InPrime Legal

Have you ever wondered why so many businesses have a legal department? Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t because they are expecting to get sued or face lawsuits. That is the case for some of the more shady businesses out there, but the vast majority of businesses that have a legal department have simply realized that there is a lot more going on in the world of business law than lawsuits. Businesses, regardless of their size, could all benefit from having some form of legal counsel. Unfortunately, small and mid-sized companies typically don’t have the budget to pay for an on-sight legal department.

As a business owner, you understand the necessity of having a product, logo, or design that separates your business from the competition. For example, nobody is confused by the McDonald’s M. You don’t see those golden arches and think of Burger King. The reason that McDonald’s logo is so iconic is because it is a trademark of the company. Similarly, they have also trademarked the unique names under which they sell their products. A trademark is part of a larger category that we call intellectual property. These are creations of the mind like inventions, artistic works, designs, symbols, names, or images. A company needs to protect its intellectual property in a legal manner, otherwise other companies would be able to use those designs or ideas for their own profit. Just about every company that has ever existed can benefit from spending some time considering their trademarks and intellectual property.

Real estate law is another area that can be quite confusing for those who don’t have an education on the topic to begin with. Many companies are going to want to purchase some real estate in order to use as offices, a store, or a headquarters for their employees. When real estate is used exclusively for a business-related purpose it is referred to as commercial real estate.