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Here’s a scenario that may sound familiar: C-level hires of a start-up are all successful businesspeople who command six figure salaries. Soon after forming, the company puts in place employment agreements which reflect this salary history (even after taking into account equity incentives). At this stage of the game, however, the company does not have the funds to pay such high salaries and will apply the limited funds it does have toward other important expenses. “No worries,” everyone thinks, “accrued but unpaid salary will be paid as soon as the company can.” Click her to read the full article.

The first proposed class actions in competition law in the UK, permitted since October 2015 through the Consumers Rights Act 2015, have been commenced. Class actions in competition law are a relatively new feature of the UK’s legal landscape. Their purpose is to pursue under the umbrella of one set of proceedings against a common defendant a large number of claims (perhaps of relatively small value) which raise similar issues of fact or law. One advantage of class actions is that they provide a forum for claims to be brought (e.g. on behalf of consumers) which it would be uneconomic to bring as separate proceedings. Click here to read full article.

John Mays, of Gould & Ratner LLP, was featured in an August 25, 2016, Law360 article 4 Challenges to Repurposing Office Campuses.  In discussing the value of reusing large empty suburban office campuses, John noted that “There’s a cost benefit [analysis] that the developer has to look at, the cost of redoing this space.”  Furthermore, the downsides to repurposing older spaces “could well outweigh the benefits,” he said. To read the full article, Google 4 Challenges When Repurposing Office Campuses and select the Law360 option.

Founders of a new business typically realize early on that they need to conduct the business through a legal entity to limit their personal liabilities for the debts and obligations the business generates.  Often, the three entity types from which the founders must choose are the “C” corporation, the “S” corporation and the limited liability company (or “LLC”).  While all three entity types insulate the founders from personal liability, the differences among the three types for tax purposes may be substantial.  A C corporation, on the one hand, reports and pays tax on its income separately from its owners.  The income or loss of an S corporation or LLC, on the other hand, generally is reported by the owners on their personal returns.  The choice, therefore, is often tax-driven and requires an analysis of how the founders expect to grow and profit from the business. Click here to read full article.

Key Considerations in Privacy & Data Security The Privacy & Data Security team at Morse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton has created 8 easy-to-digest video clips of key considerations in privacy and data security. Click here to read further on this subject.

Everyone is familiar with Trademarks. We are literally surrounded by them. Trademarks are the words, logos, packaging and other devices that we use to differentiate goods and services from each other and are how we can differentiate our favorite coffee in the morning from the terrible stuff that tastes like warm dirty water. They are how we distinguish the shoes that gave us blisters from the ones that made us run faster (or at least made us think we did). Without even realizing it, we often encounter and make decisions based on trademarks multiple times each day. Click here to read full article.

David Newman, of Gould & Ratner LLP, published an article in FinTech Weekly titled FinTech Sector at Risk From Attack on Patentable Subject Matter. Click here to read the full article.

Rich Reizen, of Gould & Ratner LLP, was featured in a Construction Dive article The Dotted Line: How to Negotiate the Construction Bidding Process and Avoid a ‘Real Nightmare.’  In discussing issues joint venture partners need to consider before jumping into a project together, Rich noted that “if the prospective job is government-funded, companies should make sure the partner being considered hasn’t been suspended or debarred and that both firms are prequalified to bid with the public entity.” Rich also advised double-checking that the company is licensed in the category of work being offered. “It’s also common sense to have a really detailed joint venture agreement,” he said. Click here to read the full article.

A company’s website is their calling card, and with so many emerging startups looking to establish their brand, it is easy to overlook the “little things,” like copyrighting website content. As attorneys who often advise firms on copyright protection, we know better than anyone that protecting intellectual property is top of mind for technology and brand conscious business owners. What is not always top of mind is everything that encompasses intellectual property, like website content. Click here to read the full article.

Property inheritance within UAE jurisdiction, can often prove to be challenging for investors who are conscience of the impacts of the same.  In the Emirate of Dubai, for non-Muslims the option of creating a will to better protect these assets post-mortem (recently further upgraded through the creation of the Wills and Probate Register within the DIFC), is readily available, this option is unavailable for Muslim property owners under the current regulations.  While alternative options are available to protect such assets, a common solution often being sought by Muslim property owners is the gifting or ‘Hiba’ of their properties to their appointed heirs.   Click here to read the full article.

It is no secret that investors often desire companies that have a nice flow of Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program grant revenue. After all, there are few better ways to advance a technology without raising dilutive additional capital. SBIR is a U.S. government program intended to help fund specific small businesses that conduct research and development. Click here to read the full article.

As the digital economy continues to grow, companies of all sizes rely on the internet to reach new customers through e-commerce or utilise cloud computing for management of the business. However, this introduces new risks that should be considered and managed appropriately. The potential ramifications of a cyber security breach can do to a business can be devastating, such as loss of customer confidence, damage to company reputation and extensive administrative costs in dealing with all affected stakeholders. However there are a number of actions a business can take to reduce the likelihood of a cyber security breach and deal with the consequences where the company suffers an attack. Click here to read the full article.