• posted: Mar. 20, 2020
• Andrew K. Jacobson
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property

As of March 16, 2020, everyone has been urged to work from home, if possible, and it is likely to last several weeks, or even months. Here are some things Read More

• posted: Mar. 16, 2020
• Andrew K. Jacobson
• Archive,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property

One of the few things that every political persuasion agrees upon is that “everything sucks.” But could that be because we haven’t noticed real improvements around the world? A few Read More

• posted: Jan. 20, 2020
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• Family-Related Laws,  Food Safety,  Organ Donors,  Raising the Minimum Wage,  Restraints in Trade

It’s a new year, so California has new laws now on the books! The biggest new law is the one about new restrictions on independent contractors v. employees, which we’ve covered Read More

• posted: Sep. 26, 2019
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• Independent contractors,  misclassified workers,  rights between employers and workers,  worker’s rights

California employers need to have their heads up:  California is in the middle of a huge re-balancing of the rights between employers and workers. Guided by the idea that employees Read More

• posted: Jul. 26, 2019
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• Justice John Paul Stevens

The Forrest Gump of the Supreme Court, former Justice John Paul Stevens, died on July 16, 2019, at the age of 99. Entitling him as “Forrest Gump” is to honor Read More

• posted: Jul. 16, 2019
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• 1976 Copyright Act,  artist,  artists,  California Resale Royalties Act,  CRRA,  droit de suite

In the 2018 case Close v. Sotheby’s Inc., 894F.3d1061 (9th Cir.2018), the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit held that the California Resale Royalties Act (“CRRA”), first made effective Read More

• posted: Jul. 12, 2019
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• boilerplate,  business,  finance charges

Do you know the term “boilerplate language?” Some people don’t.  The legal term “boilerplate,” is used for terms used again and again. It derives from the sturdiness and protection of Read More

• posted: Mar. 02, 2018
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• Intellectual Property,  trade secret,  Trade Secrets,  trade secret misappropriation

  Small business owners are the hardest-working people around. They are usually either the ones who unlock the door in the morning, or the one to lock up at night – Read More

• posted: Feb. 26, 2018
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation
• credit card surcharge,  Expressions Hair Design,  Italian Colors,  Schneiderman

By: Andrew K Jacobson [caption id="attachment_2499" align="alignright" width="346"] (Sur) Charge![/caption] A group of California small businesses have successfully challenged California’s long-time ban on credit card surcharges. However, for the moment, they are Read More

• posted: Feb. 26, 2018
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law,  Business Litigation,  Intellectual Property
• common law trademarks,  register,  registration,  tess

You and your friends have discussed, with increasing enthusiasm, your idea for a new business. Maybe you want to produce an app, or maybe a restaurant pairing different cuisines. You Read More

• posted: Feb. 26, 2018
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law

August 10, 2017. By: Andrew K Jacobson The California Supreme Court will be deciding if it will lower the admissions standards for the  State Bar. California currently has one of the highest Read More

• posted: Feb. 16, 2017
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business Counseling,  Employment,  High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright,  Small Claims,  Political,  Business Law,  Crowdfunding,  JOBS Act,  Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act,  Business of Media,  Trade Secrets,  Consumer Credit,  Trademarks,  Securities Act,  Securities Exchange Act,  Incorporation/LLC,  rights of publicity,  Employment Law

This just in -- Martindale-Hubbell has just given Andy Jacobson the "AV Preeminent" Rating for Business Law, Intellectual Property, and Labor and Employment. That is the highest rating available for Read More

• posted: Apr. 08, 2014
• Martindale Admin
• Articles,  Copyright
• getty,  Getty Images,  innovative business model

By Sharon Adams Certain large companies, including Getty Images, routinely send out demand letters claiming copyright infringement.  However, the actual validity of alleged infringement is rarely, if ever, tested Read More

• posted: Mar. 18, 2012
• Martindale Admin
• Articles,  Copyright
• campaign music copyright

Way back in the paleolithic era, also known as September 1984, I was driving cross-country to a Congressional internship. I was listening to a local radio station that was broadcasting Read More

• posted: Nov. 02, 2011
• Martindale Admin
• High Technology Law,  Business,  Uncategorized,  Copyright
• BSA,  software

Would you encourage your employees take a five-fingered discount from the office supply store? Probably not. Would you cheat a hard-working employee by not paying her? Of course not. However, Read More

• posted: May 17, 2011
• Martindale Admin
• Articles,  Business Counseling,  High Technology Law,  Copyright
• hacking,  IP Address,  ISP,  privacy,  subpoena

When someone subpoenas subscriber information from an internet service provider, does the subscriber have an expectation of privacy? In California, at least, the answer seems to be: No. In People v. Read More