• 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: Jan. 20, 2020
• Andy 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
• 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
• Andy 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
• 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
• Andy 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
• 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: Jan. 03, 2017
• Christina Ge
• Archive,  Articles,  Business,  Business Law,  Business of Media,  rights of publicity
• bad reviews,  Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016,  FTC,  HR5111,  non-disparagement clause,  online reviews,  public opinion,  review sites,  social media,  standardized terms,  user agreement

As it has exploded into prominence, social media is a regular fixture in the legal news. Entire generations live through their social media links, finding friends, products, and restaurants online. Read More

• posted: Dec. 31, 2016
• Christina Ge
• Archive
• Digital Millennium Copyright Act,  digital registration system,  DMCA,  DMCA Registered Agent Directory,  online content,  registered copyright agent,  safe harbor rights,  Section 230,  US Copyright Office

Secret Agent. Not a Copyright Agent. Photo courtesy of Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANeFo), 1945-1989   I’m going to be honest. Procedural requirements are important, but man, they are Read More

• posted: Nov. 19, 2016
• Christina Ge
• Archive
• Cal. Business & Professions Code 17206,  California Attorney General's office,  California Business & Professions Code 22575,  California law,  California Online Privacy Protection Act,  CalOPPA,  consumer complaint,  Do Not Track signals,  personally identifiable information,  user's personal information,  website privacy policy

It’s understandable if you don’t think that website privacy policies are not on the top of your newsfeed. Apparently, Google, the world’s most popular website, changed its website’s privacy policy Read More

• posted: Nov. 07, 2016
• Christina Ge
• Archive
• ISP notice

It’s been a long day. You pull the snail mail out of its box. You find a letter from your ISP, your internet service provider. Maybe it’s a special offer Read More

• posted: Jul. 01, 2016
• Christina Ge
• Archive
• Copyright,  Supreme Court,  First Sale Doctrine,  Attorneys' Fees,  Copyright Act,  intellectual property rights,  Justice Elena Kagan,  Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons,  Warner Brothers

In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.              Read More