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Choice of Business Entity for Technology Startup
In Canada business entities considered by entrepreneurs include: (1) sole proprietorships, (2) partnerships and limited partnerships and (3) corporations. Each of these entities has advantages as well as disadvantages. Choice of the entity is usually not irrevocable, and often an initial decision will be made with the understanding that, at the appropriate time, a different form of organization will be used.
Protection of Intellectual Property in Technology Startup
Aside from competence of management team, control of intellectual property is a major focus of investor scrutiny. The ability to identify and protect intellectual property directly reflects on investor confidence and the resulting access to capital available to technology start-up. Protection of intellectual property assets is available through the law of copyright, trade secrets, patents and trademarks.
Technology - Telecommunications
For our clients that create, sell, or license telecommunication technology, we understand the value of their intellectual property a and how to both protect and leverage those assets. We can negotiate "custom" transactions, and advise on improvements to existing "standard" agreements. We also understand the technology sales process and methods vendors can use to shorten their time to sale and reduce transaction costs.
Our telecommunications practice offers a wide range of legal services clients seek in this field. We can assist in corporate and transactional matters (including venture capital), intellectual property, e-commerce, Internet, litigation and arbitration, and administrative law and regulation. We can assist clients with matters ranging from routine filings before administrative agencies to merger transactions. We can represent a wide variety of telecommunications providers, manufacturers and developers of content such as common carriers; cable television companies; telephone services; and direct broadcast satellite enterprises. We also can assist in spectrum licensing, including microwave, commercial radio stations and multichannel distributions.
We give strategic advice in the commercial field on the development of new telecommunication products, brands and services, and the availability of intellectual property protection. We can advise on commercial agreements that focus on the exploitation of IP rights, including licensing, distribution, sponsorship, franchising, co-marketing, R&D collaboration and technology transfer agreements. We efficiently assist clients in the development of policies and procedures that address legal risks and operational issues that arise from the use of technology in the workplace, including policies on employee technology use (e-mail and Internet use), security, and privacy and confidentiality. We represent clients on a wide variety of regulatory projects and business transactions. We also advise companies seeking to acquire state-of-the-art communications equipment and services from equipment vendors and service providers.
Our strategies are tailored to the individual needs of each client, with an emphasis on efficiency and cost-effective use of resources. We believe strongly that effective use of technology enables us to serve our clients better and to conserve their financial resources. Technology is not an end in itself, but rather a tool that, when properly used, can bring significant efficiency to the delivery of legal services. Our philosophy is to apply our significant technology resources to our clients' needs in a cost-effective way that contributes value to our clients' pursuit of their objectives.
What distinguishes us from many other law firms is our businesslike approach to solving our clients' problems. We recognize that the most aggressive (and expensive) strategy may not always be the best solution to a client's problem. We also recognize that most clients would prefer to spend less money to alleviate their problems than spend more. The Firm’s unique understanding of such issues allows to communicate with business and technical personnel on a more meaningful level, and allows the Firm to avoid solutions that although theoretically sound, are impractical and unworkable.