Trademarks, Copyrights, And Patents As I’ve mentioned already, I practice trademark and copyright law. I cannot practice patent law, because I don't have a technical background and I am not licensed. I have not taken the patent bar exam, and so I'm not a licensed patent attorney. For trademarks and copyrights, however, I can be of immense help. There are many things to consider when thinking through what protections your new business needs. As a starting point, if you have a novel, non-obvious invention, there are certain factors you have to meet to get patent protection. However, patents can cost between $15,000 and $25,000. This almost excessively expensive — and time-consuming — process can take two years at a minimum and up to five to seven years. In a patent… Read More
Essential Contracts When Starting Your Business If you’re like most businesses out there, you’ll need at least a few contracts in place as your business gets off the ground. Formation contracts aside, I’ve found that the vast majority of businesses find either employment contracts or independent contractor agreements to be extremely useful. Of course, this depends on the type of business you’re running. Many of my clients prefer independent contractor agreements because they choose to work with vendors who take on multiple projects instead of hiring employees. Non-disclosure agreements are also quite popular. Although most people don't think they need them at first, their opinion tends to change once they contact me. Many times, when I ask a new client whether they have an NDA, there's a slightly awkward silence… Read More
Personal Liability Protection Now that we’ve gone through some of the primary considerations you’ll need to keep in mind when determining a suitable business entity in Texas (or anywhere in the country, for that matter), let’s dive a little deeper. Establishing and maintaining the framework that aligns with your business goals is really important, so continuing to explore this topic in greater detail is completely worth it, trust me. Most business filings will shield your personal finances from anything that happens within the life of your business. This comes with a caveat, though: You have to make sure you and the entity are truly separate. This means you have to separate your expenses; you can’t use company funds for personal use. If you do, you risk opening yourself up to… Read More
First Steps: Exploring Business Types You’ve got a great idea you think will catch on in the market. So now what? You begin materializing things. Among the basics of setting up your new business in Texas is getting the business type down. This may seem simple – and in some ways, it is – but that doesn’t take away from its importance. Understanding each of the several options you have is critical to making the decision that best suits your needs and positions you for success. By far, the most common entity type is the tried-and-true LLC. Whether you’re concerned with filing taxes or creating the actual entity, they’re just really easy to maintain overall. You don't need to file many documents for it, for starters. Typically, I find that… Read More
Launching A New Business In Texas If you’re launching a new business in Texas, first, I want to say congratulations. This is a big decision and step, and one not everyone can handle. This chapter will be especially relevant to you, as it will focus on key considerations in situations you will shortly find yourself in… if you haven’t already. If you’re like most people — and it’s totally fine if you are — you don't know the difference between trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Understandably so. These terms are often used interchangeably at worst and in a muddled manner at best. If you're not in the industry, why would you necessarily know the differences? For this and other reasons, I’ve prepared a free course (which you can find on my… Read More
