This page exists as a means of providing information and resources to women business-owners on various legal topics which will be helpful to them when starting and growing a business. This page was created and is maintained by the law firm of Foley & Lardner. The firm is dedicated to supporting the efforts of women business-owners and works in cooperation with Springboard Enterprises, an organization which shares the same mission.

Legal Articles and Resources

Private Equity & Venture Capital
For more information, please contact Beth Felder at bfelder@foley.com or Anne Ross at aross@foley.com.

• Protecting Your Business – Prospective Employees and Investors, Nutraingredients-USA.com
• From the Practitioner’s Corner: Entrepreneurial Financing-Alternatives for Raising Capital, New England Journal of Entrepreneurship
• Alternative Sources of Funding for Private Companies, Presentation
• VCs Put Startups in a Sharper Focus, BusinessWeek Online
• Tools for Growth: Financing, Presentation

Distribution and Franchise
For more information, please contact Roberta Howell at rhowell@foley.com.

• Ten Questions For Keeping Your Distribution Channel In Order, Corporate Counsel
• The Changing Face Of Distribution: Obstacles and Opportunities, Corporate Counsel

Intellectual Property
For more information, please contact Courtenay Brinckerhoff at cbrinckerhoff@foley.com or Callie Bell at cbell@foley.com.

• Making Innovation Pay: Capitalizing on Your Intellectual Property, Presentation
• Starting a Licensing Program and Finding Potential Licensees, Presentation
• What are IP Best Practices and How Do You Define Them?, Presentation
• The Importance of Intellectual Property, Nutraceuticals World
• IP Due Diligence in M&A Transactions, Presentation
• Creating Value Through Smart Startup Legal Strategies, Presentation
• IP Issues for Start Ups, Presentation
• Benefits of Registering Trademarks - and the Risks of Not Registering, Presentation
• IP Issues Facing Nanotechnology Startups, Presentation 
• Legal Perspectives for the Nanotech Start-up: Business and Tax Issues Involving Choice of Entity, Capital Formation, and Compensation, Presentation
• Tools for Growth: Intellectual Property, Presentation
• IP Ownership: Freedom to Operate, Avoiding Disputes, Presentation

Labor & Employment
For more information, please contact Ann Mennell at amennell@foley.com. 

• Be Careful When Using Police Records in Hiring Decisions, Orlando Business
• Employment Practices Need Scrutiny, Business Matters
• Resolving Employee Disputes & Litigation: A Strategic Approach to Achieving the Best Results in Resolving Employment Disputes, Inside the Minds
• Managing the Risks of Employee Blogs, Midwest In-House
• Employers Need to be Clear About Sick Leave Benefits, Orlando Business Journal
• Preparing Your Company for Successful Business Transactions, Presentation
• Face Forward: Prepare for Future Workforce Challenges Today, Presentation
• Tools for Growth: Employment, Presentation