Legal Questions

Essential legal issues that startups face, including corporate formation, fundraising documentation, founders stock, and board relations.

1 Votes
3 Answers
2.07K Views
Is it better to incorporate when deciding to design software and market it yourself?

Suppose I had an idea for a software and I wanted to hire offshore developers/contractors to help me with this idea. Would it be more efficient/better for me if I incorporated? Will IP...

asked Sep 14 '13 at 01:44
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B Dillan
13 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
2.46K Views
Contract where a person is paid once a certain condition is met

I've built a website, and now I need a contract written for it (along with a TOS and a privacy policy, but those are simpler, and I know their names). I want a contract where I pay a person once a...

asked Sep 18 '13 at 04:47
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James G.
103 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
1.89K Views
UK Company Doing US Start-Up

UK company wants to start up a subsidiary in the US. The first employee and the person heading it up will be a Canadian citizen living in Montreal. What issues if any does this structure pose?

asked Sep 20 '13 at 06:39
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Jim Thompson
1 point

2 Votes
3 Answers
2.8K Views
What makes an online contract legally binding?

I'm looking at starting my own remote I.T support company. As the work would be done remotely, I won't be seeing the customers face to face to sign documents. If I made my own website which stated...

asked Sep 22 '13 at 23:37
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Muffinbubble
115 points

6 Votes
2 Answers
2.55K Views
Someone wants to use my app name

I have n app on the App Store it doesn't doing terribly well because I am neglecting it a little but I intend to go back to it soon. Basically a big gaming company has approached me and wanted to...

asked Sep 25 '13 at 05:33
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Chris
31 points

3 Votes
1 Answers
2.07K Views
What are the legal responsibilities of a company director in the UK?

I've developed an application with a couple of friends, and we want to publish it on various app stores. This requires a business bank account and VAT registration, and after some reading , the...

asked Sep 25 '13 at 22:33
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Ed Hinchliffe
118 points

4 Votes
2 Answers
2.42K Views
How much protection can the terms of service actually provide?

Context: (based in the USA) I am building an online marketplace for services and am wondering on how much protection I can get from my terms of service. I am thinking of starting this business...

asked Aug 27 '13 at 11:03
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Train
23 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
2.75K Views
Collecting product pictures over internet, processing it and selling to eshops - legal?

Given that to be protected by copyright, a picture must be original/unique, I have read on the internet that the "product pictures" (of general use products like fridge, mobile phone etc.) are not...

asked Aug 29 '13 at 18:07
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Data Smarter
1,274 points

4 Votes
3 Answers
2.49K Views
Is purchasing in-app credits considered gambling?

Let's say I have an app called "Shake It" which allows users to sign up and compete against each other on "who can shake their phone the hardest". So a user would take their phone and shake it...

asked Aug 31 '13 at 03:22
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Sbonkosky
23 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
1.9K Views
legal advice for a beginner

Please forgive the general nature of this question, I'm simply a beginner looking for direction and advice. As an engineer, I do not have a background in business but I've recently taken an...

asked Sep 10 '13 at 05:58
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Tom
6 points

4 Votes
3 Answers
2.33K Views
When to create the business entity?

If I'm moonlighting and building the product at night and on weekends - at what point does it make sense to establish a business entity (e.g. LLC, Inc, etc)? Would this make sense to only happen...

asked Aug 13 '13 at 22:23
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Code Talk
253 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
2.33K Views
Can a company claim infringement if someone copied their organizational scheme?

For example, if an Amazon competitor had the exact same product categories, or if a Craigslist competitor had the exact same categories...I'm mostly talking about how you categorize what you're...

asked Aug 20 '13 at 16:08
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Aerovistae
115 points

3 Votes
3 Answers
2.49K Views
Patent assignment form ? how important is it?

Hi fellow entrepreneurs, I am the person who posted this question about a conflict with my co-founder. During discussion with my attorney, I discovered that while we filed for the patents (earlier...

asked Aug 23 '13 at 02:58
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Gupshup
52 points

-1 Votes
1 Answers
1.73K Views
Getting help in programming while holding the reins tightly

I am starting an Internet business. Basically the most important part, the part that is making me actual money is still missing. I tried to deal with those issues several times but I always get...

asked Aug 24 '13 at 08:32
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Zurechtweiser
114 points

0 Votes
3 Answers
4.08K Views
How much equity should startup Independent contractors get?

So, A friend of mine has a brand created for a game, characters, story, the works. He also a rough idea about how the game should be which looked pretty solid. He took out about $40,000 loan and...

asked Aug 25 '13 at 03:43
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Brybam
103 points

0 Votes
0 Answers
2.14K Views
Is it possible to aggregate credit card statement information legally? If so, what are the steps, and what things do I need to keep in mind?

I am looking to build a website which, among other functions, aggregates credit card transaction information (namely the amount of money somebody has spent on each of their credit cards over the...

asked Jul 26 '13 at 02:24
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N00b
101 points

5 Votes
2 Answers
2.34K Views
Is it acceptable to cut an employee before going into Series A?

Hi fellow startupians, I've recently gone into a venture with a friend. He is a business/marketing student, and I am a Comp Sci/Math/Econ/A million other things student. Before we moved down to...

asked Jul 30 '13 at 07:24
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Jdero
128 points

3 Votes
2 Answers
2.44K Views
Foreclosure On Software

Back Story: About a year ago I was asked to join a startup company as technical lead and partner. I was to design build and implement the software for this startup I would receive 20% equity in...

asked Aug 3 '13 at 01:56
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Ross Mann
546 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
2.25K Views
Is it legal to publish user apps from my account on iPhone App store?

I am an app developer, thinking of releasing an app development service, where I can charge my customers monthly or annually and release their apps from my account on app store. Will this violate...

asked Aug 12 '13 at 03:22
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Happyhardik
101 points

4 Votes
3 Answers
2.51K Views
Is it wise to always use a contract when doing business with friends?

Is it wise to use a contract when doing business with friends? Even with close friends? I don't understand how to separate friendships and business. It feels cold and almost inhumane to completely...

asked Aug 12 '13 at 17:01
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Jason
123 points