Section 25102 (f) – Securities Law Compliance if You Incorporate in California
When startups incorporate, they typically want to avoid the expense, delay and effort associated with registering the sale of their shares. In California, the most common exemption from registration is found in Corporations Code Section 25102 (f).
Section 25102 (f) says that a corporation need not register the sale of its shares if all of the following requirements are met:
- The shares are sold to no more than 35 shareholders.
- All purchasers have a preexisting relationship with the corporation or its officers, directors or controlling persons.
- Each purchaser is buying shares for the purchaser’s own account and not for resale.
- The offer and sale of the shares is not accompanied by the publication of any advertisement.
Are LLC Memberships Securities that Must be Registered?
The following are (somewhat edited) an Avvo question and my answer: Q. Is it necessary to file a Form D securities exemption when forming a California limited liability company (LLC) and only issuing an interest to the forming members?
A. The short answer is “no“. The somewhat longer answer is as follows: (more…)
Doing Business in CA? Be Sure to Register
Sometimes California-based entrepreneurs think that they can avoid CA registration fees and taxes by forming their business entities in another state. Usually, that belief is incorrect. If the entity is doing business in CA, then it must register with the CA Secretary of State, even if the entity was formed elsewhere.
Section references and content below have been updated to reflect California’s new LLC law that took effect on January 1, 2014 (see RULLCA Brings New LLC Laws to California in 2014). (more…)
“High-touch Legal Services” Receives Federal Service Mark Registration
Last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office confirmed that the service mark “High-touch Legal Services” has received Registration No. 3,726,914. The registration pertains both to legal services and to blogs that feature the law and legal matters.
The mark is on the Supplemental Register, rather than the Principal Register, because “high-touch” is descriptive of the services that I provide but has not yet acquired secondary meaning. With this registration, I have the right to use the ? symbol and to bar use of confusingly similar marks. (more…)
Trademark Protection in One Easy Lesson
A trademark or service mark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods (trademark) or services (service mark).
(Throughout the remainder of this post, the term “trademark” is intended to include service mark, as well, except where specified otherwise.)
The owner of a trademark has the right to prevent others from using the mark or a confusingly similar mark. (more…)
