Safford & Baker - Legal Advisors to Technology Businesses

Launch Party for Lawyers for the Creative Economy

admin — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:27:04 +0000

Lawyers for the Creative Economy (LCE) "a new, statewide initiative led by ArtServe Michigan to identify and engage attorneys who are willing to provide free or low-fee intellectual property advice and related support to artists, creative practitioners, businesses and non-profit organizations." LCE was developed by ArtServe Michigan with support from the Arts, Communications, Entertainment and Sports (ACES) section of the State Bar of Michigan, General Motors, major Michigan law firms and the National Endowment for the Arts, to name a few. There is a launch party this Wednesday, December 5th from 5:30-7:30 PM at Miller Canfield in Detroit. Press release:

Miller Canfield and ArtServe Michigan cordially invites you to a complimentary reception and information session to launch a new statewide initiative, Lawyers ...read more

Business Law & Order – Getting Funded

admin — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:40:32 +0000
Video of the event last night is available on the Ann Arbor USA website here.

Business Law & Order – Getting Funded

admin — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:44:40 +0000
I’m going to be presenting Don Baker’s “Developing a Capital Fundraising Plan” at Ann Arbor Spark on Monday, November 19 starting at 5:00 p.m. Here are the event details: What: Business Law & Order - Getting Funded - Techniques, Tips and Traps - With a Crowdfunding Update Where: Ann Arbor SPARK Central, 330 East Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor MI 48104 Date: 11/19/2012 Time: 5:00 PM-7:00 PM Cost: FREE Also presenting are Gary Kendra of the Kendra Law Firm, and John Decker of Jaffe Raitt. More info can be found here.

Michigan arts initiative seeks IP talent

admin — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:30:37 +0000
I'm on the advisory committee for ArtServe's new Lawyers for the Creative Economy (LCE). A couple of kick-off events are coming up to recruit lawyers interested in participating in the program. Here's the press release:
Intellectual property attorneys are being sought for a new statewide arts initiative — and are being invited to a complimentary lunch to hear more about it. ArtServe Michigan’s Lawyers for the Creative Economy project is kicking off at a luncheon noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Grand Rapids Museum of Art. This new initiative “will identify and engage attorneys who are willing to provide free or low-fee intellectual property advice and related support to artists and creative practitioners.” The event is sponsored by the Arts, Communications, Entertainment and ...read more

This Week: Detroit Startup Drinks and Social Media Day Detroit

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:31:52 +0000
There are a couple of events this week in Detroit you will want to check out: DETROIT STARTUP DRINKS. The next event for Detroit Startup Drinks is this Thursday, June 28, 2012, from 6–8pm at Mercury Bar in Corktown, Detroit. DSD is all about meeting like-minded technology folks, talking about what you're working on, and finding out what others are working on. "No Agenda. No Speakers. Just Community." More information is posted on the DSD Facebook Group. The group is open to anyone. SOCIAL MEDIA DAY DETROIT 2012. Social Media Day is an annual global event on Saturday, June 30th that gathers social media enthusiasts through local Social Media Day Meetups. The Detroit Meetup is this Saturday, June ...read more

Workshop and Panel Discussion: Operational Growth and Capital Investment Planning for Entrepreneurs

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:06:57 +0000
MIT Enterprise Forum and GLEQ are presenting a workshop and panel discussion on "Operational Growth and Capital Investment Planning for Entrepreneurs" on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. Leading the workshop and discussion is our very own Don Baker. About the program:
For most startups and early stage technology companies, raising investment capital is the first and most daunting task. Lack of adequate capitalization puts a great deal of strain on what is already the difficult task of launching a new product or service into the marketplace and building an operational business. Particularly in bootstrapped start-ups, diversion of management resources to fundraising tasks usually lengthen time to market, which feeds back into a need for even more capital to support the launch. In ...read more

Paying Your Team Members with Equity: All About Stock Grants and Options

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:35:23 +0000
Our very own Don Baker will be presenting "Paying Your Team Members with Equity: All About Stock Grants and Options" as a MIT Enterprise Forum Savvy Entrepreneur Series Lunch & Learn Webinar on April 24th from 12-1 p.m.
Informative Webinars to help emerging technology companies and entrepreneurs understand how to leverage equity forms of compensation. Many entrepreneurs need to on-board early team members and leaders with limited cash flow, so they consider how to best leverage equity forms of compensation. There are important business, governance, legal, and tax perspectives to consider the best approaches for your specific situation. Bring your situation and questions to this informative and interactive program to help educate yourself. This Savvy Entrepreneur Series Webinar program ...read more

eCommerce and State Sales Taxes: Understanding “Amazon” Tax Laws

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:52:16 +0000
I'll be presenting two programs to the newly-formed eCommerce Ann Arbor group on Monday, April 16, 2012 starting at 6:30 p.m., at Connor O'Neills in Ann Arbor. "eCommerce and State Sales Taxes: Understanding 'Amazon' Tax Laws"
Cash-strapped states are looking at Internet sales as a potential new source of tax revenue. Online retailers should take notice. In the past three years, seven states have enacted so-called “Amazon” laws (named after online mega-retailer Amazon.com) in an attempt to force online retailers to collect and remit sales taxes for Internet sales in their states. Fifteen other states have had similar legislation introduced or currently pending. This presentation will focus on understanding what “Amazon” taxes laws are and the future of Internet sales taxes.
AND "Email ...read more

Google Ventures Backs Duo Security

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:47:24 +0000
We are very proud to have represented Duo Security in their $5 million Series A round of financing led by Google Ventures and True Ventures on the West Coast, together with Ann Arbor's own Resonant Venture Partners. You can read about it here, here, and here. The official press release is here.

Business Law & Order: Funding 101

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:10:37 +0000
I'm going to be presenting Don Baker's "Developing a Capital Fundraising Plan" at Ann Arbor Spark tonight, Monday, February 20th at 5:00 p.m. Here are the event details: What: Business Law & Order: Funding 101 Where: Ann Arbor SPARK Central, 330 East Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor MI 48104 Date: 2/20/2012 Time: 5:00 PM-7:00 PM Cost: FREE Also presenting are Bradley J. Wyatt from Dickinson Wright PLLC, Gary Kendra of Kendra Law Firm, and Jeffrey L. LaBine from Miller Canfield, presenting on Grant Funding, Securities Law Basics, and “How to Choose Your Investors Wisely”. Hope you can stop by.