Kirkland Startup Attorneys & Lawyers

What Is International Trademark Search?

International trademarks are used by companies that are planning to export their services or products overseas. The registration and application process for international trademarks is regulated by the Madrid Protocol. Unlike the trademark protection provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, this registration prevents the use of companies' intellectual properties worldwide.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) of Geneva regulates the registration, and it provides a database for international trademark search. This facility allows businesses oper

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What is Secured Debt?

Secured debt is a debt that's secured by pledging an asset for collateral. It means someone took on a debt and backed it with a piece of property they own. The lender puts a lien on the asset that's been pledged, giving them the ability to legally take the asset if the debt is defaulted on.

Common examples of a secured debt include a mortgage and a car loan. The car or the house become the security asset for the debt that you took on. If you default on the payments for any reason, the lender has the right to take you to court in order to recover the asset.

A lender usually requires the asset be maintained and/or insured to a set standard in order to maintain asset value. For example: a lender who issues an auto loan requires the borrower to obtain a specific type and level of insurance coverage

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What Is the Role of the Board of Directors?

The board of director's role is clearly defined by a company's charter. This group hires the CEO, president, or general manager of the company. The board also decides the strategy and thereby the future of the corporation.

What Else Does the Board of Directors Do?

The board of directors has several primary responsibilities. Those include:

• Recruit and oversee the CEO and other high-level positions in the company: The position of CEO or president is crucial to the success of a business. The board must find the right person to lead the company. Sometimes, that employee will work elsewhere. The board must entice the worker to leave a job to become the leader of the board's corporation.
• Choose the direction of the business: The board hires corporate leaders, but the directors maintain control over the company's future. Should a corpo

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What Is Internet Law?

Internet law refers to how legal principles and legislation govern the use of the internet in all its forms. Another term for internet law is cyberlaw. Unlike other areas of the law, internet law cannot be identified as one solid, stable, and specific field of practice. Rather, it incorporates and applies principles from several traditional fields, such as privacy law or contract law, that predate the internet.

Internet law can include the following:

• Laws related to the creation of websites
• Laws governing Internet Service Providers
• Laws related to how trademarks are used online
• Laws regarding how to resolve conflicts over domain names
• Laws related to how to link web pages

Since the internet is relatively new and constantly evolving, laws surrounding its use cannot be informed solely by precedent or common law. there is a great amount of uncertainty re

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Pre-Money Valuation: What Is It?

Pre-money valuation (PMV) is the initial value of a company before any type of investment. The capital a business receives after its pre-money valuation is called post-money valuation.

Why Is Pre-Money Evaluation Important?

• PMV determines the value of company shares.
• Through PMV, an investor can determine the value of a company's shares.
• Through PMV, anyone can calculate the total value of a company.
• Using PMV, the parties involved with an investment can determine how much of the company each party controls after the investment.

How Pre-Money Evaluation Works

Think of PMV as a simple calculation that investors use to weigh the value of becoming a shareholder. A company with a PMV of $10 million that has 1 million shares has value of $10 per share. When an angel investor offers to add $5 million more, the company's worth increases 50 percen

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