Category: Business Law

It is no secret that it takes money to make money.  Not all business owners have the money they need to get their ventures off the ground and therefore many require financing.  Venture capital is a type of financing that is different from the financial support a business would customarily obtain from other lenders.  Venture...

Many businesses have customer lists that they consider their own private property.  It is common, however, for sales representatives and other employees to regard customer lists as theirs too, something they can take to a new employer. Employment agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competes, and non-solicitation agreements can all be used to eliminate confusion over whether...

One of the purposes behind memorializing an agreement in a written document is to ensure that the parties to the contract do not recant what they originally agreed upon.  Often, parties may dispute contractual terms if contracts are not working out in their favor or are resulting in negative or unanticipated consequences. When a document...

There are a number of steps involved in forming a corporation from selecting a name, obtaining the necessary licenses and permits, paying certain fees, and filing foundational documents with the appropriate state agency. While an attorney can help prepare and file the required papers, the owners, officer and directors should have a...

The value and success of a business often rests on the ability of the principals involved to make and enforce contracts with third-parties.  However, if the person who entered into a particular agreement did not have the “capacity to contract” in the first place, then those contracts may be “voidable.”  A contract is “voidable”...

As a small business owner, it is essential to protect sensitive information that is often referred to as trade secrets. While some well known examples of trade secrets include the formula for Coca-Cola and Google's algorithms, any business information such as practices and techniques, processes and procedures, needs...

Many business owners believe it's best to incorporate in their home state, but there are often business and tax advantages available in other states. In particular, Delaware and Nevada are attractive to those who are looking to form a corporation. These so-called corporate haven states are considered to be business friendly. The State...

Goodwill is an asset that is an intangible part of a business being purchased. In spite of its intangibility, goodwill may be worth more than concrete assets, such as property, buildings, machinery or inventory. Goodwill is the essence of the company's value to its customers, clients, and employees and, as such, is invaluable to...

In the contemporary workplace, email is an essential and efficient form of communication. Whether it's used internally among staff members, or for exchanges with vendors and customers, email is a necessary business tool. At the same time, misuse of this technology can expose an organization to legal and reputational risks as well as security...

Inventors have a right to protect their inventions through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). With the creation of a device come a bundle of property rights issued by the United States Government.   A patent prevents all “others from making, using, or selling the invention in the United States.”  The patent may...

Courts typically disfavor “covenants not to compete” or “non-compete agreements.”  Therefore, the terms and provisions of these contracts must not be overly restrictive of the employee.  In order for a non-compete to be upheld, the document must “be reasonable in scope, geography, and time.”  It cannot last for years on end, or prevent the...

Many business owners wonder which type of Intellectual Property protection is the best fit for their business purposes?  A “trade secret” is intellectual property that is kept private in order to maintain its financial value in the marketplace.  Examples of trade secrets include: “a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or process.”   Alternatively,...