During this season of giving, we want to give your company the gift of good legal health for 2015. Here is the Priori Legal holiday gift guide—a list of legal tasks to address that will set your company up for a successful and prosperous year.
The Company Holiday Legal Gift Guide:
Create an Employee Handbook...
that informs new and existing employees of your company’s policies and procedures, establishes the company’s expectations, offers a valuable resource to answer frequently asked employee questions and avoids potential conflict. (Don’t forget to have your employees sign an acknowledgment that they have received and reviewed it, too!)
Devise an IP Strategy...
that protects the lifeblood of your business. This includes registering relevant trademarks and patents (including, perhaps your business methods) with the USPTO, determining IP assignments for those who helped in early development, policing infringement and using licensing agreements for collaborations.
Make Sure Employee Agreements Contain Assignment and Confidentiality Provisions...
so that the work your employees create is owned by the company and that employees do not share any of the company’s proprietary information.
Draft a Standard Form Contract...
that is industry specific and tailored to protect your company to enable you to seize opportunities quickly without exposure to undue liability. Your company should consider creating contract templates for vendors, partners, independent contractors, and employees.
Develop a Social Media Policy...
that sets parameters for acceptable and unacceptable employee social media use and creates best practices to protect your brand.
Check-up on SEC Compliance for every single equity grant...
failure to comply can result in significant financial penalties.
Comply with Tax Regulations...
to prevent substantial fines and penalties. An organized, well-considered approach to setting up and maintaining record systems can help eliminate unnecessary risk and liability. Your approach should account for your business, employment, and sales tax responsibilities, but also any changes that will trigger new obligations: expansion to a new state, employees working from home, hiring independent contractors, opening a new office, etc.
Feature a Term of Use & Privacy Policy on Your Website...
to establish the conditions for the users of your website and your company’s use of the personal data collected from the site. Both these documents govern your unique website, and therefore, must be specifically tailored to represent the needs of your company in order to prevent exposing your business to liability.
Form a Long-Term Relationship with a Lawyer...
who understands your business. Strong legal counsel can help you avoid major legal problems, as well as advise you on day-to-day legal issues. Having an outside general counsel who has knowledge of corporate, contract, employment, IP, and real estate law can be an invaluable resource for your company.
Priori Legal is the easiest way to gift your company a trusted, vetted attorney at a below-market, fixed rate. Request a Lawyer through Priori and find the right general counsel to help you ring in the New Year!
