By Allison Dale and Christine Lyon
As of January 1, 2020, “reasonable security feature[s]” must be included in all “connected devices” sold or offered for sale in California, specifically those devices capable of connecting directly or indirectly to the internet and that have an IP or Bluetooth address.
By Amber Shubin and Andrew Turnbull
In August, Massachusetts’ Governor signed into law the Massachusetts Noncompetition Agreement Act establishing strict new requirements for noncompetition agreements with employees entered on or after October 1, 2018. Read our client alert.
By Simon Arlington, Murray Indick, Graeme Sloan and Greg Joynson
With tech M&A activity continuing to increase, more UK-based startups are exploring the possibility of a US exit. This chart details the differences sellers may encounter when seeking a US exit.
By Suz Mac Cormac, Alfredo Silva and Jesse Finfrock
In April 2018, the Delaware State Bar Association’s Corporate Law Section approved an amendment to the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act that allows for the formation of public benefit limited liability companies (PBLLCs). The proposed new PBLLC statute – Subchapter XII of Chapter 18, Title 6 of the Delaware Code (PDF) – closely tracks the Delaware public benefit corporation (PBC) statute, so its material features will be familiar to most social entrepreneurs and impact investors.
By John Rafferty
What steps should startups take before raising venture capital financing? Morrison & Foerster Emerging Companies + Venture Capital partner John Rafferty outlines the top six things founders should do before raising venture capital in his recent article for the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Read the full Silicon Valley Business Journal article.
By Alfredo Silva and Ali Nardali
On March 19, 2018, Morrison & Foerster LLP attorneys Alfredo B. D. Silva, Ali U. Nardali and Aria Kashefi published a thought piece in Bloomberg Law on legal issues related to use of blockchain tokens as service provider compensation. In the past year, tokens have nudged their way into mainstream consciousness with the proliferation of “initial coin offerings,” or “ICOs,” and the blockbuster rises – and drops – in the prices of cryptocurrencies. An emerging
... Read more »By Tim Harris
Intellectual property issues can be critical at the time a startup is considering a sale. In this video, partner Tim Harris explains several reasons why an acquirer will scrutinize a startup’s intellectual property before moving forward with a purchase.
By MoFo ScaleUp Team
Careful IP planning is especially important in the life sciences, in which companies often rely on only a handful of patents to protect a high-market value product such as an FDA-approved drug. In this article, MoFo counsel Lisa Silverman details the importance of patent protection for life sciences companies, highlighting the long-term benefits of patent term extension and how to identify which assets to prioritize. Originally appearing in the Daily Journal, read the article here.
By Tim Harris
Investor due diligence into a startup’s foundational intellectual property and make or break a potential investment. In this video, partner Tim Harris describes IP-related pitfalls that discourage investors from backing a startup.
By Tim Harris
Failing to file an 83(B) election can be incredibly costly to a startup founder. In this video, MoFo partner Tim Harris explains the importance of the 83(B) election.
By Murray Indick and Kate Tyler
This article was originally published on Octane blog, the official online publication of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. It has been reposted here with permission.
By Tim Harris
When a startup raises a new round of capital at a lower price per share as a prior round, it is referred to as a “down round.” In this video, MoFo partner Tim Harris details why this might occur and explains the antidilution adjustments needed for previous investors.
