Tuesday, March 21, 2023, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

--- CLASS WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM. ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME ---

Business entities come in many shapes and sizes, and choosing the right one can avoid serious tax and liability consequences. Learn which business entity is right for you, how to prepare and file incorporation documents, and why supposed “formalities” like corporate by-laws can be so important to your business success.

Class covers:

• Creating legal structures that will protect business start-ups and accommodate the business as it grows
• Common myths and mistakes people make in setting up a business
• The difference between an LLC, C-Corporation and S-Corporation and how to determine which one is right for your business
• Why shouldn't you just operate as a partnership or a sole proprietorship?
• What are the issues that co-owners should address and resolve in a "Shareholders Agreement" before starting a business together?

Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom session using video as this class may involve sharing of visual information and writings, participation via the chat function, and the opportunity to interact with others. Virtual networking reception to follow class.

Presented by Prof. Michael Chasalow (http://gould.usc.edu/faculty/contactinfo.cfm?detailID=328):

Professor Chasalow directs the USC Law School Small Business Clinic, where students gain hands-on experience handling transactional legal problems and providing basic corporate legal assistance to small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations. Professor Chasalow has worked with start-up companies for over 25 years.  His scholarly interests involve the development and structure of business ventures as well as corporate governance issues, fiduciary duty standards and issues relating to the operation and governance of partnerships and LLCs. Professor Chasalow received his B.A. from UC-Berkeley, his J.D. from Berkeley Law and his M.B.A. at UCLA. After law school Professor Chasalow practiced law for several years, initially as a transactional attorney with Latham and Watkins in Los Angeles, where he specialized in such complex corporate transactions as mergers and acquisitions and the issuance of sophisticated debt securities.

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service.  The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons.  For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

--- CLASS WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM. ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME ---

New and growing businesses must enter into a variety of contracts, with landlords, suppliers, and clients, to name a few. Learn how to read common “boilerplate” contractual language and negotiate contractual terms to your advantage. 

Class covers:

• Contract law basics
• Essential terms of a commercial lease: what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable
• Essential terms of a contract for goods or services
• “Typical” contracts negotiated by business people
• Caveat emptor: how to avoid problematic contracts

Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom session using video as this class may involve sharing of visual information and writings, participation via the chat function, and the opportunity to interact with others. Virtual networking reception to follow class.

Presented by Gina Pak: 

Gina Pak is the COO and Co-founder of Lawgood (https://lawgood.io), a legal tech company that is helping business owners with their everyday legal contracts through a combination of real lawyers and artificial intelligence.   Prior to Lawgood, Gina was as a corporate lawyer at large firms in New York and Los Angeles working with Fortune 500 companies.  She was also a law professor at Peking University.  Gina graduated from Columbia Law School.

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service.  The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons.  For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

--- CLASS WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM. ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME ---

Renting a commercial space is a big step for any small business. Before you sign your lease agreement, you should understand how commercial leases differ from residential agreements, and make sure you understand the basic terms of the lease. If you already have a lease in place and you don’t understand its terms, join this session to understand the meaning of its clauses. Lawyers will provide an overview of the most important terms of a commercial lease and provide tips when negotiating a new contract or changes to your current agreement.

Class covers:

• Commercial Leasing Overview
• Terms of a Lease
• Lease Strategies
• Commercial Leasing and COVID-19

Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom session using video as this class may involve sharing of visual information and writings, participation via the chat function, and the opportunity to interact with others. Virtual networking reception to follow class.

Presented by Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service.  The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons.  For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

--- CLASS WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM. ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME ---

Everyone has a story, and entrepreneurs often rely on their past experiences to build a successful small business. In this class, learn how to turn experience into business success by telling your story through your business and its brand. Hear from a small business owner as she shares her personal experience in creating a successful fashion brand.

Class covers:

• Storytelling as an essential aspect of your business
• How to create a brand built around your identity and experience
• Using skills from other professions and hobbies to help tell your story
• How to share your passion for your business with customers

Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom session using video as this class may involve sharing of visual information and writings, participation via the chat function, and the opportunity to interact with others. Virtual networking reception to follow class.

Presented by Rebecca Henry:

Rebecca is a 1993 graduate from the UCLA School of Law. She is an attorney by day and a craftswoman by night. She is from a family of Southerners from Louisiana on her mother’s side and South Carolina on her father’s side who have a rich history of ancestral remembrance and retention of folkways.  As a creator and designer, Rebecca pulls on her family traditions to weave and craft the stories that inspire the fashion collections for House of Aama. As an attorney, she is the director of legal and business affairs for the brand. She also oversees manufacturing and production. 

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service.  The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons.  For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.