Foster Swift attorneys release series of 'Legal Basics for Business' videos for start-ups

With input from Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Foster Swift has created a Legal Basics for Business video series.

The initial eight videos cover the key concepts businesses need to consider as they launch. The videos range from 3-1/2 to 7 minutes in length and focus on questions business owners need to make sure they consider.

Titles include: “What’s in A Name,”  “Forming a Business Entity,” “Financing Your Vision,” “IP Basics,” “Get it in Writing,” “CrowdFunding 101, “Covenants not to Compete,” and “Patents.”

“This is an exciting time to start a business in Lansing. Entrepreneurs in our community have many resources available to assist them in establishing their businesses,” said Foster Swift attorney Iris Linder, who sits on the board of LEAP’s RING|Lansing’s Innovation Network, which supports the area’s incubators and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“It’s wise for small businesses to consider legal counsel and an accountant as key part-time members of their management team,” Linder emphasized. “We try to stress to individuals starting a business that it is much easier and cheaper to address legal issues early rather than later. While the Internet offers an abundance of legal forms and QuickBooks offers sample Charts of Accounts, they do not replace experienced legal and accounting counsel from practitioners who know specifics that may or may not apply to your industry.”

“These resources are a great tool to prep for meetings with your attorney and other professional advisors,” said Quin Stinchfield, Business Incubation Manager for LEAP. “Entrepreneurs tend to be do-it-yourselfers and the reality is that entrepreneurs who make wise use of business professionals and mentors are more successful in growing their business faster.”