Q&A by BizOffice.com

Legal Issues Legal issues which may effect your business. Like should you incorporate or not? Select the questions you would like answers to and click the button. How do you structure a business that will have several subsidiaries within it? I've found out that the name I want to use is available. What do I need to do to reserve it for my business? What are the pros/cons of sole proprietorship vs.my husband and I forming a partnership. How do I form a sole proprietorship? What about zoning and other rules which restrict where a business may locate? I plan to sell products and services directly to the public. What do I need to know to comply with consumer protection laws? What is a trademark? What is a service mark? What is a certification mark? What is a collective mark? Do I need to register my trademark? How do I incorporate my business? What are the benefits of federal trademark registration? Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to obtain a federal registration? Where can I ask a question about trademarks? Are there federal regulations governing the use of the designations "TM" or "SM" with trademarks? When is it proper to use the federal registration symbol (the letter R enclosed within a circle -- ® -- with the mark. Is a federal registration valid outside the United States? Can trademarks be searched on-line? What are common law rights? What is a common law search? Is doing a common law search necessary? Should I incorporate? How do I find out if I need patent, trademark and/or copyright protection? Who may file an application for a trademark? What is a specimen? Do I need an attorney to file my trademark application? On what bases can a foreign applicant file an application for trademark registration? Can the Trademark Office refuse to register a mark? How long does it take for a trademark to be registered? Can a minor file a trademark application? Can the ownership of a trademark be assigned or transferred from one person to another? My spouse owned a trademark registration and has since died. Do I own it now? Two people want to start a business 50/50. Is it quicker to start a partnership or LLC? How do we start? What do the terms "patent pending" and "patent applied for" mean? Is there any danger that the Patent and Trademark Office will give others information contained in my application while it is pending? May I write to the Patent and Trademark Office directly about my patent application after it is filed? Is it necessary to go to the Patent and Trademark Office to transact business concerning patent matters? If two or more persons work together to make an invention, to whom will the patent be granted? If one person furnishes all of the ideas to make an invention and another employs him or furnishes the money for building and testing the invention, should the patent application be filed by them jointly? Does the Patent and Trademark Office control the fees charged by patent attorneys and agents for their services? Will the Patent and Trademark Office help me to select a patent attorney or agent to make my patent search or to prepare and prosecute my patent application? Will the Patent and Trademark Office advise me as to whether a certain patent promotion organization is reliable and trustworthy? Are there any organizations in my area which can tell me how and where I may be able to obtain assistance in developing and marketing my invention? How do I find out whether I'm legally permitted to use the business name I've chosen? Are there any state government agencies that can help me in developing and marketing of my invention? Can the Patent and Trademark Office assist me in the developing and marketing of my patent? What does copyright protect? When is my work copyright protected? Where can I get copyright application forms? How long does it take to get a copyright certificate? Do I have to register with the copyright office to be protected? Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic? Do I have to renew my copyright? How do I protect my recipe? Does copyright now protect architecture? If my proposed business name isn't listed on a county or state register, am I free to use it however I like? Can foreigners copyright their works in the U.S.? What is a work made for hire? Can a minor claim copyright? Does my work have to be published to be copyrighted? Are copyrights transferable? How do I copyright a name, title, slogan or logo? What is a copyright notice? How do I put a copyright notice on my work? Somebody infringed my copyright. What can I do? Is my copyright good in other countries? I would like to know how to start a non-for-profit business doing job placement and mentoring services. Everybody seems to be suing everybody else these days. What if someone sues my business? What is a sole proprietorship? What happens if a corporation and a sole proprietorship have the same name? Must I file an assumed name certificate if I am only going to use the name I incorporated under? Why file an assumed name certificate? Can I use my own name as my business name? What should I do if the name I want to use is already being used by someone else? How different does my business name have to be? What if I plan to do business in multiple countries? Should I form a partnership? I want to start a home-based printing business: business cards, mailing labels, etc. What are the first steps toward achieving this goal? What is a Subchapter S Corporation? Which form of business organization should I pick? Do I need any permits? Do I legally have to have any insurance? Should I have a lawyer review any insurance contract? What legal matters do I need to consider? Should I hire a lawyer? What do I do to set up a legal business? Do I need a lawyer to incorporate my business? Should I use a lawyer to draw up a contract or a lease? What are the legal forms of business organization? I need a sample employment contract. What form of business organization should I pick? What regulations apply to my business? How do I get a business license? Do I need to get a license in every city I advertise via classifieds for a manual of information I want to sell?

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