Top Legal Mistakes a Startup Can’t Afford to Make

Elderly investors or those with a mental or physical disability may be unable to make sound financial decisions on their own and are more vulnerable to exploitation. Host Haile Arrindell talks to Kelly Brennan about the new laws and regulations that empower financial institutions to act when they suspect financial exploitation of elderly or otherwise impaired investors. They discuss what this new legal framework looks like and what they require from financial professionals.

Elderly investors or those with a mental or physical disability may be unable to make sound financial decisions on their own and are more vulnerable to exploitation. Host Haile Arrindell talks to Kelly Brennan about the new laws and regulations that empower financial institutions to act when they suspect financial exploitation of elderly or otherwise impaired investors. They discuss what this new legal framework looks like and what they require from financial professionals.

Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law The Journal earned its circulation of approximately 95,000 by providing valuable insight on the latest legal trends and law practice management to firms of all sizes. Host Haile Arrindell talks to Meagan Crowley Hsu about what readers can expect to see in the current issue of Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law, The Journal: Litigation. They discuss about trademark litigation and data security and delve into their favorite recurring sections that cover topics like ediscovery.

Real estate law can involve a lot of moving parts that are complicated to maintain. In this episode of Thomson Reuters: Down the Hall with Practical Law, host Craig Vaughn along with guests Jill Blumberg, Brenda Cooper, and Lori Smith speak as real estate attorneys about the complexities of drafting joint venture agreements and balancing the needs of both investors and developers. They also discuss the different aspects of being a real estate attorney in a joint venture transaction and the art of juggling various disciplines for this type of project. Jill Blumberg joined Practical Law from Hunton & Williams LLP, where she was a senior attorney in the real estate department focusing on commercial real estate matters. Previously, she was an in-house attorney and the Head of Equity Closings at New York Life Investments. Jill’s practice focused primarily on acquisitions, sales and development of large investment properties and she has in-depth experience structuring and drafting complex real estate joint ventures. Brenda Cooper joined Practical Law from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where she was assistant general counsel in the Real Estate Unit of the Investments Department. Brenda was responsible for managing some of its largest real estate joint venture relationships as well as handling sophisticated debt and equity real estate transactions. Lori Smith joined Practical Law from Andrews Kurth LLP, where she was a partner in the business transactions group. Lori handled many real estate joint ventures, representing developers and investors (as well as lenders) in structuring and documenting deals for multi-family, mixed-use, and assisted living projects.

To a lot of litigators, discovery and especially e-discovery is a time-consuming and expensive process. In this episode of Thomson Reuters: Down the Hall with Practical Law, host Craig Vaughn talks to Kelly Griffith, Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law Litigation, about the relevance of e-discovery and how it has changed since she entered the industry. Their discussion includes social media, the internet of things, and potential pushback from clients who are new or unfamiliar with e-discovery. Kelly Griffith, is a senior legal editor responsible for e-discovery resources available through Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law service.

2016 was a slow year for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), but 2017 holds more promise, especially with larger companies, like Airbnb and Spotify, expected to go public. In this episode of Thomson Reuters: Down the Hall with Practical Law, host Renee Karibi-Whyte discusses IPOs with Chris Roehrig, senior legal editor at Practical Law. In their discussion, they cover what IPOs are, their future market, and how lawyers are involved. Additionally they discuss dual class share structures and investors’ increasing interests in foreign stock markets. Christopher Roehrig joined Practical Law from Torys LLP, where he was a senior associate in the corporate and capital markets practice groups.

Trade associations, competitive research, HR activities . . . outside of the expected dangers in the merger and joint venture context, regular business dealings involving information about competitor activities are rife with potential for antitrust violations.  And the “rule of reason” approach taken by the FTC and DOJ can sometimes complicate, rather than clarify, appropriate conduct.  In this episode of Thomson Reuters: Down the Hall with Practical Law, Antitrust Service Head Janelle Wrigley discusses how to safely navigate the gray areas relating to interacting with competitors and gathering competitive information.

This episode of Thomson Reuters Down the Hall with Practical Law features Practical Law Startup & Venture Capital Senior Legal Editor Joe Green discussing common legal mistakes made by startup companies. Joe talks about his background working with tech startups and his current role creating legal know-how for practitioners advising startup companies. After setting the stage by defining what he considers a "startup," he provides insights into why many startup companies fail. Joe covers what startups can do if a co-founder decides to leave early on and the benefits and potential pitfalls of providing equity compensation to employees. He closes the interview with his list of the three things that anyone representing startups should know and the best piece of advice that he’s ever been given.

In this episode of Thomson Reuters Down the Hall with Practical Law, Privacy & Data Security Senior Legal Editor Mel Gates covers cybersecurity and privacy issues. Mel recalls the career journey that led her to Practical Law and covers why it can be challenging for organizations to understand and comply with the myriad regulations surrounding data security. She explains how the most successful companies handle compliance, breaking down which industries are especially at risk for data breaches and why they are attractive targets for hackers. She also discusses how lawyers can help companies understand the fiscal and legal repercussions associated with a data breach and aid them in managing that risk. Mel closes the interview with a conversation about current trends in regulatory obligations and data breach litigation and provides resources that you can use to stay up to date with changes in data security regulations.

In this episode of Thomson Reuters Down the Hall with Practical Law, host Renee Karibi-Whyte speaks with Kate Bally, Director of the Practical Law Labor and Employment Service about the importance of establishing workplace policies and documenting those policies in an employee handbook. Kate discusses the risks associated with not providing an employee handbook and failing to follow handbooks consistently. Kate then breaks down how several burgeoning social issues -- accommodation, wage and hour, confidentiality, LGBT issues, and state nuances -- impact today's corporate world. She closes the interview with an explanation of why employee handbook acknowledgement agreements are vital and shares the best professional advice she’s ever received.