All legal aspects of a business including incorporation, intellectual property and contracts
4
votes
7answers
256 views
Falsify address of company on hosting website
My problem is that we're planning on using Windows Azure hosting, but we're from Jamaica. Windows Azure does not yet allow hosting in Jamaica. Is it okay for a company to falsify an address to get ...
4
votes
7answers
341 views
Would you sign this liability clause?
I am going to get this checked by a lawyer, but I was wondering if people generally sign a clause like this (as the Contractor)?
"The Contractor indemnifies --Company-- for all liability ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
Getting Unemployment While Doing a Startup
A close friend of mine just got laid off. He has a real good idea for a startup and is about to get a business license and start working on it. He wants to know if this can have any impact on ...
4
votes
1answer
213 views
Should I get investors to sign an NDA before sharing my idea?
I have an idea for a company and I want to share it with potential investors. I'm a bit concerned about my ability to protect the idea. Should I get them to sign an NDA? Would that scare investors ...
4
votes
7answers
393 views
New Business Idea - Who owns it?
I was looking for freelance work and met with a lawyer who had some work for me. The lawyer asked if I could build a product for him. I told the lawyer I can build the product and will charge him a ...
4
votes
9answers
708 views
How do you find good professional help? (Lawyers, Accountants, Graphic Designers, etc)
Business accounting and legal work are mundane-but-required tasks for any startup. However, until the company is large enough to hire on dedicated staff for that work, how do you find qualified ...
4
votes
4answers
214 views
Is immigrating to the US really that hard for foreign entrepreneurs?
I keep reading about the high percentage of tech startups in the US that are founded by immigrant entrepreneurs (39% in California). I also keep reading about how hard immigrating to the US is for ...
4
votes
3answers
722 views
Doing a startup on H1-B
I have been itching to do a startup since a long time but this visa (H1-B) is getting forever to sort out (6+ years already)
One idea to work around the H1B issue is as follows -
I transfer my H1 ...
4
votes
2answers
117 views
Lawyer experience level
My tech startup is looking to hire a lawyer for our legal needs. I've narrowed it down to two people: one is a partner who has been practicing law for over 20 years and the other is an associate who's ...
4
votes
2answers
187 views
Self employed or a Limited company, which should I register my startup under?
I am a web developer and I am currently self-employed work with several companies on different projects. As I am also thinking of building start-up. And I don't own a team, I work alone by far so my ...
4
votes
3answers
533 views
Why incorporate in the US? What about Bermuda and other tax-advantageous countries?
Basically, why should one incorporate in the US? I'm interested in three cases:
1 - Most of the revenue and employees are in the US.
2 - Most of the employees are in the US, but the revenues come ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
Where should I set up my global internet business?
Is there a widely recognised 'best place of business' for global social-media style internet businesses, and what are the considerations? Considerations I'm thinking about are taxation, regulation, ...
4
votes
4answers
432 views
Startup Employment Considerations
A former co-worker of mine has started an LLC that is owned 100% by him. He has asked me to assist him in market research / analysis and sales, based on the theory that I will come on board and be ...
4
votes
1answer
239 views
Do you need to “be a company” to make money online?
A friend and I have a great startup idea which we plan to put into action at the beginning of the summer. We've also worked some revenues into our business model by allowing users to pay for some ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Do I need 1099-MISC forms for someone paid via paypal?
If I pay someone via paypal, do I still have to fill in the 1099 and/or w forms?
4
votes
3answers
305 views
How do I find a good lawyer?
I am bootstrapping a startup and need legal help with:
Creating terms of service and privacy policy
Registering the business
Consult for advice whenever needed
Do you suggest:
Finding an online ...
4
votes
5answers
181 views
How can a small biz protect US trademark infringement coming from other countries?
My US-based online media service has picked up a clone - a site based in a European country that nearly mirrors our name. According to a trademark lawyer it's pretty clear that they are violating our ...
4
votes
3answers
408 views
Do large law firms add credibility to a startup, or just cost?
I am just starting to engage with attorneys for my startup, and am wondering if working with a large, Silicon Valley firm adds credibility to the venture? Firms like Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati, ...
4
votes
2answers
164 views
Is it okay to ask potential hires about previous NDAs?
I'm in the midst of conducting research on starting up a small consulting/services business. Some of the services provided would involve developing proprietary algorithms. I would like to avoid ...
4
votes
2answers
153 views
Running a startup in parallel with a job in the United Kingdom?
I am a Software Developer who recently graduated from University. I just secured a job with a big company with a nice salary. However I don't really see myself being content with that as I have ...
4
votes
7answers
669 views
How can I commercially profit from the discovery of new algorithms?
About the Algorithm:I've invented a brand new method for sorting data in a very fasts way which is faster than QuickSort itself. This algorithm can be used for huge data manipulation which is very ...
4
votes
1answer
233 views
Copyrighting jokes?
I have an app that is essentially a game, but is based off different riddles. So the riddles are pretty much jokes with funny answers, and all are original. My questions is: is it possible to ...
4
votes
2answers
179 views
Copyright/IP of sudokus
I have recently learned how to do constraint processing and I figured out how to generate sudoku puzzles. I thought it would be interesting/fun to create an interactive website for these puzzles. I ...
4
votes
5answers
701 views
When should I register a LLC/S Corp?
I currently have a website in beta. I am not earning anything (for now) with this site. It doesn't have terms of service or the privacy policy listed on it.
It appears that some people's opinion is ...
4
votes
2answers
585 views
Good 'starter' SOW or Contracts for Consultant business?
I run a consulting biz on the side (just me), doing odd IT jobs ranging from web development / design / db management etc;
I have typically made small contracts or statements of work for the jobs, ...
4
votes
2answers
126 views
How do I prove that its all my IP
I'm involved in a deal where an industry organization is attempting to white label my software. Their Chairperson is a lawyer, so they are cautious on the legal stuff. They want to be absolutely sure ...
4
votes
4answers
311 views
Starting to write a business plan before becoming a company
I'm starting to write a business plan for a possible future startup.
We're still not a company and we're pretty much in garage-mode still holding to our day jobs.
I was looking at example business ...
4
votes
2answers
142 views
income in paypal
Does income in my paypal account need to be declared for tax purposes, or does it just have to be declared for tax purposes if I transfer my paypal funds to a real bank account?
4
votes
6answers
1k views
forming single member LLC for internet website
I live in Texas, and want to form a single member LLC (not decided which state).
If I have paid visitors from all over the world, do I need to register foreign LLC in other states even though I am a ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
1099 limitations of how much work you can give a contractor. Need some help with that
I think I am pretty good (having dealt with tons of contractor developers) at staying within independent contractor rules and keeping the Labor Department at bay, when it comes to using ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Business selling MP3 downloads - License necessary?
A few friends and I are looking at starting a sideline business selling mp3 versions of various creative commons works (can't get into too many more details). We've done the legwork on the legal side ...
4
votes
3answers
5k views
Can non-dilutable stock (or equivalent) be issued?
I think I understand stock dilution (and I know in quite some cases it's not bad to get diluted) but I was wondering (it's mostly curiosity but I still think it's an interesting question for ...
4
votes
4answers
535 views
Seed Capital to Live On, Do I Pay Taxes?
I've been working on a startup since Jan. 1, 2009. To keep me alive (physically on a ramen diet) my parents give me $1-$2k per month. My company is set up as an LLC and my parents would like to ...
4
votes
4answers
128 views
Legal rights about showing who's using your product
Can I list some of our clients on our website without their knowledge or do we need any specific permission from them?
I understand that it's always the best practice get a specific permission first ...
4
votes
2answers
248 views
Left my startup pre-launch. What percent equity is fair?
6 months ago I quit my job to start a startup with two other people. I'm the business guy. I worked full-time on the project from day No. 1, and made substantial contributions to branding, customer ...
4
votes
4answers
232 views
Should I change my domain name if there is a company with the same name?
I recently registered a co.uk domain name which I was hoping to use as the site for an e-commerce business. After registering I checked companies house and found there is already a registered Ltd. ...
4
votes
1answer
159 views
What is the JOBS Act?
The Senate passed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) by a vote of 73-26. The Senate added new crowdfunding protections, the House will likely accept them as-is, and the President is ...
4
votes
3answers
921 views
Do I really need a NDA when talking to potential lawyers?
I've seen quite a few discussions on non-disclosure agreements, but not really for when you are approaching a potential lawyer to work with. Yet, I was advised by a friend to bring a NDA, the first ...
4
votes
3answers
271 views
How do you prove a computer-generated work was independently generated by you?
This question is related to one of my earlier posts about the ability to copyright sudokus. I have written a program that generates sudokus and I want to make a website with these sudokus. It seems ...
4
votes
2answers
164 views
Asking potential buyer to pay legal fees
A company has expressed an interest in purchasing my one man startup. However, I've had this sort of interest in the past and nothing has come of it after quite lengthy negotiations. At the moment I ...
4
votes
2answers
116 views
How to fund start up through a one off project and turn it into a product rather than a contract piece of work?
Background:
I have been asked by a company to put together a proposal to build a highly specialised piece of software. The company is a new player in the financial sector who needs to have this ...
4
votes
3answers
419 views
Is it okay to get unemployment benefits while doing my start up
I live in Texas and was laid off in Sept. I decided to start up a little company doing handmade crafts. I have done some craft fairs but haven't made a lot. I need to know if collecting unemployment ...
4
votes
3answers
473 views
Legal restrictions and tax regulations in global ecommerce
Currently, with all the power the Internet provides, it's relatively easy to start online business. There are no obvious restrictions on the process. A business from almost any location can sell ...
4
votes
3answers
677 views
Google APIs - what's the story with their licensing?
My new build package features a link with Google maps. However, having had a look at their terms and conditions, I am unsure exactly where I stand with integrating their tools within my chargeable ...
4
votes
1answer
898 views
Private Stock Offering - Funding through online means
I thought of this some time ago when I was raising some capital for my first start up (which blew up after year 1).
We were a team of 3 cofounders working on a financial portal startup. After a few ...
4
votes
1answer
201 views
Can i use a logo on my website to sell THEIR product without permission
Can i use a logo on my website to sell THEIR product without permission.
I am starting my own business selling brand named footwear, can i put logo's on my site to show which brands i am selling? Can ...
4
votes
2answers
96 views
Company Signing rights
What determines who has authority to sign a contract on behalf of the company?
What if a low level employee signs a contract in the name of the company, is it still binding?
What happens when there ...
4
votes
2answers
825 views
Company formation for a non-resident – Delaware LLC and London LTD
Got a few questions about forming a single member LLC in Delaware or LTD in London. I’m looking into forming a company abroad for an easier way to do business and billing (+ its cheaper) and am ...
4
votes
1answer
217 views
Is it fair use to use a registered trademark in a comparative statement?
I'm building a service which I'd like to describe through a comparison to another service ( because its very simple to understand from a users perspective and quite catchy ) The service im building is ...
4
votes
5answers
298 views
How do I protect myself from being cut out once the core software is built?
Not that I have any reason to suspect that this would happen, but to be diligent, I need some advice on this.
I have been invited on board with a promising new Software as a Service web project, ...
