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Employment and Intellectual Property Issues in a Startup
At some point in the growth of the business, entrepreneurs will have to hire and terminate employees. Employment in Canada is heavily regulated, governed by either federal or provincial legislation. Most employers are covered by provincial legislation. Federal employment laws apply only to industries within the federal government's jurisdiction.
Protection of Intellectual Property in a 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.
Firm
Pinsky Law, Patent & Trademark Agents, is a business, technology and intellectual property law firm providing a range of legal services to support companies involved in the development, distribution and use of technology and intellectual property assets. We also serve as corporate general counsel on a part-time basis for clients whose management teams require dedicated, in-house legal management and resources, but are not yet large enough to justify hiring full-time general counsel. A niche status and use of technology enable the Firm to provide high quality, cost effective legal services for emerging and existing businesses, technology start-ups, entrepreneurs and inventors in a variety sectors of economy. The Firm continues to develop relationships with other law practitioners with experience in technology litigation, patent law, corporate financing and leasing as well as full service corporate law firms, all of whom will work in conjunction with the Firm on specific matters.
The Firm helps start-up and existing companies in creation, structuring, negotiation and implementation of intellectual property and business transactions, such as registration of patents and trademarks in the USA, Canada and internationally, and with other e-commerce, internet, technology and business law matters. One of the Firm's principal targets is entrepreneurs and technology start-up companies, especially at the beginning of their business. We know the troubles start-up businesses and entrepreneurs often have to face. We assist them in establishing their legal presence through corporate and property interests, including intellectual property and financing. At the stage when they are large enough, if necessary, the Firm assists in partial transition to large accounting, financial, or investment firms. The Firm can continue in an advisory nature and help with keeping an eye on the large firms that are sometimes necessary for public finance and international business problems. The Firm can help in effective policing for the client the work done by large bureaucratic entities whose interests are not always those of the entrepreneurial businessman.
We are used to working with cases involving the nuts and bolts of being technology start-up business owner. We understand the dynamics and requirements of the business environment and look for business solutions and we have the ability to see across different areas of law from both a legal and technically astute viewpoint. Some of our clients are surprised that we know how their business works without having to be informed of the detail. We use our skills and experience to judge the balance between legal and commercial risk and deliver our services promptly and economically. The result is an effective, solution focused approach that helps our clients to expand their businesses.
We monitor our overhead constantly and pass these savings on to clients with fees that reflect the value of the work and do not include a premium to support elaborate offices. Our goal is to create enduring business relationships with clients, and this means constant and immediate attention to their problems which we try and reflect in small things like immediate availability by phone, email or in person. We understand the dynamics and requirements of the technology and business environment and look for business solutions. We use our skills and experience to judge the balance between legal and commercial risk and deliver our services promptly and economically.