions: If you’re building a new business, you should always keep your eye on neighboring states and different jurisdictions within a state, so you can find the best tax rate for your company.

Knowing how to keep your commercial property taxes reduced is crucial if you want to maximize your business’s potential. However, this can be a lot to handle if you’re a small business or if you’re just unfamiliar with commercial taxes. Contact the attorneys at Hecht Walker, P.C. for more information.