New Year, Fewer Headaches: 10 Legal Resolutions for Minnesota Entrepreneurs in 2026

As the calendar turns to 2026, small business owners in Minnesota have a prime opportunity to set their operations on a solid foundation for the year ahead. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your venture, a proactive approach to legal matters can save you from future headaches and help your business thrive in a changing legal environment. Since everyone loves a good Top 10 list, here are 10 resolutions you can put on your list as a Minnesota small business owner to set yourself up for growth in 2026.​

1. Review and update your business structure

Your business structure (whether a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation) serves as the backbone of your operations, and changes in ownership, revenue, or risk profile are good reasons to reassess it. If you’ve grown from a one-person operation to employing a team, transitioning from a sole proprietorship to an LLC or corporation can offer additional liability protection and potential tax planning opportunities. Talk to your business attorney or accountant to evaluate your current structure and make any necessary changes so it matches where your business is today, not where it was when you filed your first paperwork.​

2. Review your compliance with new 2026 laws

Legal compliance is an ongoing process, and 2026 brings adjustments that Minnesota employers cannot ignore, including minimum wage and employment-law changes. For example, Minnesota’s state minimum wage increased on January 1, 2026, to at least $11.41 per hour for most employers statewide, with higher local rates in cities like Minneapolis, so you should confirm your pay practices meet the current state and local requirements. Take time to verify that your licenses and permits are current, your postings and job ads reflect any pay transparency or earned sick and safe time rules that apply to your business size, and your tax accounts (sales tax, payroll tax, unemployment) are properly registered and in good standing.

3. Update contracts and agreements

Contracts are the lifeblood of any business, but outdated or poorly drafted agreements can lead to disputes, nonpayment, or expensive litigation. In 2026, review vendor agreements, leases, employee offer letters, non‑compete or non‑solicitation provisions (where still permitted), confidentiality agreements, and client contracts to ensure they reflect current law and your actual business practices. If you created your contracts yourself when you were starting out, now is a good time to reach out to an attorney to make sure your agreements are protecting you, are being signed correctly, and include critical terms like late‑fee provisions, attorney’s fees, and dispute‑resolution clauses.​

4. Tighten intellectual property and proprietary information protection

Your name, logo, website content, and unique processes are valuable assets that deserve formal protection. In 2026, consider registering key trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, auditing your use of images and content for copyright issues, and reviewing any patents, licenses, or assignments that affect how your products and services go to market. You should also confirm that your agreements and internal policies clearly protect trade secrets like customer lists, pricing formulas, and internal procedures, and that access to this information is limited and tracked.​

5. Refresh employment policies and handbooks

Employees remain one of your most important assets, and Minnesota continues to adjust employment rules around minimum wage, sick and safe time, and workplace protections. Use 2026 to review your employee handbook, remote‑work policies, anti‑harassment and anti‑discrimination procedures, and leave policies to ensure they align with current state and local requirements, as well as any federal changes that affect your business. Updating job descriptions, pay ranges, and documentation practices can improve morale, reduce turnover, and lower the risk of wage‑and‑hour or discrimination claims.​

6. Strengthen data privacy and cybersecurity

With cyber incidents and data breaches on the rise, Minnesota businesses that handle customer or employee data need to treat cybersecurity as a core business function. In 2026, put written data‑protection policies in place, review your use of encryption, multi‑factor authentication, and backups, and confirm you understand your obligations under applicable data‑breach notification rules and any industry‑specific regulations that apply to you. If you don’t have in‑house IT support, consider working with a trusted cybersecurity provider so you have an incident‑response plan before something goes wrong, not after.​

7. Plan for succession and exit strategies

A succession plan is like an estate plan for your business, and many owners wait too long to put one in writing. In 2026, review who will run or own the business if you retire, become disabled, or pass away, and coordinate that plan with your personal estate planning documents so your business and family are working from the same roadmap. If you have partners, this is a good year to revisit or implement buy‑sell agreements that address death, disability, retirement, and voluntary or involuntary exits, including how the business will be valued and how any buyout will be funded.​

8. Clear outstanding legal and financial issues

Unresolved legal or financial problems can quietly drain your time and energy and make future growth more difficult. Use the start of 2026 to take stock of any pending disputes, unpaid judgments, lingering vendor or client issues, or regulatory notices, and work with your attorney to resolve, settle, or strategically plan around them. Cleaning up these loose ends now can improve your cash flow, make your financials more attractive to lenders or investors, and allow you to focus on opportunities instead of constant damage control.​

9. Use technology to support legal and compliance needs

Advances in legal‑related technology can help small businesses track obligations and reduce human error. Consider using tools for e‑signature, contract lifecycle management, secure document storage, compliance calendars for key deadlines, and HR or payroll platforms that automatically update for changes in wage and tax rules. The right systems can free up your time to focus on revenue‑generating work while still keeping your legal house in order.​

10. Schedule regular legal “check‑ups”

Treat legal planning like any other recurring business maintenance rather than a one‑time project. Scheduling regular Legal Strategy Sessions or annual check‑ups gives you space to review new laws, major business changes, planned hires, or expansion plans before they create legal problems or unnecessary risk. Regular touchpoints with your professional team (attorney, accountant, and other advisors) help you stay proactive instead of scrambling when a crisis hits.​

Let’s get started for 2026

Starting the year with a focus on legal preparedness sets the tone for success in 2026 and beyond. By adopting these resolutions, your business can minimize risk, adapt to Minnesota’s evolving legal landscape, and be better positioned for growth, whether that means hiring your next employee, opening a new location, or planning your eventual exit.​

Do you need a Business Attorney?

If you've never had an annual meeting for your LLC, if your contracts haven’t been reviewed recently, or if you're just getting started and want to make sure your business is off to the right start in 2026, let's schedule a Legal Strategy Session online or by calling my Edina, Minnesota office at (612) 294-6982 or my New York City office at (646) 847-3560. My office will be happy to find a convenient time for us to have a phone call to review the best options and next steps for you and your business.