Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 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 by video as 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, 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.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

No 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 Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.

Tuesday, October 12, 2021, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

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

As a business owner, artist, or creator, you try to do things that set you apart from the competition. Usually, you do not want the competition to know your important business information, and you don’t want them to profit from your creative expressions and original works. In this class, learn how to protect the information and work that gives your business an edge.

Class covers:

• Copyright: what is protected, and how to make sure no one profits from your original works and expressions
• Free for the taking: what you can take from others, what others can take from you
• Clearance required: what you do need permission to use
• Pitching, idea theft, and implied-in-fact-contracts

Participants are encouraged to join by video as 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 John L. Geiger with the support of Bixel Exchange:

John L. Geiger is an intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles with over thirty years of litigation and transactional experience.  He has represented a broad variety of entertainment professionals, including screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors, as well as music recording and headline international concert tour artists.  Mr. Geiger is co-author of Creativity and Copyright: Legal Essentials for Screenwriters and Creative Artists (UC Press, 2019).  Currently, as a Principal Deputy County Counsel for the County of Los Angeles, he advises public agencies on complex information technology and intellectual property matters.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

Tuesday, October 19, 2021, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

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

Many successful businesses develop important assets that are “intangible,” including trademarks identifying your products (or services) in the flow of commerce, and patents to protect scientific inventions. Learn how to protect such assets and ensure your company’s continued success.

Class covers:

• Protecting an original invention through the patent process
• What patent protection can provide your business, and what it can’t
• How to develop and protect a valuable trademark

Participants are encouraged to join by video as 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 Carolin K. Shining with the support of Bixel Exchange.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

No 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 Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.

Class recorded June 11, 2024

For a small business hiring its first few employees, the thicket of rules and regulations on things like sick time, wages, benefits, and termination can easily become overwhelming. In this class, an employment lawyer and small business owner will cut through the maze to help you focus on what you need to know.

Class covers:

• Best practices to avoid liability and maximize employee success
• Common employment law issues facing smaller businesses
• New sick time and related laws in California
• Family and medical leave laws – do they apply to me?
• Major dos and don’ts to keep in mind, and resources for help

Presented by Karen A. Rooney: Karen Rooney has over 30 years of litigation experience, mostly in employment-related claims, including extensive trial and arbitration experience. She has represented many small businesses over the years, and is herself a small business owner and employer. Ms. Rooney served on the Board of the L.A. County Bar Association Attorney Referral Service and has volunteered as a mediator with both the Bar Association and the L.A. County Superior Court. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

No 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 Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.