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SIX (6) TIPS WHEN NEGOTIATING YOUR NEXT CONTRACT WITH A TEMPORARY STAFFING COMPANY. Well qualified technicians are becoming more and more scarce, and many of you are turning to temporary staffing companies to fill you short term and longer-term technical staffing needs. Here are six (6) tips when you are negotiating your next contract with […]

A CHALLENGE TO THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ON THE IMPACT OF DIY SYSTEMS ON THE “HOT” RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT ACQUISITION MARKET? DIY Systems continue to invade the traditional residential security alarm model through inexpensive, sleek in design, and easy to use and install security alarm products. Moreover, some companies selling DIY Systems are offering professional monitoring at […]

All 50 states now have computer crime laws addressing unauthorized access of computers, including electronic devices and related systems.  For those of you in our security alarm industry that are remotely accessing your customer computers, security alarm systems, CCTV systems, access control systems and other related systems for service, report generation, accessing or storing or […]

Season’s greetings to you and yours! Warmest greetings of the season and every good wish to you and yours for the coming year. Sincerest thanks for your valued business and trust and confidence. Michael Revness, Esq. mrevness@alarmlegal.com michael.revness@kandrlaw.com (610) 688-2885

WARNING.  STRIKING OR CHANGING THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND THIRD-PARTY INDEMNIFICATION CLAUSES IN YOUR INDUSTRY CONTRACT MAY BLOW YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE UNDER CERTAIN POLICIES OF INSURANCE. BELOW IS A SNAP SHOT OF A “CONTRACTOR’S LIQUIDATED DAMAGES WARRANTY” ENDORSEMENT THAT I RECENTLY REVIEWED IN A POLICY OF INSURANCE ISSUED BY EVEREST INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY.   IN PLAIN ENGLISH, THIS […]

THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY CLAUSE IN OUR INDUSTRY CONTRACTS IS SERIOUS STUFF. HERE ARE FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YIELDING TO A CUSTOMER’S REQUEST TO STRIKE OR MODIFY THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY CLAUSE: 1. Does your insurance policy prohibit you from striking or modifying it? 2. Will you be in breach of your Dealer Agreement […]

2017 DIGITAL WRAP CONFERENCE November 5-7 Isle of Palms, SC at the Wild Dunes Resort Michael J. Revness will be presenting on the topic Service Contracts – Setting the Legal Foundation for a Premium Service Program. When you sell a premium program to your customer that pays you fees independent of the site visits, you […]

EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, are they fair and legally enforceable?  Employment restrictive covenants generally include non-compete agreements, non-solicitation of customer agreements, and confidentiality agreements.  Contrary to popular belief, most states will in fact enforce these agreements if they are properly drafted; that is, reasonable in time, scope and geographic location.   However, are these agreements fair?  […]

More and more customers are asking for CCTV systems with audio recording capability.  This combination of video and audio recording raises issues under both Federal and State Wiretapping Laws that may make it unlawful to record conversations without the consent of one or more of the persons being recorded.  We recommend you have a clause […]

Running a business can get complicated. It is important to stay on top of legal changes in the law and understand legal nuances to assure that your business operates appropriately. Are your security alarm contracts up to speed? Is your business legally compliant? Do you have a shareholders agreement, operating agreement or partnership agreement with […]

IF YOUR CUSTOMER FAILS TO PAY YOUR INVOICE AND YOU HIRE A LAWYER TO FILE A COLLECTION LAWSUIT, DO YOU RECOVER YOUR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COURT COSTS IF YOU PREVAIL IN COURT? ANSWER: NO, unless your security alarm contract contains a properly drafted clause permitting you to recover attorneys’ fees and court costs if you […]

Six quick tips to increase the value of your business: Have a written security alarm contract with each customer. Use only proper industry standard security alarm contracts. Your contracts should include automatic renewal clauses for services, such as central station monitoring, where permitted by your state’s law. Offer Service Maintenance Plans to increase your RMR […]

Increase your Recurring Monthly Revenue (RMR) by offering Maintenance Service Plans for security alarm systems, which can include labor only or labor and parts. Further, consider providing your customers with an option to add after-hours service for an additional recurring monthly fee. Maintenance Service Plans can also increase the value of your business, as buyers […]

Welcome Christopher Lee Kurtz & Revness, P.C. is proud to announce that B. Christopher Lee has joined the Firm as Of Counsel and co-chairs the Construction Law practice group and Construction Litigation practice group. Together, we have grown into one of the region’s most respected boutique business, real estate and commercial litigation firms and we […]

SecurityAlarmMediator.com offers highly specialized Mediation services solely to the Burglar Alarm, Fire Alarm and Life/Safety Industry. Michael J. Revness, Esq. is the founder of SecurityAlarmMediator.com and available to help you through the mediation process.  He is also the founder of AlarmLegal.com, SecurityAlarmBroker.com and a founding partner of the Law Firm of Kurtz & Revness, P.C. (www.kandrlaw.com). Mr. Revness is one of […]

SecurityAlarmBroker.com THE MARKETPLACE Designed to bring together both buyers and sellers of security alarm companies, accounts and other assets within the security alarm industry. If you are looking to sell your security alarm company or some or all of your monitoring accounts, we are pleased to notify you of the following interested Buyer: Current Available […]

SecurityAlarmBroker.com THE MARKETPLACE Designed to bring together both buyers and sellers of security alarm companies, accounts and other assets within the security alarm industry. If you are looking to sell your security alarm company or some or all of your monitoring accounts, we are pleased to notify you of the following interested Buyer: Current Available […]

THE LEGAL CORNER AlarmLegal.com INTERCEPTOR™ THE NEW “STATE OF ART” FOR SECURITY ALARM PANELS By Michael J. Revness, Esquire on June 28, 2017 Manufacturers of security alarm panels, distributors and dealers all BEWARE; the INTERCEPTOR™ appears to be the new “state of art” — ignore it at your own peril. WHAT IS THE INTERCEPTOR™? The […]

Michael J. Revness, Esq. was sworn in April 27, 2017 as a Member of the New York Bar and is now fully licensed to practice law in New York. Michael is also admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.Michael is the founder of Alarmlegal.com and a founding partner at the law firm of Kurtz & Revness, P.C. Please […]

Michael J. Revness, Esq. is a featured guest speaker today at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) for the Pennsylvania Association of Fire Equipment Dealers’ Spring Conference at the Valley Forge Casino Report in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Michael’s topic will be “Understanding our Industry Contract.”  

SecurityAlarmBroker.com offers the security alarm industry special and targeted matchmaker and other related services specifically for those seeking to purchase or sell security alarm monitoring accounts, inspection and testing accounts and related assets. Michael J. Revness, Esq. is the founder of SecurityAlarmBroker.com. He is also the founder of www.AlarmLegal.com, and a founding partner of the […]

Michael Revness, Esq. will be presenting the following three seminars at the upcoming New Jersey Electronic and Security Association (“NJESA”) in Atlantic City, New Jersey from March 1 to March 3: NJ Licensing Law (Required CEU Course for NJ Licensing) Selling Your Alarm Company – Buying Another Alarm Company Understanding your Industry Security Alarm Contract For conference registration, please visit the NJESA […]

Even our security alarm contracts are moving forward into the digital age. Various electronic signature platforms (like DocuSign, for example) permit us to download our contract forms into an electronic platform and then send those contracts electronically to our customers and obtain electronic signatures from our customers. However, are these electronic signatures valid and enforceable? […]

Wishing you and yours health and happiness this Holiday Season and continued success in the New Year. Thank you so much for your support and making the launch of AlarmLegal.com a success this year. Best, Michael Revness, Esq. mrevness@alarmlegal.com michael.revness@kandrlaw.com (610) 688-2885

My last article on “Understanding Third Party Indemnification Provisions” was well received – thank you! In fact, so well received that I was asked by many of you to do a similar article to discuss “Understanding Limitation of Liability Provisions.” Ask and you shall receive! A well-constructed contract in our life/safety industry will include (in […]

A well-constructed contract in our life/safety industry will include a provision requiring your customer to indemnify your company from any losses suffered by third parties (a third party in this context is any person or entity who did not have a contract with your company for any security alarm equipment or service, but was damaged […]

A “battle of the contract forms” refers to the clash of the standard form contracts exchanged between a security alarm company and its customer. This “battle” is becoming more and more common in commercial sales, where an owner or property manager often insists that its contract form prevails over yours. A “battle of the contract […]

Michael J. Revness, Esq., a founding partner at Kurtz & Revness, P.C. and AlarmLegal.com, presented at the North Jersey ASCET Meeting, on September 27th, 2016.  The topic for this month’s meeting was, “Licensing for fire and burglar alarm contractors and Certification for fire protection equipment contractors in New Jersey”.  Michael discussed the importance of licensing […]

There is a fruitful market for the purchase and sale of security alarm monitoring accounts documented on solid industry form written contracts (“Contracted Monitoring Accounts”), as Contracted Monitoring Accounts typically provide for recurring monthly revenue. Based on my experience, the current multiple in the marketplace being paid by buyers for Contracted Monitoring Accounts is in […]

If you are selling and installing video cameras with an audio recording feature, this may present a legal trap for you and your customer under federal and state wiretap laws. AlarmLegal.com now has an Audio Video Wire Tap Disclaimer available for purchase to protect your company and educate your customer. Please visit us at www.AlarmLegal.com […]

Take this short quiz to test your knowledge of the key terms of the security alarm contract. The answers are at the bottom.   If we can be of service, please contact Michael Revness, Esq. at mrevness@alarmlegal.com 1. Limitation of Liability protects the company against: (a) losses incurred by our customer’s guests (b) losses incurred by […]

Your Alarm Contract should contain both a Limitation of Liability Provision and an Indemnification Provision.  I am often asked, what is the difference?  Here is your answer. A Limitation of Liability Provision limits the damages (money) which can be recovered against your Company by your Customer if you make a mistake. An Indemnification Provision requires […]

Michael J. Revness, Esq. will be keynote speaker on February 25, 2016 at the New Jersey Electronic Security Association Annual Symposium at the Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The topic will be “Decision Making – the best risk management took of all.”

It is the standard of our industry for your contracts with your customers to contain both a Limitation of Liability Provision and an Indemnification Provision. I am often asked, “What is the difference?” Here is your answer. A Limitation of Liability Provision limits or caps the damages (money) which can be recovered against your company […]

In this electronic age, many of us use our website to advertise our services and provide information, guidance, and advice to customers, prospective customers, or the general public. While you most certainly should continue to do so, there are a couple of real legal concerns to look out for: Disclaimers. If you are providing general […]

Many of you use purchase orders. That is, you first present a new customer with a written purchaser order setting forth the schedule of protection, services, and applicable charges. You then ask your customer to sign the purchase order, committing to the order and terms. Then, once the purchase order is signed, you later present […]