Kenesha A Raeford

Kenesha A. Raeford is an accomplished and devoted lawyer specializing in the small business sector and government contracts industry. Fueled by a love for the law and a dedication to delivering exceptional service, Kenesha has positioned herself as a reliable consultant for clients in need of customized resolutions to their legal issues.

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District of Columbia

District of Columbia Bar

ID Number: 90010106

Since 2023

Maryland

Maryland Court of Appeals

Since 2020

Associate Attorney

Niles Barton & Wilmer LLP

2021 - 2023

Judicial Law Clerk

Supreme Court of Maryland

2020 - 2020

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

J.D. (2019)

2019

Honors: Honors: Order of Barristers Inductee; CALI Award for Highest Grade - Non-Profit Corporations Course

Activities: Activities: Moot Court Board, Outside Competition Chair, Myerowitz Competitor; Maryland Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class, Executive Symposium Editor; Just Advice Clinic, Student Attorney

Queens University of Charlotte

B.S. (2015) | Human Services

2015

Honors: Political Science Honor Society, Member; Human Services Honor Society, Member

Activities: Campus Judicial Board, Chief Justice; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Sigma Upsilon Chapter, Member

District of Columbia Bar  # 90010106

Member

2023 - Current

Q. Is it legal to offer a month's free rent to my tenant in my house if they were to leave

March 25, 2024

A: Yes. It is legal to politely ask your tenant to move out, and also provide an incentive to do so. The actions you are describing are not illegal, so long as the tenant understands the he or she has the right to decline this offer. I suggest drafting up an addendum to the lease agreement, that specifies the tenant is agreeing to an early move-out date in exchange for free rent. You will also want to include standard language that is found in most non-renewal notices. If the tenant signs there should be no further issues so long as he or she moves out according to the new addendum terms.

Q. I need to know how to open a business checking account for my LLC, in my unique situation.

March 25, 2024

A: You are correct. You have to be 18 years of age or older to open your own bank account without your parent's authorized as joint account holders. To my knowledge, there are no loopholes to this requirement. To put it simply, there is no way around this without adding your parents to your business in some shape or form. You will want to consider, adding one or both of your parents to the LLC as a member of the LLC. That will shift the LLC from a single-member LLC to a multi-member LLC and, yes cause potentially changes in tax obligations. You may also want to consider changing your operating agreement to add one or both of your parents as a manager of your LLC (as opposed to a member). This provides them with limited authority and they would be able to enter into agreements on behalf of the LLC. Although the bank will still want to know who owns the LLC, some banks may be willing to accept joint-occupancy of the account if your parent is at least a manager. I don't suggest you embark on making either of these changes on your own. Obtaining legal advice or counsel is just a part of running your own business. However, there are several low-cost or free legal clinics that you may want to check out, that may be able to assist you at a very low rate or free of charge. I am listing a few here.

https://www.mdlab.org/free-legal-clinics/

https://probonomd.org/for-legal-help/

https://www.law.gwu.edu/small-business-community-economic-development-clinic

Alternatively, you may consider signing up for a PayPal Business Account, CashApp Business account or other financial services platform that is not "officially a bank". I am not sure if the rules are any less stringent, and you may still need your parent's assistance with these platforms, but it is certainly worth looking into as an alternative.

Good luck with your T-shirt Business! ... Read More

Q. sample motion to postpone a civil court date (i am defendent/sued for loan) to obtain counsel and gather more evidence

March 25, 2024

A: https://www.mdcourts.gov/court-forms/forms/motion-continuance-postponement

If you are in the Circuit Court (As opposed to the district court), you may use this form here and fill in the information based on your case. Simply make arguments directed to the court as to why the date should be postponed or continued. Obtain counsel and gather more evidence could be a sufficient basis for the continuance, but it depends on the current status of the case and the civil proceedings up to this point. The court could potentially find these reasons, as an attempt to stall, delay, and/or drag out the proceedings. If you are seriously planning to hire a lawyer, you should make every attempt to do so as soon as possible. ... Read More