There's a thing called Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) that you're probably more familiar with than you think you are. Maybe you've heard the terms Mediation and Arbitration before? These are the two most common forms of ADR. But what are they exactly? Keep reading to find out!

As you probably know from reading our posts, there are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself and your business. From drafting your own contracts to registering your own copyrights, you can pretty adequately be prepared. But sometimes you just need some help. Don't be intimidated (or ashamed!) if you need to find an attorney (or any other professional for that matter). Here are some tips to help you find and hire the right attorney to guide you.

We've started our IP discussions with Trade Secrets and Copyrights but today I want to tackle the basics of Trademark protection. I hear trademark and copyrights getting confused all the time. They're actually very different in terms of what can be protected by each and what the test is to determine whether an infringement has occurred. Let's dive in, shall we?

We discussed the simplest business form, the Sole Proprietorship, and now we're back to discuss another type, the Limited Liability Company (LLC). This biz type is a little harder to set up but has certain benefits not available to Sole Proprietors. Mostly involving tax and liability...WAIT! DON'T LEAVE! This is valuable info for you and your business so stick with me here!

Copyright Law grants you 6 exclusive rights over the use and distribution of your copyrighted works. To understand the benefits of copyright protection you are provided as the owner, let's take a closer look at what these rights, sometimes referred to as a "bundle of rights" or "bundle of sticks", are all about.

At its most basic, a contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more persons to do or not do certain things. So, does a contract need a specific formulation of words to be valid? Nope. Does it have to be in writing? Sometimes. It can be a complex area of the law but you don't need to be intimidated by contracts. Let's start out by taking a look at the different types of contracts.

Figuring out what legal form your business should take is one of the things I'm most frequently asked about. But I have to admit, it's probably the least sexy part of starting your biz. I mean...taxes are involved. Need I say more? I know your eyes just glazed over. But it also happens to be one of the most important decisions you have to make. It's going to impact how you're taxed, how much liability you will have for your business' debts and how the IRS will treat you. We're going to start this journey with the cheapest and easiest legal form: Sole Proprietorships.

Most people have a vague understanding of what Intellectual Property (or IP, as those on the inside call it) is, or at least that it exists. But out in the wild I hear the distinct forms of IP classifications used interchangeably, when in actuality they are all very different in terms of what they protect, how they’re formed and how you can enforce your rights as an IP holder.
So first things first, why does it even matter? Well, let’s dive in, shall we?