Linda Hahner has not been sued in 25+ years running Out of the Blue Designs, a high end creative consultancy. Here are her tips.

1. Swim in your own lane and know your rights

One client not only failed to pay for the work, but stole it, claimed it as their own, built a company out of it, and then threatened to sue. Linda was square to her rights and stood her ground. No lawsuit necessary.

2. Sharks are not your friends

Sharks appeal to your greed with scams and tricks too good to be true, because they are not. Any love, loyalty, opportunity or favor you offer to these people will create legal entanglements in return.

3. Avoid assholes and idiots

Could something work out if you close your eyes, hold your nose, and play your game perfectly? No, just bad news.

A dozen more

In future posts I'll list some common sources of litigation and proactive steps to avoid it. For now, beyond just avoiding bad actors, don't be one yourself!