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Top Ten Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs Brent C.J. Britton 12 January 2010

Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

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The (rather spartan) slides to my talk, "The Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups"

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Page 1: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

Top Ten Legal Issuesfor Entrepreneurs

Brent C.J. Britton12 January 2010

Page 2: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

What are Legal Issues?

Page 3: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

Legal Issues arethe Right Problemon which to Focus

Page 4: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups
Page 5: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

It’s All Fun and GamesUntil Someone Loses

a Lawsuit

Page 6: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

10. Corporate Formation

• form early liability shield asset creation

tax treatment (LLC/corp)Delaware?

Page 7: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

9. Founder Relations

• written agreement equity vesting

involuntary departure

Page 8: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

8. Investor Relations

• meet the SEC private placement memo

debt or equity?

Page 9: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

7. Employee Relations

• written agreement fraternization

policies

Page 10: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

6. Customer Relations

• agreements privacy security products

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5. Competitor Relations

• antitrust interference

Page 12: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

4. Your Intellectual Property

• invention/work/brand/secret

pat/©/®/ts

which? when in doubt: secrecy

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3. Their Intellectual Property

• don’t let it in freedom to operate

best defense = good offense

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2. The Truth

• cover-ups false advertising disparagement

general

Page 15: Top Ten Legal Issues for Startups

And the number one legal issue for entrepreneurs…

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1. Counsel

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Thank you