Ironic Practice of the Unauthorized Commercialization of Attorney Content

Have you ever wondered why there are so many business models being developed today that seem to rely entirely on commercializing legal content created by lawyers, generally without the prior authorization of the attorney or law firm that created it?  I suspect that nearly every lawyer that gives speeches or writes content to build his…

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Choose the Name of your Start-Up Wisely

When you decide to start a business, or get “pushed” into it as many people are when their salaried job suddenly disappears, it’s easy to overlook the importance of choosing a name among all the other decisions you are having to make.  In my recent blog post to Silicon Valley IP Law Blog, I addressed…

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Implications of FCC Net Neutrality Rules on Software Industry

The topic of net neutrality has been the subject of controversy for months, but the FCC has recently taken this debate to a new level by adopting new rules that will allow it greater regulatory authority over the Internet.   What does this mean exactly for the public generally and for the business world?  I’ve explained…

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Has Your Start-Up Lost its Focus Over Financing?

As anyone who has ever started a business well knows, one of the great challenges is to stay on focus and avoid distractions that create barriers to your success.  But in Silicon Valley, it is not uncommon at all to see entrepreneurs who seem to have lost their focus and who are chasing goals other…

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The Perils of Cutting the Wrong Legal Corners

Does your company make a point of not consulting outside counsel on pricing and payment terms in its contracts in an effort to save money on legal fees?  If so, you might end up costing the company more money in legal fees than you would otherwise.  I looked at this issue in my recent blog…

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The Challenge of Negotiating Price Terms as a Start-up or Entrepreneur

In my capacity as a transactional attorney working alongside many entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses, I get often get brought into to provide legal support to deals that never close.  While there may not be a single, uniform reason why these deals are not closed, I often suspect that the primary reason had to do…

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Is Silicon Valley the Land of Opportunity for Women as well as Men?

Regardless of your perspective on whether or not Silicon Valley is the land of opportunity for women as well as men, a thought-provoking article was just published by Newsweek about how women perceived in Silicon Valley that is worth taking a look at. It is already the source of considerable commentary on the web, as…

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California Legislators Contemplating New Regulation of Drones

The increasing popularity of drones apparently has caught the attention of CA lawmakers, who have just introduced SB 142, which would prohibit the unauthorized use of unmanned aerial vehicles over private property.  I guess my question is what to do with all the child-sized violators, who accidentally run the new toy drones that they received…

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Is Another Tech Bubble Emerging in Silicon Valley?

A debate seems to be developing as to whether or not the Silicon Valley has a tech bubble emerging.  An increasing number of commentators are raising issues about tech company valuations, spending by VC-backed companies, and the excess of capital in the market.  The question  for all of us is what this means exactly for…

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What Makes a Successful Start-up?

This is an interesting Forbes opinion piece on what makes the few start-ups that succeed different than the majority that fail.  As a lawyer representing many entrepreneurs and start-ups, I think understanding the market and having a good grasp of how to market to potential customers is critical.  I also think that you have to…

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